Understanding Cervical Cancer Pathophysiology

Cervical Cancer Pathophysiology Includes Two Main Types

The two main types of cervical cancer pathophysiology include Squamous cell cancer and Adenocarcinoma. The names come from the cell type that becomes cancerous.  Squamous cell cancer is cancer that affects the flat cells covering the cervix’s outer surface, and is considered the most commonly diagnosed form of cervical cancer.  Adenomatous cells exist along the passageway that connects the cervix to the womb and are mucus producing gland cells.

There is a list of risk factors for cervical cancer provided by The American Cancer Society.  The risk factors include the infection of human papillomavirus (over 90% of cervical cancers are caused from this virus), smoking, chlamydia, HIV infection, using oral contraceptives, a family history of cervical cancer and having multiple pregnancies.  The prime cervical cancer pathophysiology is the presence of HPV strands 16, 18 and 31, as HPV causes alterations to the cells located in the cervix.

Growth Patterns and Origins of Cervical Cancer Pathophysiology

While cervical cancer pathophysiology does not actually indicate that cervical cancer is a sexually transmitted disease, it almost always is a result of HPV, which is transmitted through sexual activities.  The origin of cervical cancer pathophysiology comes from a premalignant lesion in the area of the cervix called a squamocolumnar junction.  The growth rate moving from premalignant lesions to invasive carcinoma is usually quite slow and over a period of several years, but the process can vary depending on the individual.
In most patients, carcinoma in situ comes prior to invasive cervical cancer.  Most cervical cancer pathophysiology evidence shows that 30% of patients who leave carcinoma in situ untreated end up having invasive carcinoma after 10 years, and 80% of patients will contract it after 30 years. The progression and growth of invasive carcinoma is basically considered irreversible when the malignant process has extended through the basement membrane and an invasion begins on the cervical stroma.

Less Common Cervical Cancer Pathophysiology

In rare cases, cervical cancer pathophysiology may include other types of cancers like lymphoma.  Lymphoma itself is a term that actually takes in a wide variety of cancers involving the lymphatic system.  When the lymph vessels widen into lymph nodes, the system has difficulty performing it’s job of filtering out bacteria and fighting diseases.  Lymphoma is when the cells multiply uncontrollably.  If the cells multiplying are all the same type, they are considered cancerous (or malignant).

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