Not every individual knows that squamous cell papilloma is the result of a viral disease. In addition to being an aesthetic problem, the disease can seriously harm health, including death. The tumor can "grow" in any part of the body and affect internal organs.
What is squamous cell papilloma and its structure
The answer to the question: "What is it? " is a benign neoplasm. The main localization sites include the face, neck and mucous membranes. If the pathology is not treated for a long time, it can become malignant. Externally, a flat papilloma resembles a mole in the shape of a circle. Color can vary from pulp to deep brown. Doctors consider squamous papilloma with hyperkeratosis to be the most common. It occurs mainly in elderly people, sometimes in individuals aged 30 to 35.
Causes and sources of infection
There are many ways to become infected with squamous cell papilloma of the skin, some of them are simple and do not cause concern:
- Sexual intercourse of any origin: vaginal, oral, anal;
- Daily contact (handshake). Fundamental here is the presence of open wounds;
- Visit public places with high levels of humidity: swimming pool, sauna;
- Violation of personal hygiene standards.
This type of papilloma is diagnosed in people with a low level of immunity who have many casual sexual contacts.
The penetration of a virus into a healthy body does not mean that papillomas will appear in the near future. This only happens when immunity decreases. Main reasons:
- Presence of bad habits: alcoholism, smoking, illicit drugs, poor quality food;
- Malfunction of the digestive system;
- Skin diseases;
- Advanced age;
- Hereditary predisposition;
- Third party chemical exposure.
Esophageal papilloma appears almost immediately after a failure. It forms on the tongue, lips, inside the mouth, esophagus and intestines.
Why is it dangerous for humans?
The main danger is that papilloma with hyperkeratosis develops into cancer in more than 60% of cases. If the growth forms in the respiratory system, there is a risk of a gradual lack of oxygen, leading to death. When a tumor appears in the intestines, it can become infected due to exposure to feces. With squamous cell papilloma of the esophagus, there is a risk of inflammation and bleeding due to eating solid food or low-quality alcohol.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Symptoms of squamous cell papilloma formation are few and vague. First, the area with growth is inspected. Most people mistake skin growths for warts and do not pay attention to them, hoping that they will disappear over time. The neoplasm develops and grows very slowly, and inflammation appears very rarely.
The outbreaks appear mainly in the thinnest areas of the skin. This is the area of the eyelids, neck, chest. If the eyelid is affected, damage to the conjunctiva may occur.
The neoplasm grows and develops gradually, its average size is 0. 3 to 1. 5 centimeters. The color of the neoplasm is different and can change over time from skin color to purple.
Picking, squeezing, or cutting a squamous cell papilloma is dangerous; an infection can enter an open wound.
There are no special diagnostic measures to detect the presence of the virus. First, a visual examination of the tumor is performed by a therapist. Afterwards, he makes referrals to other specialists: dermatologist, gynecologist. The appointment is made depending on the location of the papilloma. If it is located on the outside of the skin, the diagnosis can be determined immediately. If the growth is inside the body, fluoroscopy is prescribed.
If the rectum is affected, the doctor palpates the neoplasm, the cervix is clearly visible with a gynecological magnifying glass.
There are several mandatory procedures:
- Biopsy;
- Blood analysis;
- PCR exam.
If necessary, the attending physician may prescribe additional diagnostic methods.
Esophageal papillomas
The main sites of formation of squamous cell papilloma of the esophagus are the tongue, lips and oral mucosa. The virus may be accompanied by the formation of small ulcers and itching.
With papillomas on the lips, the first thing that appears is swelling and discomfort when eating. If the affected area is damaged, blood will appear. The growth can grow quickly and cause lip cancer.
With esophageal papilloma, the symptoms of which occur mainly in the male half of the population. The causes of the disease can be poor nutrition, poor quality food and bad habits. The main location of the tumor in the esophagus is the middle part. The size of each is from 1-2 millimeters to 3-4 centimeters, elongated in shape, on a stem. The patient notices stomach pain, belching, excessive salivation and a lump in the throat. Diagnosis is made using radiography and esophagoscopy.
Signs of formations in the mouth and larynx
With squamous cell papilloma of the larynx, it hurts the patient to eat, swallow and sometimes even breathe. Sometimes there are difficulties in speaking. The size of the growth is small, stalked. If a neoplasm is discovered in a child, treatment is not started immediately, it happens that it disappears on its own. If you do not combat the disease in adulthood, it can degenerate into a malignant tumor.
The appearance of squamous cell papilloma of the tongue does not manifest itself in any way at first. White, flesh-colored growths begin to manifest themselves only if the patient has injured them in some way. After a few weeks, bad breath, itching, burning and ulcer formation appear.
Symptoms in the larynx in adults may vary, depending on the general condition of the body and the degree of development of the disease. There may be a sore throat, a lump in the nose, discomfort, congestion, itching. If a tumor forms in the septum, it will gradually grow along the sinuses, disrupting the normal processes of oxygen inflow and outflow.
Symptoms of formations in intimate places
With squamous cell papilloma of the cervix, there is a very high risk that the benign state of the neoplasm will turn into cancer. Often this process is accompanied by erosion and genital warts.
In the initial phase, initial development, the virus does not show symptoms. Itching and burning gradually appear in the affected area and, over time, a constant state of discomfort appears. Unloading is possible. Papilloma is detected during a routine examination by a gynecologist and colposcopy may be prescribed. During pregnancy, a woman may experience a decrease in the level of immunity and, consequently, the appearance of papillomas. In these cases, immediate removal is recommended.
If we talk about the genitourinary system, the most problematic place for women is the rectum. There are no symptoms at the initial stage, then pain, itching, purulent discharge and blood appear in the stool. The diagnosis can be made after a palpation procedure. In 90% of cases, when this type of neoplasm appears, doctors refer the patient for syphilis tests.
Treatment and removal methods
In most cases, patients seek treatment when symptoms are already severe. It is forbidden to prescribe treatment for yourself or try to remove the papilloma. Removal is carried out in several ways:
- Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen;
- Surgery;
- Removal by high frequency current;
- Laser removal;
- Operation using a radio knife.
Esophageal papilloma requires additional examinations and therefore treatment may take longer.
After the removal procedure, the scar is practically invisible. But there is no 100% guarantee that the tumor will not recur. Without adequate prevention, the virus will awaken again and growths will appear. After treatment, the patient is prescribed a course of antiviral drugs, vitamins and immunomodulators. It is important to restore the level of general immunity as successfully as possible. Even if the virus remains in the body, it will contain it, preventing the formation of papillomas. It is recommended to completely eliminate bad habits.
Treatment with folk remedies
Squamous cell papilloma, like all other types of growths, forms mainly in elderly people. Surgical intervention is contraindicated for many of them. In these cases, the attending physician advises resorting to traditional medicine. The most recommended means are:
- Freshly squeezed potato juice. Course – 2 months, take 100 ml, twice a day;
- Celandine juice. Course – 4 weeks, the affected area is lubricated with liquid several times a day;
- Fresh garlic. The cleaned slice is fixed to the growth with an adhesive plaster for 2 to 3 hours.
Currant leaves, licorice root, nettle, lemongrass, plantain, garlic, beetroot and carrots are actively used in the preparation of medicinal infusions. In addition to taking medicinal compounds internally, you can prepare salads and soups with medicinal plants and vegetables.
Prevention and prognosis
The main preventive methods are:
- Early seeking of medical help;
- Proper nutrition;
- Elimination of all bad habits.
Papilloma of the esophagus, bladder and cervix "responds" well to natural traditional medicine. The treatment is also a little different from the traditional one and also takes longer.
After removal surgery, rehabilitation may proceed differently and complications may occur. Basically, forecasts are always favorable. The percentage of deaths is minimal. If the process of formation of cancer cells has already begun, the survival rate is 30-35%.
If you seek medical help in time, a complete cure is 90% possible and damage to soft tissues is minimal. Cancerous tumors are also successfully removed and the degeneration process can be stopped.