Cervical Cancer

Lots of things inspired me to pursue a career in the field of medicine. One of the issues that motivated me was the research and development of cervical cancer. I, as a woman am very concerned about this cancer spreading amongst us. This subject first concerned me when my aunt in Peru talked about this with me. She is a gynecologist and has told me so much about cervical cancer. I also heard of cervical cancer through commercials on television, where they were talking about a new vaccine. This made me want to find out more about this cancer.

It is the second most common cancer among women. The medical researchers have found that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is responsible for more than 90% of the cases of cervical cancer. Having several sexual partners is a major risk factor for developing HPV. Some early signs and symptoms are vaginal bleeding, moderate pain during sexual intercourse and vaginal discharge, but there may not be any symptoms at all. Symptoms of advanced cervical cancer may be loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, pelvic pain, back pain, leg pain, a single swollen leg, heavy bleeding from the vagina, and bone fractures.

One thing that really caught my eye was a new vaccine to prevent HPV, called Gardasil. This vaccine is targeted at girls and