Cervical cancer remains a significant health danger worldwide because it stands as one of the most severe gynecological cancers. Scientific progress has not stopped cervical cancer from remaining a top cancer killer especially in areas where people lack adequate healthcare services and cancer screening. Early detection and effective treatment of cervical cancer becomes possible through a thorough understanding of its subtle symptoms and causes as well as its staging which helps save lives.
Figure 1. Cervical Cancer.
This is the main cause of cervical cancer. High-risk HPV infection is the main cause of cervical cancer, and almost all cervical cancers are related to HPV infection.
Long-term smoking, low immunity (such as HIV infection or taking immunosuppressants), multiple pregnancies and multiple births will also increase the risk of cervical cancer.
Long-term use of oral contraceptives and a family history of cervical cancer may also be related to the occurrence of cervical cancer.
The most obvious manifestation of this disease is abnormal bleeding. There may be no signs in the early stage, and as the disease progresses, bleeding after intercourse and bleeding outside the menstrual cycle will occur. The lesion site will produce bloody or purulent secretions. When the disease affects the surrounding organs, frequent urination, a feeling of falling in the anus, swelling and pain in the waist and legs may occur. In the later stages, there will be severe weight loss, difficulty in defecation, pale face and lack of strength, and even heavy bleeding that is difficult to stop.
Patients who delay treatment often suffer from anemia (decreased blood oxygen carrying capacity), which manifests as dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath after a little activity. If an infection occurs, there may be a fever and soreness in the limbs. Pelvic masses may cause edema and pain in the lower limbs (caused by blood vessel blockage). In severe cases, blood clots will run to the lungs and directly endanger life. Long-term illness may also cause problems such as skin inflammation and ulceration.
Medical professionals depend on cervical cancer staging to determine the extent of cancer progression so they can develop a suitable treatment approach. Due to its comprehensive evaluation of tumor size and its spread across the cervix and nearby tissues as well as distant organs FIGO system from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stands as the primary cervical cancer staging method.
Figure 7. Cervical Cancer Staging.
Stage 0 cervical cancer presents as abnormal cells that stay on the cervix's surface without deeper invasion. At this stage the abnormal cells stay limited to the cervix surface and do not spread into the deeper cervical tissues. Correct treatment using cryotherapy, LEEP or cold knife conization leads to excellent outcomes for patients with carcinoma in situ.
Stage I has several sub - stages. Stage IA cervical cancer consists of microscopic tumor cells which remain confined to a small cervical tissue region. Stage IB cervical cancer represents a tumor that can be seen without magnification but stays confined to the cervix. Patients with Stage I cervical cancer may receive either radical hysterectomy or radiation therapy based on their age and the specifics of their tumor.
Stage II cervical cancer persists outside the cervix yet remains confined from reaching both the pelvic wall and lower vaginal area. Stage IIA describes cancer that has spread to the upper vaginal region while Stage IIB involves cancer reaching the parametrial tissue around the cervix.
Cancer has spread to the lower part of your vagina and may have spread to your pelvic wall, ureters (tubes that carry pee from your kidneys to your bladder) and nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IV represents the most serious stage, at this point, the cancer cells have already metastasized to distant sites and may have invaded the rectal mucosa, bladder mucosa, pelvis and other parts, and may have even invaded other parts such as bones, lungs, and brain.
| Stage | Descriptions |
| Ⅰ | Tumor strictly confined to the cervix (extension to the uterine body will be ignored) |
| IA | Invasive cancer that can only be diagnosed under a microscope, with a maximum measured invasion depth of ≤5.0mm |
| IA1 | Measured stromal invasion depth<3.0mm |
| IA2 | Measured stromal invasion depth ≥3.0mm and ≤5.0mm |
| IB | Invasive cancer with a maximum measured invasion depth >5.0mm (lesion range exceeds IA stage), and the lesion is confined to the cervix. |
| IB1 | Invasive cancer with a stromal invasion depth >5.0mm and a maximum diameter ≤2.0cm |
| IB2 | Invasive cancer with a maximum diameter >2.0cm and ≤4.0cm |
| IB3 | Invasive cancer with a maximum diameter >4.0cm |
| Ⅱ | Cervical tumors invade beyond the uterus, but do not reach the pelvic wall and the lower 1/3 of the vagina |
| ⅡA | Tumor invasion is limited to the upper 2/3 of the vagina, without paracervical invasion. |
| ⅡA1 | Invasive carcinoma with a maximum diameter of ≤4 cm |
| ⅡA2 | Invasive carcinoma with a maximum diameter of >4.0 cm |
| ⅡB | Parametrial invasion, but not extended to the pelvic wall |
| Ⅲ | Tumor extends to the pelvic wall and/or involves the lower 1/3 of the vagina and/or causes hydronephrosis or renal insufficiency and/or invades the pelvic and/or para-aortic lymph nodes |
| ⅢA | Tumor involves the lower 1/3 of the vagina and does not extend to the pelvic wall |
| ⅢB | Tumor extends to the pelvic wall and/or causes hydronephrosis or renal insufficiency |
| ⅢC | Invasion of the pelvic and/or para-aortic lymph nodes (including micrometastasis), regardless of tumor size and range (need to be marked with r or p, r indicates imaging diagnosis, p indicates pathological diagnosis) |
| ⅢC1 | Only pelvic lymph node metastasis |
| ⅢC2 | Para-aortic lymph node metastasis |
| Ⅳ | Tumor invades the bladder or rectal mucosa (confirmed by pathology) or the tumor spreads beyond the true pelvis. Bullous edema cannot be classified as stage IV |
| IVA | Tumor invades the bladder or rectal mucosa |
| IVB | Tumor spreads to distant organs |
| Cat. No. | Product Name | Host | Isotype | Application | |
| DCABH-1231 | Anti-MMP1 monoclonal antibody, clone 7B6 | Mouse | IgG1 | WB, ELISA, IHC-P, FC, ICC/IF | Inquiry |
| DCABH-1240 | Anti-KIF22 monoclonal antibody, clone 6G4 | Mouse | IgG1 | WB, ELISA, IHC-P | Inquiry |
| DCABH-1896 | Anti-ITGB1 monoclonal antibody, clone 4C7 | Mouse | IgG1 | WB, ELISA, IHC-P, FC | Inquiry |
| Cat. No. | Product Name | Size | Species Reactivity | Application | Detection Method | |
| DEIASL171 | Human HPV 16 E7 Oncoprotein ELISA Kit | 96T | Human | Quantitative | sELISA | Inquiry |
| DEIA-XYA1797 | TTC23 ELISA Kit | 96T | Human | Quantitative | sELISA | Inquiry |
| Cat. No. | Product Name | Size | Target | Species | |
| CDBP1510 | Human HRASLS blocking peptide | 100 g | HRASLS / H-REV107 (internal) | Human | Inquiry |
| CDBP2347 | Human POU2F3 blocking peptide | 100 g | POU2F3 | Human | Inquiry |
| CDBP2303 | Mouse PIK3CA blocking peptide | 100 g | PIK3CA / P110alpha | Mouse | Inquiry |
| CDBP1667 | Human SLC12A7 blocking peptide | 100 g | KCC4 / SLC12A7 | Mouse | Inquiry |
