Cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix is known as cervical cancer. The name of the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina is cervix. There is a major role of human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection in the development of cervical cancers. The virus remains active in some people for many years. Some cervical cells can become cancer cells due to the virus. If you have any signs or symptoms of cervical cancer, you should consult the best medical oncologist in Kolkata for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Types
Your prognosis and treatment depend on the type of cervical cancer that you have. Here we are mentioning the main types of cervical cancer:
- Squamous cell carcinoma:
It is the type of cervical cancer that originates in the flat, thin cells, which line the outer part of the cervix. There is the projection of this area of the cervix into the vagina. The cells are known as squamous cells.
- Adenocarcinoma:
In the column-shaped glandular cells lining the cervical canal, this type of cervical cancer begins.
In cervical cancer, both types of cells are sometimes involved.
Diagnosis
The best cancer doctor in Kolkata can detect cervical cancer with the help of screening tests. The detection of the precancerous cells that can develop into cervical cancer is also possible. The following are some screening tests:
- Pap test:
The doctor scrapes and brushes cells from the cervix during a Pap test. The diagnosis of these cells for any abnormality is done in the lab.
- HPV DNA test:
The doctor collects cells from the cervix and tests them for infection with the different types of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer.
There is also the use of endocervical curettage, punch biopsy, cone biopsy (conization) and an electrical wire loop for the diagnosis of cervical cancer.
Treatment
Early-stage cervical cancer treatment in Kolkata is possible through surgery. The doctor often carries out the surgical removal of only the cancer-affected part of the cervix. There may be the need to surgically remove the total cervix along with some surrounding tissue in other cases. The doctor might have to carry out the surgical removal of the cervix, uterus, part of the vagina and nearby lymph nodes in some patients. The other treatment options are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Chemotherapy is a type of drug treatment and in it, there is the use of chemicals to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy works by using high-powered energy beams such as X-rays or protons to kill cancer cells. The doctor sometimes kills the cancer cells by targeted drug treatments. It is done by blocking specific weaknesses within cancer cells. Your immune system gets the ability to fight cancer from immunotherapy, a drug treatment.