Cervical cancer is just as deadly as any other cancer type. It is the fourth most common cancer among women globally.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 604 000 new cases and 342 000 deaths in 2020 from this condition. It is much better if cervical cancer is detected earlier, increasing the chances of it being cured.
More than 95% of cervical cancer patients are due to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the most common viral infection in the reproductive tract. Fortunately, there is a treatment procedure for HPV.
What is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs in the cells of the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina, known as the cervix. The development of cervical cancer follows when healthy cervix-based cells experience DNA changes (mutations). It is in this DNA that the instructions a cell should do are contained.
The human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, also plays a role in causing most cervical cancer. The body’s immune system usually stops the virus from causing harm when exposed to HPV.
However, in a small number of people, the virus endures for years. This aids in the process by which some cervical cells develop into cancer cells. You can reduce your risk of developing cervical cancer by having screening tests and receiving a vaccine that protects against HPV infection.
Symptoms of cervical cancer may not be seen in the early stage, so it is best to go for regular check-ups and screenings.
However, symptoms may be obvious when the cancer is more advanced. They include vaginal bleeding between periods or after menopause and vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse. There is also watery/bloody vaginal discharge that may be thick and give off a foul odor. The victim may also experience pains in the pelvic region or during sexual intercourse.
More severe symptoms might include persistent pain in the back, legs, or pelvis, loss of appetite, weariness, or weight, discomfort in the vaginal area, unpleasant discharge, and edema in one or both lower extremities.
Causes of Cervical Cancer
Although the exact cause of cervical cancer is unknown, HPV is known to have a part. However, the majority of HPV-positive people do not go on to develop cancer. It indicates that in addition to genetics, environment and lifestyle choices also have a role in determining cervical cancer.
It is paramount that preventive measures are taken to prevent cervical cancer. After all, prevention is better than cure, as they say.
When cervical cancer is not detected on time, it is advised to undergo treatment procedures with immediate effect. This treatment may include screening and treatment of precancerous lesions. In addition, diagnosis and treatment of invasive cervical cancer may be needed.
Treatment of cervical pre-cancer includes ablative treatment with cryotherapy, or thermal ablation is recommended. Both therapies are equally reliable and secure. The histopathologic analysis must be used to make the diagnosis of cervical cancer.
Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are among the therapeutic options available, depending on the disease’s stage.
Additionally, palliative care is a crucial component of cancer management to alleviate unneeded suffering brought on by the disease.
All these treatment procedures have high-risk levels and must be done with extreme precision by a trained practitioner to avoid mishaps.
Even then, the practitioner must be careful not to omit or make any errors in administering this treatment.
An example is seen in the case of Truman v Thomas. Here, the defendant was negligent as he failed to inform the plaintiff to undergo a pap smear test, eventually leading to her death at 30.
Likewise, in the case of Kramer v Lewisville Memorial Hospital. In this case, the plaintiff came to the defendant on several occasions to lay complaints about bleeding from her vagina. Several medical practitioners in a hospital were found negligent in their duty as they gave the wrongful judgment of the plaintiff.
They repeatedly told her that she was void of cancer. However, she was diagnosed months later with cervical cancer and died shortly after. The medical practitioner could have prevented her death if she had been diagnosed earlier.
The Use of Law Graphics in Highlighting Cancer of the Cervix
Law graphics is a legal practitioner’s sure bet in aiding families who have lost their loved ones to the negligence of medical practitioners when dealing with cervical cancer patients.
A legal practitioner can use cervical cancer animation to get the jurors on their side because they can visualize every detail of the case, making it easy to comprehend.
For starters, cervical cancer animation can display the anatomical aspect. That is, the way an average vagina looks. It can further illustrate a cervix infected by HPV.
With animation, the gradual deterioration of a cervix when this virus is not treated and its effects on other parts of the body can be illustrated. This demonstrative exhibit, in conjunction with the oral presentation of the legal practitioner, would quickly get him on the good side of the jurors and the presiding judge.
In conclusion, cervical cancer animation can help in a medical malpractice trial. However, it’s important for an attorney on such a case to work closely with expert witnesses and a medical trial animation company like Fox-AE. This will help ensure that every anatomical detail of the cervix is clearly illustrated to back the facts of the case as well as expert opinions.
