Cervical cancer risk factors

GENERAL

• Pregnancy: Women who have had three or more full-term pregnancies, or who had their first full-term pregnancy before age 17, are twice as likely to get cervical cancer.

GENETICS

• Family history: Women with a sister or mother who had cervical cancer are two to three times more likely to develop cervical cancer.

LIFESTYLE

• Sexual history: Certain types of sexual behavior are considered risk factors for cervical cancer and HPV infection. These include: sex before age 18, sex with multiple partners and sex with someone who has had multiple partners. Studies also show a link between chlamydia infection and cervical cancer.
• Smoking: A woman who smokes doubles her risk of cervical cancer.
• Oral contraceptive use: Women who take oral contraceptives for more than five years have an increased risk of cervical cancer, but this risk returns to normal within a few years after the pills are stopped.

OTHER CONDITIONS

• Weakened immune system: In most people with healthy immune systems, the HPV virus clears itself from the body within 12-18 months. However, people with HIV or other health conditions or who take medications that limit the body’s ability to fight off infection have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.
• Diethylstilbestrol (DES): Women whose mothers took DES, a drug given to some women to prevent miscarriage between 1940 and 1971, have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.
• HPV: Though HPV causes cancer, having HPV does not mean you will get cancer. The majority of women who contract HPV clear the virus or have treatment so the abnormal cells are removed. HPV is a skin infection, spread through skin-to-skin contact with a person who has the virus.

Additional facts about HPV:

• There are more than 100 types of HPV, 30-40 of which are sexually transmitted.
• Of these, at least 15 are high-risk HPV strains that can cause cervical cancer. The others cause no symptoms or genital warts.
• Up to 80 percent of women will contract HPV in their lifetime. Men get HPV, too, but there is no test for them.
• A healthy immune system will usually clear the HPV virus before there is a symptom, including the high-risk types of HPV.
• Only a small percentage of women with high-risk HPV develop cervical cancer.

Understanding risk factors:

Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer. Not having risk factors doesn’t mean that you will not get cancer. If you think you may be at risk, you should discuss it with your doctor.

Regarding symptoms of cervical cancer:

In most cases, cervical cancer does not cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Routine Pap screening is important to check for abnormal cells in the cervix, so they can be monitored and treated as early as possible. Most women are advised to get a Pap test starting at age 21.

The Pap test is one of the most reliable and effective cancer screening methods available, and women should have yearly exams by an OB-GYN. However, the Pap test may not detect some cases of abnormal cells in the cervix. The HPV test screens women for the high-risk HPV strains that may lead to cervical cancer. It is approved for women over age 30.

Although screening methods are not 100 percent accurate, these tests are often an effective method for detecting cervical cancer in the early stages when it is still highly treatable. Talk with your doctor about which type of cervical cancer screening is right for you.

When present, common symptoms of cervical cancer may include:

• Vaginal bleeding: This includes bleeding between periods, after sexual intercourse or post-menopausal bleeding.
• Unusual vaginal discharge: A watery, pink or foul-smelling discharge is common.
• Pelvic pain: Pain during intercourse or at other times may be a sign of abnormal changes to the cervix, or less serious conditions.

All of these cervical cancer symptoms should be discussed with your doctor.

Signs of advanced stages of cervical cancer:

Cervical cancer may spread (metastasize) within the pelvis, to the lymph nodes or elsewhere in the body. Signs of advanced cervical cancer include:

• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Back pain
• Leg pain or swelling
• Leakage of urine or feces from the vagina
• Bone fractures

“Stress makes it hard for us to relax and can come with a range of emotions, including anxiety and irritability. When stressed, we may find it difficult to concentrate. We may experience headaches or other body pains, an upset stomach or trouble sleeping.

Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. Coping styles and symptoms of stress vary from person to person. ​​Doing what matters in times of stress – aims to equip people with practical skills to cope with stress.”

WHO-World Health Organization (Stress)

“

“Stress is the natural reaction your body has when changes or challenges occur. It can result in many different physical, emotional and behavioral responses. Everyone experiences stress from time to time. You can’t avoid it.

Stress is a natural human reaction that happens to everyone. In fact, your body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress.

Stress responses help your body adjust to new situations. Stress can be positive — keeping you alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. For example, if you have an important test coming up, a stress response might help your body work harder and stay awake longer. But stress becomes a problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation.”

Cleveland Clinic (Stress: What It Is, Symptoms, Management & Prevention)

“Obesity is a disease in which a person has an unhealthy amount and/or distribution of body fat (1). Compared with people of healthy weight, those with overweight or obesity are at greater risk for many diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and at least 13 types of cancer, as well as having an elevated risk of death from all causes (2–5).”

NIH National Cancer Institute

Obesity and Cancer Fact Sheet – NCI

“AT/RTs occur in both children and adults and are very rare in both age groups. Most patients are younger than two years of age at diagnosis. An estimated 470 people are living with this tumor in the United States and only 50 are adults. AT/RTs occur slightly more often in males than females.”

NIH National Cancer Institute (Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumors (AT/RT): Diagnosis and Treatment – NCI)

AT/RT is a primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor. This means it begins in the brain or spinal cord.

To get an accurate diagnosis, a piece of tumor tissue will be removed during surgery, if possible. A neuropathologist should then review the tumor tissue.

Central nervous system (CNS) atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is a very rare, fast-growing cancer that begins in the brain and spinal cord. It usually occurs in children aged 3 years and younger, although it can occur in older children and adults.

About half of these tumors form in the cerebellum or brain stem. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that controls movement, balance, and posture. The brain stem controls numerous functions breathing, heart rate, and the nerves and muscles used in seeing, hearing, walking, talking, and eating. AT/RT can also begin in other parts of the brain and spinal cord.

Certain genetic changes may increase the risk of AT/RT.

A risk factor is anything that increases the chance of getting a disease. Not every child with one or more of these risk factors will develop AT/RT. And it will develop in some children who don’t have a known risk factor.

AT/RT may be linked to changes in the tumor suppressor genes SMARCB1 or SMARCA4. Tumor suppressor genes make a protein that helps control how and when cells grow. Changes in the DNA of tumor suppressor genes like SMARCB1 or SMARCA4 may lead to cancer.

The changes in the SMARCB1 or SMARCA4 genes may be inherited (passed on from parents to offspring). When this gene change is inherited, tumors may form in two parts of the body at the same time (for example, in the brain and the kidney). For children with AT/RT, genetic counseling (a discussion with a trained professional about inherited diseases and a possible need for gene testing) may be recommended.

Most AT/RTs are caused by changes in a gene known as SMARCB1 (also called INI1), and less frequently by mutations in a gene called SMARCA4. SMARCB1 normally signals proteins to stop tumor growth. But, in AT/RTs, SMARCB1 doesn’t function properly and tumor growth is uncontrolled. In addition to occurring in the tumor’s DNA, SMARCB1 and SMARCA4 can also be found in a person’s own DNA. There are three groups of AT/RTs based on their genetic alterations: AT/RT-TYR, AT/RT-SHH, and AT/RT-MYC. Each group tends to develop in a different location of the CNS and is more common in different age groups. AT/RT-MYC is the most frequent group in adults.

Talk with your child’s doctor if you think your child may be at risk.

Cancer is a genetic disease—that is, it is caused by certain changes to genes that control the way our cells function. Genes may be mutated (changed) in many types of cancer, which can increase the growth and spread of cancer cells.

The Grades of the tumors:

Primary CNS tumors are graded based on the tumor location, tumor type, extent of tumor spread, genetic findings, the patient’s age, and tumor remaining after surgery, if surgery is possible.

AT/RTs are all classified as grade 4 (also written as grade IV) tumors. This means they are malignant (cancerous) and fast-growing.

The symptoms of AT/RT aren’t the same in each patient.

Symptoms depend on 2 major factors:

Because AT/RT is fast growing, symptoms may develop quickly and get worse over a period of days or weeks. It’s important to check with your child’s doctor if your child has:

These symptoms may be caused by problems other than AT/RT. The only way to know is to see your child’s doctor.

The prognosis of this disease:

The likely outcome of the disease or chance of recovery is called prognosis. Prognosis is based on the tumor grade, location, tumor type, extent of tumor spread, genetic findings, patient’s age, and tumor remaining after surgery (if surgery is possible).

Many factors can affect prognosis, including the tumor grade and molecular type, the person’s age and health when diagnosed, and how they respond to treatment. If you want to understand your prognosis, talk to your doctor.

The Treatment of  Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumors (AT/RT):

The first treatment for an AT/RT is surgery, if possible. The goal of surgery is to obtain tissue to determine the tumor type and remove as much tumor as possible without causing more symptoms.

People with AT/RTs usually receive further treatments after surgery, which may include radiation, chemotherapy, or clinical trials. Clinical trials test new chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy drugs. Treatments are decided by the patient’s health care team based on the patient’s age, tumor remaining after surgery, tumor type, and tumor location.

“Heavy alcohol use causes numerous diseases that affect the brain, nerves, muscle tissue, heart, stomach, liver, pancreas and other organs. Consuming the substance is a risk factor for several cancers, and it’s associated with psychological disorders.

It doesn’t take long to recover from drinking. A person can take a quick nap to relieve the effects of a few beers. The worst hangovers usually subside in a day. But each drink makes a small amount of hidden damage inside the body. Years of heavy drinking can result in a plethora of long-term illnesses.

Nearly every part of the body is affected by alcohol. When a person drinks, alcohol heads to the stomach, where some of it is absorbed. The liver processes the liquid. Alcohol moves through the brain, the heart and the kidneys. Alcohol in the blood passes through the lungs.

Each part of the body experiences short- and long-term effects of alcohol. Your organs recover from the short-term side effects in hours or days, but they don’t recover from the long-term effects. That damage gets worse each time a person drinks. The risks of permanent damage are increased when a person is mixing drugs and alcohol.

In most people, the liver takes the most damage. Alcoholics are known for liver problems, and several liver diseases are caused solely by long-term alcohol abuse.”

DrugRehab.com

Alcohol-Related Diseases (Liver, Heart & Brain Damage)

“Alcohol Awareness Month is a public health program organized by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence as a way of increasing outreach and education regarding the dangers of alcoholism and issues related to alcohol. The program was started in April 1987 with the intention of targeting college-aged students who might be drinking too much as part of their newfound freedom. It has since become a national movement to draw more attention to the causes and effects of alcoholism as well as how to help families and communities deal with drinking problems.

However, the dangers of alcohol abuse go beyond college kids getting too drunk at parties. An estimated 14.4 million Americans ages 18 and older had an alcohol use disorder (AUD) in 2018 according to NSDUH.³ Across the nation, 26.45% individuals 18 and older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month (typically 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men in about 2 hours) while 6.6% engaged in heavy alcohol use (binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month) in the past month.^3″

American Addiction Centers (Alcohol.org)

What Is Alcohol Awareness Month?

Risk factors for alcohol use disorder include:

• Steady drinking over time. Drinking too much on a regular basis for an extended period or binge drinking on a regular basis can lead to alcohol-related problems or alcohol use disorder.
• People who begin drinking at an early age, and especially in a binge fashion, are at a higher risk of alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use may begin in the teens, but alcohol use disorder occurs more frequently in the 20s and 30s. However, it can begin at any age.
• Family history. The risk of alcohol use disorder is higher for people who have a parent or other close relative who has problems with alcohol. This may be influenced by genetic factors.
• Depression and other mental health problems. It’s common for people with a mental health disorder such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder to have problems with alcohol or other substances.
• Social and cultural factors. Having friends or a close partner who drinks regularly could increase your risk of alcohol use disorder. The glamorous way that drinking is sometimes portrayed in the media also may send the message that it’s OK to drink too much. For young people, the influence of parents, peers and other role models can impact risk.

Alcohol intoxication results as the amount of alcohol in your blood stream increases. The higher the blood alcohol concentration is, the more impaired you become. Alcohol intoxication causes behavior problems and mental changes. These may include inappropriate behavior, unstable moods, impaired judgment, slurred speech, impaired attention or memory, and poor coordination. You can also have periods called “blackouts,” where you don’t remember events. Very high blood alcohol levels can lead to coma or even death.

Alcohol withdrawal can occur when alcohol use has been heavy and prolonged and is then stopped or greatly reduced. It can occur within several hours to four or five days later. Symptoms include sweating, rapid heartbeat, hand tremors, problems sleeping, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, restlessness and agitation, anxiety, and occasionally seizures. Symptoms can be severe enough to impair your ability to function at work or in social situations.

Are you wondering if you drinking is on the high side or it crossed a line into a problem?  It may be time to make some changes and its never too LATE!

What could be telling you that your having a problem with drinking? Well if you are asking yourself any of the listed problems or asking yourself the followng questions listed below it maybe time to be checked or you get help:

1. You drink more than planned. If your coming into this situation drinking more than you planned to or longer than you thought than you are having problem controlling your alcohol!

2. You find yourself spending a long time drinking, even getting sick from the drinking but  and in time from the side effects of drinking recover.  Why even get to that point.  Keep track of your daily activities with seeing how often you drink in a diary and see if the bottles add up highier than one glass of wine a day or one or three glasses a week of alcohol.  Again you might see it adds up much higher than that.

3. Has your tolerance build up that you have to drink more for your buzz.  Your brain adapts over time to alcohol sensitivity and goes up when drinking high levels of alcohol.  Just like a completely different disease but similar concept.  In a pt without emphysema (COPD type the worst)  where in time the brain adjusts to CO2 – Carbon Dioxide levels with O2 levels.  A person without emphysema the brain makes us breath on low 02 levels but with a emphysema pt the brain makes them breath based on low CO2 levels since in time the brain developed sensitivity to it.

4. You crave alcohol frequently, another factor in making you want to seek help.  There are times you want to drink so badly bases on emotions or physical feelings you are experiencing that can trigger the craving.  You can be at a place (like a bar) triggering that craving.  That strong need or urge to drink can be triggered by people, places, things also.  When you have a trigger reacts to these factors differently than a social drinker’s does.

5.  You give up activities; what do you do for fun besides drinking?  Now yes life does change but what have you edged out of your life for drinking and or does everything you do entail a lot of drinking.  Has drinking stopped you from doing those things you use to do or pushed them out of your life.

6.  Are dropping the ball on life?   Take work, how many times have you come to work with a hang over, missed dead lines for your boss, or got behind on college work?  Now if your drinking in high school you know your under the age and its against the LAW!  When your drinking keeps you home sick or from your responsibilities that is a problem!

7.  Is it causing friction in your relationships?  If you care about your loved ones but can’t imagine your life without drinking that is a problem!  If your in this situation, this does not make you a bad person at all but like any problem you need to resolve it.  You need to look for help and make changes to help the relationship you have with a significant one in your life or with family members or friends to get those relationships back on the right track for both of you.

8. Are you having Withdrawal S/S from drinking?  (S/S are listed above under withdrawal).  Remember alcohol changes your brain’s chemistry.  When you drink heavy over a long period of time the brain has adapted to the high alcohol in your body.  So understand,  if you suddenly stop drinking your brain has to adjust again and with doing so this will make withdrawal s/s occur.

9.  Have you been put in the situation that you could have been hurt due to drinking or has an injury actual already happened.  Your brain didn’t react fast enough or was it from poor decision making that an injury almost occurred or actually happened (Examples of getting into risky situations due to your heavy drinking could be: Driving, swimming, getting into fights, poor sex-ending up with sexual transmitted diseases or passing on your STD like HIV for example and walking into dangerous areas getting hurt or someone else hurt.)

10. Getting sick with medical conditions or health problems due to your heavy drinking.  Alcohol can damage your liver, brain, heart, pancreas and even immune system.  It can even raise odds of getting certain cancers.

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancer. Drinking alcohol doesn’t mean that you’ll definitely get cancer, but the risk is higher the more alcohol you drink.

People might talk about some alcoholic drinks being better or worse for you than others. But all types of alcohol increase the risk of cancer – as it’s the alcohol itself that causes damage, even in small amounts.

So the more you can cut down on alcohol the more you can reduce your risk of cancer.

Drinking less alcohol has lots of other health benefits, too. You can reduce your risk of accidents, high blood pressure and liver disease by cutting back.

Alcohol can damages our cells and this can stop cells repairing damage.  Alcohol effects chemical signals which can make cells more likely to divide this in turn increases the chance of cancer to develop.  Alcohol makes it easier for cell in our mouth and throat to absorb cancer causing chemicals.

There are many ways that alcohol can cause cancer. Some of the main ways are:

• Damage to cells. When we drink alcohol, our bodies turn it into a chemical, called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde can damage our cells and can also stop cells from repairing this damage.
• Changes to hormones. Alcohol can increase the levels of some hormones in our bodies such as oestrogen and insulin. Hormones are chemical messengers, and higher levels of oestrogen and insulin can make cells divide more often. This increases the chance that cancer will develop.
• Changes to cells in the mouth and throat. Alcohol can make it easier for cells in the mouth and throat to absorb harmful chemicals that cause damage.

Remember, it’s the alcohol itself that damages your body, even small amounts. It doesn’t matter whether you drink beer, wine or spirits. All types of alcohol can cause cancer.

There’s plenty of tricks that people claim ‘cure’ hangovers. But even if they work for your hangover, they don’t reverse the damage caused from drinking alcohol.

What types of cancer does alcohol cause?

Drinking alcohol causes 7 different types of cancer. This includes:

• Breast cancer and bowel cancer (two of the most common types)
• Mouth cancer
• Some types of throat cancer: oesophagus (food pipe), larynx (voice box) and pharynx (upper throat)
• Liver cancer
• Colon and Rectum

Stay tune for Part III in tomorrow’s article.

If yes to any of the questions listed in this topic than you may want to be checked out if you don’t know by now for your health!

“April is Alcohol Awareness Month, an opportunity to update your knowledge about the adverse effects of alcohol misuse on health and society. It is also a good time to talk to teens about drinking and to equip them with the knowledge to handle situations involving alcohol. Even teens who would not normally be tempted to drink alcohol may be drawn in by certain social situations, so don’t assume they have all the facts they need to resist peer pressure. Parents and trusted adults can play a meaningful role in shaping youth’s attitudes toward drinking.

Alcohol-related problems continue to take a heavy toll on individuals, families, and communities. Alcohol is a significant factor in the deaths of people younger than age 21 in the United States. This includes deaths from motor vehicle crashes, homicides, alcohol overdoses, falls, burns, drownings, and suicides.”

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

(https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/about-niaaa/directors-page/niaaa-directors-blog/alcohol-awareness-month-raising-awareness-about-dangers-alcohol-use-among-teens)