New Research On Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is a malignancy of the cervix. World-wide, it is the second most common cancer of women. It may be present with vaginal bleeding but symptoms may be absent until the cancer is in advanced stages, which has made cervical cancer the focus of intense screening efforts. Most scientific studies point to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection responsible for 90% of the cases of cervical cancer. There are 7 most common types of HPV - 16, 18, 31, 33, 42, 52 and 58. Types 16 and 18 being the most common cause of the cancer. Treatment is with surgery (including local exicision) in early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced stages of the disease. This book presents cutting edge research in this field. This involves, programs for cancer screening, alternative approaches to cervical cancer prevention, HPV/Co-Infections and Host Genetic Profiles, Small Cell Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix, Indicators of HPV-induced carcinogenesis, functional genomics as a tool for understanding cervical cancer, histone deacetylase inhibitors, Chinese women and cervical cancer and cervical cancer in Northeastern Thailand.

In 1984 the medical journal Obstetrics and Gynecology published a paper that would initiate an investigation into one of the greatest medical scandals of the late twentieth century. Titled "The Invasive Potential of Carcinoma in Situ of the Cervix", it discussed the results of an experiment that had been run at the National Women’s Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand, since 1955. The experiment looked at the natural history of cervical carcinoma in situ (CIS) – in other words, what happens if no treatment is initiated in a condition suspected (when the experiment began) to lead to cervical cancer. The paper divided participants into two groups, one that had negative results after biopsy or treatment, and one smaller group that continued to test positive. This second group had a significant rate of cervical cancer; some of these women were followed for twenty-five years without treatment, and in only 5% did the disease spontaneously resolve. For the other 95%, outcomes ranged from positive but localised results to metastatic disease and death. The authors said these results were in contrast with other, earlier papers about the experiment. After much research, Sandra Coney, one-time editor of a NZ feminist magazine, and Phyllida Bunkle, a women’s studies lecturer, wrote an article about the experiment, exposing the unauthorised research performed by one prominent gynaecologist in support of his belief that CIS was not associated with cervical cancer. Professor Herbert Green, a physician of considerable influence and power throughout New Zealand, persisted in his belief despite increasingly convincing proof of a progressive connection between the two conditions, never sought permission from his patients, or even told them what he was doing.

Most women who die from cervical cancer, particularly in developing countries, are in the prime of their life. They may be raising children, caring for their family, and contributing to the social and economic life of their town or village. Their death is both a personal tragedy, and a sad and unnecessary loss to their family and their community. Unnecessary, because there is compelling evidence, as this Guide makes clear, that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer, as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. Unfortunately, the majority of women in developing countries still do not have access to cervical cancer prevention programmes. The consequence is that, often, cervical cancer is not detected until it is too late to be cured. An urgent effort is required if this situation is to be corrected. This Guide is intended to help those responsible for providing services aimed at reducing the burden posed by cervical cancer for women, communities and health systems. It focuses on the knowledge and skills needed by health care providers, at different levels of care.

The WHO global health sector strategy on sexually transmitted infections, 2016–2021, endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2016, aims to eliminate STIs as a public health threat by 2030. In 2019, WHO published estimates of new cases of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomoniasis. Recent changes in the epidemiology of STIs and progress in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of STIs and HIV have necessitated changes in approaches to STI prevention and management. To address these STIs, the most widely used approach in clinical settings is the syndromic management of STIs. In most resource-limited settings, the syndromic management flow charts are still the standard of care where laboratory diagnosis is not available or is hard to access. The objectives of these guidelines are to provide updated, evidence-informed clinical and practical recommendations on the case management of people with symptoms of STIs; and to support countries in updating their national guidelines for the case management of people with symptoms of STIs. These guidelines include the management of symptomatic infections related to urethral discharge syndrome, including persistent urethral discharge syndrome; vaginal discharge syndrome, including persistent vaginal discharge; anorectal infection; genital ulcer disease syndrome; and lower abdominal pain syndrome. These guidelines are intended for programme managers for STI prevention and control at the national level and the health-care providers at the frontline – primary, secondary and tertiary health care.

Cervical cancer is a malignancy of the cervix. World-wide, it is the second most common cancer of women. It may present with vaginal bleeding but symptoms may be absent until the cancer is in advanced stages, which has made cervical cancer the focus of intense screening efforts utilising the Pap smear. Most scientific studies point to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection which is responsible for 90% of the cases of cervical cancer. There are 7 most common types of HPV-16, 18, 31, 33, 42, 52 and 58. Types 16 and 18 being the most common cause of the cancer. Treatment is with surgery (including local excision) in early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced stages of the disease. This book presents cutting edge research in this study of cervical cancer. This involves, new perspectives in pharmacological treatments, anti-hormonal agents, therapeutic trends for patients, nerve sparing treatments, antibodies in single chain formats, predictors of radiation response, lymphatic mapping and docetaxel labelling with radionuclides.

Recent introduction of HPV vaccines has raised hopes for immunization against cervical cancer and for the first time in the history of humanity for eradication of one malignant disease. This new “opportunity” has changed many current views on cervical cancer prevention, control diagnosis and treatment. Many canons and guidelines became subject of review and many revisions are coming. This book is intended to summarize most of these events and to present them to all women in a language understandable by the eneral public. We expect the book will bring all readers the rationale for optimism and will provide guidance as how to gain knowledge and skills for critical thinking and making an educated decision when it will be necessary in their lives.

The European Research Organisation on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (or EUROGIN) brings together clinicians and scientists who work on genital infections and their relationship to cancer. The aim of EUROGIN is to promote and develop research, training, screening, prevention and information on genital infections, precancers and cancers in women. This book reviews the latest developments in the epidemiology, natural history and screening of cervical cancer. It also deals with management of cervical cancer, development of vaccines against the human papilloma virus (its major causative agent), and new technologies such as automated screening, HPV Testing and adjuvant tests to cytology. The final and most important part of the book is a lengthy list of guidelines developed by these EUROGIN experts: a major outcome for which the meetings are held.

A Theranostic and Precision Medicine Approach for Female-Specific Cancers provides information regarding ongoing research and clinical data surrounding female specific cancers (breast, cervical, ovarian and endometrial cancers). The book encompasses detailed descriptions about diagnostics and therapeutic options for easy understanding, focusing on the subject matter with a broader range of treatment options. In addition, it explores new theranostics, i.e., diagnostic, therapeutic and precision medicine strategies currently being developed for FSCs. This book is a valuable resource for cancer researchers, clinicians, graduate students and other members of biomedical field who need to understand the most recent and promising approaches to manage FSCs. Explores new diagnostic biomarkers surrounding the early detection and prognosis of FSCs Examines new genetic and molecularly targeted approaches for the treatment of these aggressive diseases Discusses new theranostic approaches that combine diagnosis and treatment through the use of nanotechnology in FSCs Addresses how these various advances can be integrated into a precision and personalized medicine approach that can eventually enhance patient care