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EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Girlfriends Night Out
Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Prentice Women's Hospital, 250 E. Superior St.
Gather your girlfriends and join us for GIRLFRIENDS NIGHT OUT-- An evening of fun, pampering, prizes and helpful health information! Hosted by Northwestern University's Women's Health Initiative, the Lurie Cancer Center and GIRLFRIENDS Health Guide.
Keynote Speaker: Chaz Ebert - Vice president of the Ebert Company, and an acclaimed civil rights attorney, Ebert has experienced first-hand the rewards and challenges of caring for a loved one as she supports her husband, film critic Roger Ebert, throughout his cancer journey.
Online registration at: cancer.northwestern.edu/girlfriends or by phone at 312-695-1304. |
WHAT IS CANCER OF THE CERVIX?
Cancer of the cervix (also called "cervical cancer") begins in the lining of the cervix. This cancer forms slowly. First, some cells begin to change from normal to pre-cancer and then to cancer. This can take many years, but sometimes it happens faster. These changes are referred to by several terms, including dysplasia. For some women, the pre-cancer changes may go away without any treatment. More often, they need to be treated to keep them from changing into true cancers.
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WHAT CAUSES CERVICAL CANCER?
Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. You get HPV by having sex with someone who has it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms.
You can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in your body and can lead to cervical cancer years after you were infected. This is why it is important for you to have regular Pap tests. A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer.
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CAN CERVICAL CANCER BE FOUND EARLY?
Cervical cancer can usually be found early by having regular Pap tests. As Pap testing has become more common, pre-invasive lesions (pre-cancers) of the cervix are found far more frequently than invasive cancer. Being alert to any signs and symptoms of cervical cancer (see "How Is Cervical Cancer Diagnosed?") can also help avoid unnecessary delays in diagnosis. Early detection greatly improves the chances of successful treatment and prevents any early cervical cell changes from becoming cancerous.
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WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?
Different types of treatment are available for patients with cervical cancer. Some treatments are standard, and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment.
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SURVIVOR STORY: Joni Alvarez
One Cervical Cancer Survivors Story
Additional Resources:
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