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CERVICAL CANCER
PART A

Cervical cancer is a cancer that's found anywhere in the cervix .The cervix is the
opening between the vagina and the womb (uterus).It's part of the reproductive system
and is sometimes called the neck of the womb .Nearly all cervical cancers are caused
by an infection from certain types of human papilloma virus (HPV) . Cervical cancer
usually grows very slowly. How serious it is depending on how big it is, if it has spread
and your general health. Symptoms of cervical cancer include:

• vaginal bleeding that's unusual for you – including bleeding during or after sex,
between your periods or after the menopause, or having heavier periods than
usual
• changes to your vaginal discharge
• pain during sex
• pain in your lower back, between your hip bones (pelvis), or in your lower
tummy
If you have another condition like fibroids or endometriosis, you may get symptoms
like these regularly. You might find you get used to them. But it's important to be
checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or do not feel normal for you.
These symptoms are very common and can be caused by many different conditions.
You can get HPV from:

• any skin-to-skin contact of the genital area

• vaginal, anal or oral sex
• sharing sex toys
Anyone with a cervix can get cervical cancer. This includes trans and non-binary people
with a cervix. You might also be more likely to get cervical cancer if:

• you're under 45 – cervical cancer is more common in younger people

• you have a weakened immune system, like if you have HIV or AIDS
• you have given birth to multiple children or had children at an early age (under
17 years old)
• your mother took the hormonal medicine diethylstilbesterol (DES) while
pregnant with you – your GP can discuss these risks with you
• you've had vaginal, vulval, kidney or bladder cancer in the past
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PART B

You cannot always prevent cervical cancer. But there are things you can do to lower
your chances of getting cervical cancer. Cervical screening and HPV vaccination are
the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.

• All women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 are invited
for regular cervical screening. It helps find and treat any changes in the cells of
the cervix before they can turn into cancer.
• All children aged 12 to 13 are offered the HPV vaccine. It helps protect against
all cancers caused by HPV, as well as genital warts.
You can also lower your chance of getting cervical cancer by:

• using condoms, which lower your chance of getting HPV.

• quitting smoking – smoking can weaken your immune system and the chemicals
in cigarettes can also cause cervical cancer
• eating a balanced diet to help support your immune system
If you have abnormal cells in your cervix, which could mean you have cervical cancer,
you'll usually be referred for a test to have a closer look at your cervix. This is called a
colposcopy. And it is the common test using for the diagnosis of cervical cancer. You’ll
be asked to undress from the waist down, behind a screen. You'll be given a sheet to put
over you. During a colposcopy:

1. The specialist nurse or doctor will ask you to lie back on a bed, usually with your
legs bent, feet together and knees apart.
2. They'll gently put a smooth, tube-shaped tool (a speculum) into your vagina so
they can see your cervix. A small amount of lubricant may be used.
3. A microscope with a light at the end is used to look at your cervix. The
microscope stays outside your body.
4. The nurse or doctor will usually put a liquid on your cervix to show any abnormal
areas.
5. A small sample of cells (biopsy) may be collected to send to a laboratory.
6.
The test should take around 15 to 30 minutes. It should not be painful, but you may find
it uncomfortable. If you had a biopsy, you may have a bleeding or cramping afterwards.
It can usually take several weeks to get the results of your colposcopy.
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These, along with the colposcopy, will help the specialists find out the size of the cancer
and how far it's spread (called the stage). You may need:

• blood tests
• scans, like a CT scan, MRI scan, PET scan or chest X-ray
• an internal examination of your vagina and cervix – you'll have a general
anaesthetic, which means you'll be asleep during the examination.

PART C

Cervical cancer is often treatable. It will usually include surgery, chemotherapy or

radiotherapy. It may also include treatment with targeted medicines to treat the cancer.
You’ll have regular check-ups during and after any treatments. You may also have tests
and scans.

Surgery is the main treatment for cervical cancer, especially if the cancer is found early.
There are several surgeries used to treat cervical cancer.

• part of the cervix – only possible if the cancer is very small

• the cervix and upper part of the vagina – the womb is not removed, so it's possible
to get pregnant in the future
• the cervix and womb (hysterectomy) – can include removing the ovaries and
fallopian tubes
• the cervix, womb, ovaries and fallopian tubes, and all or parts of the bladder,
bowel, vagina or rectum – this is only offered if the cancer has come back and
other treatment is not possible

You may need to have some lymph nodes, which are part of the body’s drainage system,
removed. Recovery from these surgeries can take a long time depending on the surgery
Chemotherapy uses medicines to kill cancer cells .You may have chemotherapy for
cervical cancer:

• before surgery to help make the cancer smaller

• if the cancer is advanced, has come back or if it’s spread to other parts of your
body
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Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays of radiation to kill cancer cells. You may have
radiotherapy for cervical cancer:

• as the main treatment if the cancer is large or has spread

• after surgery, usually with chemotherapy, to help stop the cancer coming back
• to help improve symptoms, like bleeding
Radiotherapy for cervical cancer can be given from outside or inside the body. If you
have advanced cervical cancer or the cancer has come back, you may have treatment
with a targeted medicine called bevacizumab (Avastin). The aim of this medicine is to
help make the cancer smaller or stop it getting any larger, not to cure the cancer.

If you have advanced cervical cancer, it might be very hard to treat. It may not be
possible to cure the cancer. If this is the case, the aim of your treatment will be limited
to the symptoms.
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PART D
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Questions 1-7 For each question, 1-7, decide which text (A, B, C or D) the
Information comes from. You may use any letter more than once. In which text
can you can find information about.

1. Which treatments are recommended for the higher stages of cervical cancer?
2. Which medication is use as the main treatment, if the cancer is large or has spread?
3. In which case the treatment of cervical cancer will be limited to the symptoms?
4. Which test is not painful, but may find uncomfortable?
5. What is a cervix?
6. What will help to find and treat any changes in the cells of the cervix before they can
turn in to cancer?
7. Who can get cervical cancer?
Answer the questions,8-14, with a word or short phrase from the texts. Each
answer may include words, numbers or both.
8. Which stage of tumour extends to invasion between 3-5mm and /or linear extension
of less than 7mm with LVSI*?
9. Which type of cervical cancer might be very hard to treat?
10. What is the main treatment for cervical cancer?
11. Which medications are helps to protect against all cancers in children caused by human
papilloma virus and genital warts?
12. Which pregnancy related medicine cause cervical cancer?
13. Which tests result can take several weeks to get?
14. What are the after effects of a biopsy?
Questions 15-20. Complete each of the sentences, 15-20, with a word or short
phrase from one of the texts. Each answer may include words, numbers or both.

15. ..........and................stages are used the same treatment of conisation or simple

hysterectomy?
16. After surgery, generally the......................helps to stop the cancer coming back?
17. Using.................will lower the risk to getting human papilloma virus?
18. Cervical cancer is more common in..................people?
19. ...................is called the neck of the womb?
20. ...................for cervical cancer can be given from outside or inside the body?
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ANSWER KEY
1. D
2. C
3. C
4. B
5. A
6. B
7. A
8. IA2
9. advanced
10. Surgery
11. HPV vaccine
12. Diethylstilbestrol(DES)
13. colposcopy
14. bleeding or cramping
15. IA1, IA2
16. chemotherapy
17. condoms
18. younger
19. cervix
20. radiotherapy