Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is cancer that starts in the lower part of the uterus (womb). Early screening through a cervical smear (pap smear) can prevent late diagnosis and encourage a positive outcome. In recent years, a vaccine was introduced to prevent infection from viruses that can cause cervical cancer, but its use in Jordan is still limited.

Causes of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is mainly caused by various strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes genital warts. A woman can be at risk of developing cervical cancer due to a number of factors that may include:

Contracting chlamydia
Stress
Use of hormonal contraceptives, especially from an early age
Family history of cervical cancer
Multiple pregnancies

Having one or more of these risk factors does not necessarily mean that a person will definitely develop cervical cancer.

Symptoms of cervical cancer

Abnormal vaginal bleeding or discomfort
Abnormal vaginal discharge
Painful urination

As the tumor grows and invades the surrounding areas, other symptoms may include constipation, blood in the urine, and swelling in the feet, legs or ankles.

Diagnosis of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is usually a slow-growing cancer without symptoms. It can be detected with Pap tests. We encourage women to have regular Pap tests, at least once every two years, to increase the chance of detecting cervical cancer early on. KHCC’s Early Detection Clinic offers Pap tests in addition to other types of clinical tests that can detect cervical cancer, such as DNA testing and CT scans of the pelvis and abdomen.

Treatment of cervical cancer at KHCC

Depending on the stage of the cancer, various forms of treatment may be explored including chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. For early stages, surgery is the treatment of choice. In more advanced cases, radiation combined with chemotherapy is the current standard of care.