What are the common early symptoms of cervical cancer? Will patients with cervical cancer have vaginal mucus?

Women bear great responsibilities for the family and society. The reproductive system of women is the cradle of life and reproduction of offspring. As women live, the reproductive system also undergoes changes from infancy, adolescence, sexual maturity (childbearing age) to aging (perimenopause, menopause), and various diseases may also occur. Common malignant tumors in the female reproductive system are mainly cervical cancer, endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer. Cervical cancer (i.e. cervical cancer) can occur in the neck, lips and endocervical canal of the cervix. However, cervical cancer usually occurs at the junction of the two epithelia of the external cervical os, with more posterior lips, followed by endocervical canal, and then anterior lips. At first, cervical cancer is limited to the epithelial layer of the cervical mucosa and does not penetrate, which is called carcinoma in situ. When cancer invades the submucosal stroma, it is called invasive cancer.

Gynecological cancers are becoming younger

Gynecological tumors can occur at any age, but are most common between the ages of 20 and 50, and are becoming younger. Cervical cancer is the second most common malignant tumor in the world, second only to breast cancer, and ranks first among Chinese women.

About 290,000 women die of cervical cancer every year in the world, including about 50,000 in my country, and the rate in rural areas is higher than in cities. Experts said that the subjects of the census and high-risk groups can be determined as follows: any woman who maintains sexual life is a subject of the census and should undergo a cervical cytology examination every year. If the results are normal for three consecutive times, the number of examinations can be reduced.

The following are high-risk groups: age > 40 years old; age of first sexual intercourse: < 18 years old; moderate or severe cervical erosion; promiscuous sexual behavior and poor sexual hygiene of the individual or spouse; male sexual partners with other cervical cancer; HPV and DNA tests are continuously positive; and those infected with genital warts or herpes simplex virus. Early cervical cancer in women is asymptomatic, generally manifested by vaginal bleeding and increased vaginal discharge. Vaginal bleeding can be manifested as contact bleeding, postmenopausal bleeding or irregular vaginal bleeding.

How does cervical cancer progress?

The clinical manifestations of cervical cancer in women are related to the early or late stage of the disease. Early invasive cancer is generally asymptomatic and is often discovered during census screening. As the disease progresses, the main manifestations are vaginal bleeding and vaginal discharge.

1. Vaginal bleeding. When cancer invades the blood vessels in the stroma, bleeding begins. The earliest manifestation is a small amount of bleeding after sexual intercourse or a double diagnosis examination, which is called contact bleeding. Contact bleeding can be caused by many reasons. For example, when menstruation has just ended and the endometrium has just been repaired, sexual intercourse stimulation can cause bleeding, which is normal; sexual intercourse can also cause bleeding by damaging the vaginal mucosa or the skin of the vaginal opening; cervical diseases, such as cervical polyps and cervicitis, can also cause contact bleeding. In the early stages of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions, the new blood vessels at the lesion are immature, or tumor cells invade the blood vessels in the stroma, which mainly manifests as vascular damage and bleeding during mechanical stimulation. There may be a small amount of irregular bleeding during menstruation or after menopause. When the lesions are large in the late stage, they manifest as excessive bleeding, and even fatal bleeding due to erosion of large blood vessels.

2. Vaginal discharge. At first, the amount is not much, it is white or light yellow, and has no odor. As the cancerous tissue ruptures and secondary infection occurs, the vagina can discharge a large amount of rice water, pus, or pus and blood, accompanied by a foul odor. Patients with cervical mucinous adenocarcinoma often complain of a large amount of watery or mucous vaginal discharge because the cancer lesions secrete a large amount of mucus.

3. Late-stage symptoms. If cancer invades the pelvic connective tissue, compresses the bladder, rectum, and sciatic nerve, and affects lymphatic and venous return, frequent urination, urgency, anal swelling, lower limb swelling, and pain may occur. Cancer compression or invasion of the ureter may lead to hydronephrosis and uremic dysentery, which often occurs in the terminal stage due to long-term consumption.

Increased secretion:

Most patients with cervical cancer have varying degrees of vaginal discharge. In the early stages, because cancer cells affect the secretory function of the cervical glands, the leucorrhea is mucous. With the development of cancer cells, cancer cell necrosis and secondary infection, the leucorrhea becomes turbid, like rice water or pus-like blood, and has a special smell.

Increased vaginal bleeding:

Vaginal bleeding from cervical cancer is usually very irregular. This is a late manifestation of cervical cancer, usually less at first and more later, sometimes more and sometimes less. Cauliflower bleeding is early and the amount is large. After the late cancer corrodes the large blood vessels, it will cause many deaths from vaginal bleeding. Due to long-term and repeated bleeding, patients often have secondary anemia.

Persistent pain:

Pain in the lower abdomen, lumbosacral region, or legs is a symptom of advanced cervical cancer. Cancerous tissues extend and invade the pelvic wall, squeezing the peripheral nerves and causing persistent pain. Tumors squeeze or corrode the ureters, causing narrowing and blockage of the ureters and hydronephrosis. Female patients may experience low back pain or even body pain.