The onset of cervical cancer. To prevent cervical cancer, you need to pay attention to these four misunderstandings

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 each year in the world, of which about 50,000 die of cervical cancer in China, and the rate in rural areas is higher than in cities. According to experts, the subjects of the census and high-risk groups can be determined. Any woman who maintains sexual life should undergo a cervical cytology test once a year, and three consecutive normal tests can reduce the risk of cervical cancer.

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. Initially, the amount is small, white or light yellow, and has no odor. As the cancerous tissue breaks down and secondary infection occurs, the vagina may discharge a large amount of rice soup-like, purulent, or purulent and bloody fluid with a foul odor. Patients with cervical mucinous adenocarcinoma often complain of a large amount of watery or mucous vaginal discharge due to the large amount of mucus secreted by the cancerous lesions.

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.

To prevent cervical cancer, we must get rid of four misunderstandings

In recent years, the increase in the incidence and age of cervical cancer has attracted people's attention to this disease. However, there are still many women who have misunderstandings about cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is not something to be afraid of. It is a disease that can be prevented and treated.

Myth 1: HPV infection = cervical cancer

The occurrence of cervical cancer is closely related to a virus called human papillomavirus (HpV). Studies have shown that persistent infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus is a necessary factor for the occurrence of cervical cancer and its precancerous lesions. This virus can be detected in the bodies of the vast majority of cervical cancer patients.

Any sexually active woman may be infected with HPV through sexual contact. About 80% of women will be infected with the virus in their lifetime.

However, cervical cancer does not necessarily occur after being infected with HPV, because everyone has a certain immunity. Studies have shown that after being infected with HPV, the immune system of most women can enter the body and eliminate HPV. Only a few women cannot eliminate what enters the body. HPV, causing persistent infection with HPV, may lead to cervical precancerous lesions. Some patients will further develop cervical cancer in about 5 to 10 years.

Will HPV infection develop into cervical cancer? HPV is related to the type. There are more than 100 subtypes of HPV virus. The most common types of HPV infection in the female reproductive tract are 6, 11, 16, and 18. Among them, HpV6 and HpV11 are low-risk types. Studies on cervical cancer from all over the world have found that HpV types 16 and 18 are high-risk types. The infection rate of HpV16 and HpV 18 in cervical cancer patients is the highest.

Myth 2: Cervical erosion can turn into cancer

Many women have the misunderstanding that cervical erosion can cause cervical cancer, so they are very afraid of cervical erosion. There is no necessary connection between the two.

Medically, the columnar epithelium in the female cervical canal everts and replaces the squamous epithelium of the cervix. During the examination, the doctor will find that the cervix is ​​locally congested and red, which is called "cervical erosion". Erosion is not "rotten" in the true sense, it can be a physiological phenomenon. Under the action of estrogen, the columnar epithelium of the cervical canal in women of childbearing age everts and replaces the squamous epithelium of the cervix, presenting a "eroded" state. Due to the relatively low estrogen level in the body, "erosion" is rare in women during puberty and before menopause.

It is worth noting that cervical erosion may also be a common inflammatory condition. The appearance of early cervical cancer is very similar to cervical erosion and can be easily confused. Therefore, if cervical erosion is found during a gynecological examination, it should not be taken lightly. Further cytological examination and biopsy are needed to confirm the diagnosis, exclude the possibility of cervical cancer, and treat it correctly.

Myth 3: Not paying attention to gynecological examinations

There is a gradual natural course from HPV infection to the occurrence and development of cervical cancer, which usually lasts about 5 to 10 years. Therefore, as long as women undergo regular cervical cancer screening, it is entirely possible to detect the "signs" of the disease in time and nip it in the bud. At present, the five-year survival rate of patients with early cervical cancer can reach 85% to 90%.