New MRI procedure may detect even earlier cervical cancer

Early detection is the hallmark of increased survival of cancer, but the trick is to find how we can detect cancers in the early stages. Cervical cancer is one that can be caught quite early if women go for their regular Pap tests, which is designed to detect changes in the cells on the cervix. Pap smears can detect cells in their precancerous stages as well.

According to the American Cancer Society, over 11,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer this year. That means that they will have cancer that is no longer superficial. Although this number is high, death from cervical cancer is dropping significantly as women are becoming more aware of the need for a Pap test. In fact, between the 1950s and the end of the century, cervical cancer deaths dropped by 74% and the number continues to drop.

Although Pap tests are very effective at detecting cancerous cells, they can’t tell the doctors how invasive the cancer is or how big the tumor is. Imaging (x-rays and such) aren’t very reliable in the cervix area. However, researchers have designed a new way to perform magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that is showing accurate pictures of the cancerous area.

To perform the MRI, the doctor inserts a ring coil into the vagina and places it around the cervix. Using this technique, the doctor can get a high-resolution image. By doing this, surgery can be targeted better, with a better outcome.

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Tags: cervical cancer, pap test, cervical cancer death, cervix, abnormal cells