The Cervix
The cervix connects the uterus to the vagina. During a menstrual
period, blood flows from the uterus through the cervix into the vagina. The
vagina leads to the outside of the body.
The cervix makes mucus. During sex, mucus helps
sperm move from the vagina through the cervix into the uterus.
During pregnancy, the cervix is tightly
closed to help
keep the baby inside the uterus. During childbirth, the cervix opens to allow
the baby to pass through the vagina. 
Cervical cancer (cancer of the cervix) occurs when
abnormal cells on the cervix grow out of control. The cervix is the
lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina.
Cervical cancer can often be successfully treated when it's found
early. It is usually found at a very early stage through a Pap test.
Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women
worldwide.
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| HeLa Cells |
HeLa cell: One of the cells grown from the cervical
cancer of a young African-American woman, Henrietta Lacks. HeLa cells were
the first human cells to be continuously grown in culture.
The cells were first cultured in February 1951 by Drs.
George and Margaret Gey at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. The cells appear "immortal"
and are still used in medical research today.
Who owns those cells? For many years, Lacks's children have
sought recognition of their mother's contribution to science.
The designation "HeLa" was taken from the name of Henrietta Lacks.
Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human
papillomavirus, or HPV. You can get HPV by having sexual contact with
someone who has it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV
cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types
may not cause any symptoms.
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| HPV Wart |
Most adults have been infected with HPV at some time. An
infection may go away on its own. But sometimes it can cause genital warts or
lead to cervical cancer. That's why it's important for women to have regular
Pap tests. A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into
cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer.
Abnormal cervical cell changes rarely cause symptoms. But
you may have symptoms if those cell changes grow into cervical cancer. Symptoms
of cervical cancer may include:
Bleeding from the vagina that is not normal, such
as bleeding between menstrual periods, after sex, or after menopause.
Pain in the lower belly or pelvis.
Pain during sex.
Vaginal discharge that isn't normal.
As part of your regular pelvic exam, you should have
a Pap test. During a Pap test, the doctor scrapes a small sample of cells
from the surface of the cervix to look for cell changes. If a Pap
test shows abnormal cell changes, your doctor may do other tests to look for
precancerous or cancer cells on your cervix.
Your doctor may also do a Pap test and take a sample of
tissue (biopsy) if you have symptoms of cervical cancer, such as bleeding after
sex.
Source: WebMD, MedicineNet
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