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. A tumor can "grow" in any part of the body and affect internal organs.
What is a squamous cell papilloma and its structure
The answer to the question: "What is it? " is a benign tumor. The main localization sites are the face, neck and mucous membranes. If the pathology is not treated for a long time, it can become malignant. Outwardly, a flat papilloma resembles a mole in the shape of a circle. The color can vary from flesh to dark brown. Most often, doctors call flat papilloma with hyperkeratosis. It mainly occurs in elderly people, sometimes in people aged 30-35 years.
Causes and sources of infection
There are many ways to get infected with squamous cell papilloma of the skin, some of them are simple and do not cause any concern:
- Sexual intercourse of any origin: vaginal, oral, anal;
- Daily contact (handshake). The main thing here is the presence of open wounds;
- Visiting public places with a high level 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 a lot of casual sexual contact.
The penetration of the virus into a healthy body does not mean that papillomas will appear in the near future. This happens only when the immunity decreases. Main reasons:
- Presence of bad habits: alcoholism, smoking, illegal drugs, poor quality diet;
- Disorders of the digestive system;
- Skin diseases;
- Older age;
- hereditary predisposition;
- Third-party chemical exposure.
Esophageal papilloma appears almost immediately after 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 turns into cancer in more than 60% of cases. If the growth forms in the respiratory system, there is a risk of gradual lack of oxygen, which can lead to death. When a growth appears in the intestine, it can fester due to exposure to feces. With esophageal squamous cell papilloma, there is a risk of inflammation and bleeding when eating hard food or low-quality alcohol.
Symptoms and diagnosis
The symptoms of the formation of squamous cell papilloma are few and unclear. First, the area with growth is checked. Most people mistake skin growths for warts and ignore them, hoping that they will disappear over time. The neoplasm develops and grows very slowly, and inflammation appears very rarely.
Manifestation foci appear mainly in the thinnest areas of the skin. This is the area of the eyelids, neck, chest. If the eyelid is affected, conjunctival lesions may occur.
The neoplasm grows and develops gradually, its average size is from 0. 3 to 1. 5 centimeters. The color of the neoplasm is different and can change over time from flesh-colored to purple.
Picking, squeezing or cutting a squamous cell papilloma is dangerous, the infection can get into an open wound.
There are no special diagnostic measures to determine the presence of the virus. First, the therapist performs a visual examination of the tumor. After that, he prescribes referrals to other specialists: dermatologist, gynecologist. The appointment is made depending on the location of the papilloma. If it is located on the outer part of the skin, the diagnosis can be made 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 glass.
There are several mandatory procedures:
- Biopsy;
- blood analysis;
- PCR testing.
If necessary, the attending physician can prescribe additional diagnostic methods.
Esophageal papillomas
The main sites of esophageal squamous cell papilloma formation are the tongue, lips, and oral mucosa. The virus may be accompanied by small sores and itching.
With papillomas on the lips, the first thing that appears is swelling and discomfort while eating. If the affected area is damaged, blood appears. The growth can grow quickly and lead to 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 improper diet, poor quality food and bad habits. The main location of the tumor in the esophagus is its middle part. The size of each is from 1-2 millimeters to 3-4 centimeters, elongated shape, on a stalk. The patient notes stomach pain, belching, excessive salivation, and a lump in the throat. Diagnosis is made using radiography and esophagoscopy.
Signs of formations in the oral cavity and larynx
With squamous cell papilloma of the larynx, it hurts to eat, swallow and sometimes even breathe. Sometimes there is difficulty in speaking. The size of the growth is small, pedunculate. If a neoplasm is detected in a child, treatment is not started immediately, it happens that it goes away by itself. If the disease is not treated in adulthood, it can turn into a malignant tumor.
Squamous cell papilloma of the tongue does not manifest itself in any way at first. White, flesh-colored growths begin to appear only if the patient has injured them in some way. After a few weeks, bad breath, itching, burning and sores appear.
Symptoms of 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, lump in the nose, discomfort, congestion, itching. If a growth has formed on the septum, it gradually grows throughout 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 can turn into cancer. Often this process is accompanied by erosion and genital warts.
In the initial stage, the initial stage of development, the virus does not have any symptoms. Itching and burning gradually appear in the affected area, and a constant state of discomfort appears over time. Possible discharge. A papilloma is detected during a routine examination by a gynecologist, and a colposcopy may be prescribed. During pregnancy, a woman may have a decrease in the level of immunity and, accordingly, the appearance of papillomas. In such cases, immediate removal is recommended.
If we talk about the urogenital system, the most problematic place for women is the rectum. In the initial stage, there are no symptoms, then pain, itching, purulent discharge and blood in the stool appear. Diagnosis can be made by palpation procedure. In 90% of cases when this type of neoplasm appears, doctors send for syphilis tests.
Treatment and removal methods
In most cases, patients seek treatment when symptoms are already severe. It is forbidden to self-medicate or try to remove the papilloma. Removal is done in several ways:
- Cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen;
- Surgery;
- Removal with high frequency current;
- Laser removal;
- Operation using a radio knife.
Esophageal papilloma requires additional examination, so treatment may take longer.
After the removal procedure, the scar is practically invisible. But there is no 100% guarantee that the tumor will not appear again. Without proper prevention, the virus will reawaken 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 give up bad habits completely.
Treatment with folk remedies
Squamous cell papilloma, like all other growths, is formed mainly in elderly people. For many of them, surgical intervention is contraindicated. In such cases, the attending physician recommends turning to traditional medicine. The most recommended means are:
- Freshly squeezed potato juice. Course – 2 months, take 100 ml, 2 times a day;
- Goiter 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 patch for 2-3 hours.
Currant leaves, licorice roots, nettles, lemongrass, plantain, garlic, beets, carrots are actively used in the preparation of medicinal infusions. In addition to using medicinal compounds internally, you can make salads and soups from herbs and vegetables.
Prevention and prognosis
The main prevention methods are:
- Seeking medical help in time;
- Proper nutrition;
- Elimination of all bad habits.
Esophagus, bladder and cervical papilloma "respond" well to natural traditional medicine. Their treatment is also slightly different from the traditional one, it also takes longer.
After removal surgery, rehabilitation may be different and complications may occur. Basically, the prognosis is always favorable. The number of deaths is minimal. If the process of cancer cell formation has already started, the survival rate is 30-35%.
If you seek medical help in time, a complete cure is 90% possible, and soft tissue damage is minimal. Cancerous tumors are also successfully removed and the degeneration process can be stopped.