CERVICAL DYSPLASIA (CANCER)

Please read about Signs and Symptoms for pertinent information I will need.

Doctors in many countries are calling cervical dysplasia (the formation of abnormal tissue in the cervix, a precancerous condition of the cervix), the newest sexually transmitted epidemic.
It is believed that it is caused by the same virus (human papilloma virus) that causes venereal warts. Women should have regular Pap tests to check for this condition because it can be fatal. When cervical cancer is detected at its earliest stage, the 5-year survival rate is more than 90 percent.

Symptoms of cervical cancer:

• abnormal bleeding, such as between periods or after intercourse
• foul smelling vaginal discharge
• discomfort during intercourse

Risk factors include:

• early onset of intercourse: women who begin having sex before age 20 are more
• vulernable to cell changes
• three or more sexual partners in one's lifetime: the greater the number of sexual partners, the greater the risk of acquiring HPV
• having a male sex partner who has had other partners: especially if a previous partner had cervical cancer
• history of genital warts
• immunosuppressive disorders such as HIV/AIDS
• failure to receive regular Pap test screening
• long term use of oral contraceptives
• smoking