Is bleeding the main symptom of cervical cancer? What are the measures to prevent cervical cancer?

There are often no obvious symptoms in the early stage of cervical cancer. Occasionally, bleeding occurs after sexual intercourse or contact with women. There is no obvious difference from chronic cervicitis. Sometimes the cervix is ​​even smooth, especially in elderly women with cervical atrophy. Some cervical cancer patients are easily ignored and missed or misdiagnosed due to endocervical lesions and normal appearance of the vagina and cervix. Once symptoms appear, most of them have reached the middle and late stages.

Common symptoms include:

1. Vaginal bleeding Irregular vaginal bleeding is the main symptom of cervical cancer patients (80%~85%), especially after menopause. Vaginal bleeding can be more or less. Vaginal bleeding is usually caused by ruptured tumor blood vessels, especially vegetable tumors. If bleeding is frequent, blood loss can lead to severe anemia. Late vaginal bleeding can lead to shock, which is more common in invasive tumors.

2. Increased vaginal discharge is also a major symptom of cervical cancer patients. It mainly occurs before vaginal bleeding. At first, vaginal discharge may have no odor. As the cancer grows, secondary infection and necrosis of the cancer will increase the amount of discharge, such as rice washing water or mixed blood, and have a foul odor. When the tumor spreads upward and involves the endometrium, the discharge is blocked by the cervical cancer tissue and cannot be discharged, which may form uterine effusion or uterine pyometra. Patients may experience symptoms such as lower abdominal discomfort, lower abdominal pain, back pain, and fever.

3. Pain is a symptom of advanced cervical cancer. The cancer extends along the paravertebral tissue, invades the pelvic wall, and compresses the peripheral nerves. The clinical manifestation is persistent pain in the sciatic nerve or the sacral and iliac parts on one side. The tumor compresses or erodes the ureter, and the ureter is narrowed and blocked, leading to hydronephrosis, which manifests as unilateral low back pain or even severe pain, and further develops into renal failure and uremia. The invasion of the lymphatic system leads to obstruction of lymphatic vessels, obstruction of reflux, and symptoms such as edema and pain in the lower limbs.

4. Systemic symptoms Patients in the late stage have fever due to cancer tissue metabolism, necrotic tissue absorption or combined infection. The body temperature is generally 38°C, and a few can reach above 39°C. Anemia, weight loss and even cachexia are caused by bleeding and consumption.

5. Other symptoms Cancer can spread forward and invade the bladder. Patients may experience frequent urination, urgency, pain, falling, and hematuria, which are often misdiagnosed as urinary tract infections, delaying diagnosis. Severe bladder-vaginal fistulas may form. Cancer can spread backward and invade the rectum, with symptoms such as falling, difficulty defecating, urgency, severity, and blood in the stool. Further development may lead to vaginal rectal fistulas. Advanced lesions may metastasize to distant sites. Symptoms vary depending on the site of metastasis, with clavicular lymph node metastasis, nodules, or masses being more common. Cancer infiltration can spread to distant organs through the blood vessels or lymphatic system, with corresponding metastatic sites and their corresponding symptoms.

Cervical cancer prevention measures

1. Wear breathable and loose cotton underwear:

Mold can easily survive in a humid and warm environment, so wear breathable and loose cotton underwear to prevent mold from occurring.

2. Active exercise:

Most people exercise for one hour a day, and students exercise for two hours a day, but they should not exercise excessively to avoid physical overdraft.

3. Wash your hands frequently:

Wash your hands before and after meals, and after urinating or defecating. Frequent hand washing is an effective way to prevent the spread of diseases.

4. Pay attention to hygiene:

Usually you should pay attention to the cleanliness of the vulva and underwear, pay attention to menstrual hygiene, and avoid sexual disorders, which can also effectively reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.

5. Maintain a sterile living environment:

Women who have sex should keep their bed sheets clean and fresh.

6. Do not take drugs, smoke or drink alcohol:

As a woman, cleanliness is a prerequisite. To prevent cancer, people should first take care of themselves and the environment.

7. Eat more fruits and vegetables:

Various lettuces, dark green vegetables and fruits have a good preventive effect on different cancers.

8. Change bad lifestyle:

High-fat, high-calorie foods and lack of exercise are very harmful to people's health.

Regular inspection:

Through regular screening, some precancerous lesions and asymptomatic tumors can be discovered and then actively treated.