What is Cervical Dysplasia ?
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There are virtually no signs and symptoms of cervical dysplasia, making a yearly PAP test vitally important for all sexually active women. It may be the only way you know you have this very common sexually transmitted disease..
t takes approximately 10 years for cervical dysplasia to develop into cancer, still one of the most common cancer deaths in women. A yearly PAP test is the most important prevention strategy and a woman has. Cervical dysplasia is treatable if caught early and in its initial non-invasive stage.
Not all cervical dysplasias will develop into cervical cancer, however squamous cell cervical cancer is almost always preceded by cervical dysplasia. Similarly, although not all Human Papillomavirus virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, become cancer or even cause dysplasia, virtually all of cervical cancers and dysplasias, when present, are caused by HPV. In other words, cervical dysplasia is a sexually transmitted disease.
At puberty, the cells lining our cervix, change from columnar cells, which line the rest of the uterus, to squamous cells. This is a very normal process called metaplasia. This junction of the two type of cells is called the squamo-columnar junction, and it is here that the cells are most susceptible to another abnormal premalignant transformation (dysplasia). The bottom layer of the squamous cells is called the basal layer, where the most immature, largest cells with the biggest nuclei exist. The thickness of the basal layer determines the severity of the dysplasia (mild – severe dysplasia). In the case of Carcinoma “in situ”, the immature basal cells extend all the way to the very top of the tissue thickness. As the severity of the dysplasia increases, so does the risk for cancer.
HPV has a number of subtypes that vary in terms of aggressiveness and risk of developing dysplasia. HPV 16 and 18 are considered to be the most aggressive, accounting for the largest percentage of cervical cancer cases. Besides HPV, other risks for cervical dysplasia include prior Chlamydia or HIV infection, obesity, birth before the age of 22, cigarette smoking, multiple sexual partners, poor nutrition, low socioeconomic status, family history of cervical cancer, and one proposed risk is the use of oral contraceptive medication. It has been suggested that, given some of risk factors for cervical dysplasia, an impaired or weakened immune system may play a role in its development. That being said, when our immune system is functioning at its optimum capacity, it has the power to fight even the most severe forms of dysplasia and spontaneous regression is common.
Atypia is a common PAP smear result that is misunderstood by many women. A diagnosis of Atypia is made when the cells have not changed enough to be labelled as abnormal (or dysplasia), but are not quite normal, either. Atypia, as mentioned earlier, commonly regresses on it own. This type of cell is often seen when the tissue is already in the process of repairing itself. For others, it can be a very early abnormal change and as such, should always be monitored.
There are a variety of nutritional habits and supplements that can be used to prevent HPV or treat cervical dysplasia to prevent the development of cervical cancer. Diets high in anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables can significantly reduce the persistence of the HPV virus. Tomatoes, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, eggs, dark green leafy vegetables and papaya are all great sources of these nutrients. As cervical dysplasias can be an estrogen dominant concern, consuming cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts and kale, all high in Indole-3-carbinol, are useful in prevention of cancer of cervical cancer. This has been shown to help to ensure that estrogen metabolism is being altered in such a way as to reduce the carcinogenic metabolites.
Sometimes it can be difficult to ensure adequate fruit and vegetable intake to provide all required nutrients and antioxidants, so a supplement is can be beneficial for your health maintenance. Effective supplements for cervical dysplasia include vitamin A, E and C, and mixed carotenoids; look for Indole-3-carbinal as a supplement. Homocysteine is associated with a higher risk of developing cervical cancer and can be produced by vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency. You can supplement these vitamins orally as well as through an intramuscular injection. Additionally you can take green tea extract as a supplement or topically which has shown some promise in cervical dysplasia treatment.
In terms of lifestyle goals to treat and prevent cervical dysplasia, a goal to quit smoking should be at the top of your list. Smoker are 2-3 times more likely to develop dysplasia than non-smokers. Again, stress plays a significant role in disease development and immune function. Use stress reducing techniques and exercises everyday to more effectively deal with stress. Young women should also be counselled about sex and the increased risk that unprotected sex, as well as sex with multiple partners at an early age can have on the development of HPV. Last but not least, there is evidence suggesting that long term contraceptive use can predispose women to developing a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma called adenocarcinoma. Women on oral contraceptives should be aware that long term use (of 12 years or more) may have negative impact on overall health.
The recently developed HPV vaccine has been shown to effectively decrease the incidence of HPV. One must always keep in mind that HPV does not always lead to cervical dysplasia and the vaccine is not aimed at preventing cervical dysplasia or cancer, only the precursor of HPV.
For reference pls check https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/health-concerns/cervical-dysplasia/