Hysterectomy prevents cancer progression caused by HPV

Hysterectomy prevents cancer progression caused by HPV

Hanoi Ms. Nhan, 54 years old, infected with HPV type 16 with pre-cancerous cervical cell changes, had a hysterectomy to prevent the disease from progressing.

Ms. Nhan has postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis, positive for HPV type 16, cervical cytology test showed atypical squamous cells, high-grade squamous epithelial damage has not been ruled out. For many years, she did not have HPV tests, cervical cells or regular gynecological examinations.

MSc. Nguyen Thanh Vinh, Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, assessed the patient's risk of high-level pre-cancerous lesions in the cervix, requiring treatment to remove the lesions and accurately determine the nature of the disease.

The patient underwent complete hysterectomy to prevent the risk of disease progression. During the surgery, the team noted that the patient's uterus was of normal size, and that the two appendages had shrunk in accordance with age and menopausal status. Two ovaries were preserved because no abnormalities were noted.

Pathological results identified patients with high-grade squamous epithelial lesions (HSIL), classifying the level of damage as corresponding to CIN 2, the epithelial cells have obvious abnormal changes but have not invaded into cancer. This is a pre-cancerous lesion. If not properly monitored or treated, some cases can progress to cervical cancer over time.

After three days of post-operative monitoring and treatment, the patient's health was stable and was discharged from the hospital for follow-up appointments.

HPV is a common virus transmitted mainly through sexual contact. Most infected people have no symptoms and the immune system can control or eliminate the virus on its own. However, when infected with high-risk HPV types such as types 16 and 18 for a long time, the virus can cause genetic changes in cervical cells, leading to cervical malignant tumors. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly all cases of cervical cancer are related to high-risk HPV infection, of which HPV 16 and 18 cause about 76% of cervical cancer cases.

According to Dr. Vinh, menopause does not mean that women are no longer at risk of cervical disease. High-risk HPV infection progresses to pre-cancerous lesions, cancer can occur silently for many years. Therefore, lesions detected after menopause may have existed before but were not recognized because the patient did not have regular screening.

Precancerous lesions and early cervical cancer often have few symptoms. As the disease progresses, the patient may experience abnormal vaginal bleeding, post-coital or post-menopausal bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharge, and pelvic pain.

Doctors recommend that women have regular screening with HPV and cervical cell tests as prescribed to detect abnormalities early. If the results are abnormal, the doctor may prescribe a colposcopy, biopsy and choose appropriate treatment methods. HPV vaccination helps prevent infection with high-risk HPV types, thereby reducing the risk of HPV-related diseases.

Trinh Mai