How to detect cervical cancer? Early symptoms of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a common malignant tumor among Chinese women, with an onset age range of 12 to 86. According to statistics from the International Union Against Cancer, the incidence of cervical cancer in various countries increases significantly after the age of 40, with the highest incidence among those aged 55 to 65.

Common early symptoms of cervical cancer include irregular vaginal bleeding, increased vaginal discharge, or bloody vaginal discharge.

(1) Vaginal bleeding initially occurs after sexual intercourse or after bowel movements, activities, and gynecological examinations. This is because the cancerous tissue of cervical cancer is relatively soft, like slightly dried tofu. Therefore, when a couple has sex or the gynecologist's fingers or examination instruments touch the cancerous tissue, it is easy to be injured and bleed. When the tumor develops to a certain extent, it may manifest as irregular bleeding similar to irregular menstruation, that is, prolonged menstruation, increased menstrual flow, intermittent bleeding, and always unclean menstruation, or vaginal bleeding after menopause. The color of this bleeding is also different from normal menstruation, and it is purple, purple, or dark brown. The amount of bleeding ranges from a small amount to a large amount. In a few patients, it may cause anemia.

(2) Increased leucorrhea: Initially, it is serous or mucous, without odor and in small amounts. As the disease progresses, it becomes rice-water-like or bloody. In the late stage, when cancer tissue is necrotic or infected, a large amount of purulent leucorrhea with a foul odor may occur.

Regardless of any of the above symptoms, women should go to the hospital's obstetrics and gynecology department as soon as possible to do cervical cytology smears, colposcopy and other related examinations for early diagnosis.

Unfortunately, most of the patients with early invasive cancer and carcinoma in situ have no characteristic symptoms and are usually only found during a general examination. Therefore, conducting a general examination of cervical cancer in middle-aged and elderly women is an important means of early diagnosis of cervical cancer.

In addition, chronic cervical diseases, such as cervical erosion, cervical polyps, cervical leukoplakia, cervical condyloma lesions and cervical atypical hyperplasia, are all precancerous diseases and lesions and should be taken seriously, actively examined and treated to prevent further development into cervical cancer.

It is reported that after stage I radiotherapy, the 5-year survival rate of cervical cancer reaches 93.4%, while in stage III, it drops to 26.6%. This shows how important early detection and diagnosis of cervical cancer are.