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Carcinoma cervix

Carcinoma cervix

  • 1,25,000 new patients in India every year
  • Incidence varies from 15 – 48 / 100,000 women
  • Carcinoma cervix is preventable
    • Health education
    • Screening programmes
  • Risk factors for Carcinoma cervix
    • Early age at intercourse
    • Repeated / Frequent births
    •  Multiple sexual partners
    • HPV infections (Type 16 & 18 highly oncogenic)
    • Low socio-economic status
    • Smoking
  • Site
    • Ectocervix 80%
    • Endocervix 20%
  • Gross lesion
    • Occult
    • Proliferative : Friable growth
    • Ulcerative     : Erodes the cervix to form an irregular crater
    • Infiltrative     : Expands the cervix
  • Histopathology
    • Squamous cell carcinoma (80-90%)
      • Large cell keratinizing
      • Large cell non-keratinizing
      • Small cell
    • Adenocarcinoma (10-20%)
      • Endocervical
      • Clear cell
      • Adeno-squamous
      • Adeno-acanthoma

Diagnosis of carcinoma cervix

  • Clinical (Stage Ib1 onwards)
    • Early symptoms
      • Abnormal bleeding
        • Post coital
        • Inter-menstrual
        • Post-menopausal
      • Abnormal discharge
        • Blood stained
        • Dirty
        • Foul smelling
    • Late symptoms
      • Pelvic pain
      • Urinary symptoms
      • Rectal symptoms
  • Signs
    • Abnormal area / growth on cervix
    • Induration
    • Friability
    • Bleeding on touch
    • Fixity
  • Confirmation of diagnosis
    • Diagnosis is confirmed by Histopathological examination of the biopsy sample

Prevention of Carcinoma cervix

  • Health education
    • Avoid early marriage
    • Avoid early intercourse
    • Avoid promiscuity
    • Proper hygiene
    • Use of barrier contraception
  • Screening programs
    • Screening for pre-malignant lesions
    • Screening for early diagnosis

Investigations

  • For confirmation of diagnosis
    • Biopsy
      • From obvious growth or abnormal area
      • Directed biopsy in very early lesions
      • Cone biopsy
  • For staging of disease
    • Intravenous Urography
    • Abdominal Ultrasonography
    • Cystoscopy
    • Proctosigmoidoscopy
    • Examination under anaesthesia (EUA)
    • CT / MRI
  • Base line investigations of general condition