What are the early symptoms of cervical cancer? What are the common symptoms of cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is a common female disease that is very harmful to women. It is necessary to understand the symptoms of cervical cancer. So, what are the common symptoms of cervical cancer?

What are the common symptoms of cervical cancer?

Increased vaginal discharge

Most patients with cervical cancer have varying degrees of increased vaginal discharge. It mainly occurs before vaginal bleeding. In the early stages, due to the stimulation of cancer, the cervical glands secrete hyperfunction, producing mucus-like leucorrhea without odor. As the cancer grows, the cancer becomes infected and necrotic, and the amount of secretions increases, such as rice water or mixed blood, and has a foul odor. When the tumor spreads upward and involves the endometrium, it is blocked by the cervical cancer tissue, and the secretions cannot be discharged, which can form uterine effusion or uterine pyometra. Patients may experience symptoms such as lower abdominal discomfort, lower abdominal pain, back pain, and fever.

2. Vaginal bleeding

About 81.4% of patients have vaginal bleeding symptoms. Early manifestations include a small amount of bloody leucorrhea and contact vaginal bleeding, often after sexual intercourse, defecation, activity or gynecological examination. In the early stage, it is mostly a small amount and often stops on its own; people with vaginal bleeding after menopause should pay attention to find the cause. Vaginal bleeding in cervical cancer is often very irregular, usually less at first and more later, sometimes more and sometimes less. Cauliflower cervical cancer bleeds early and the amount is large.

3. Systemic symptoms

Late-stage patients have a fever due to cancer tissue metabolism, necrotic tissue absorption or combined infection, with a body temperature generally at 38°C and a few at around 39°C or above. Anemia and weight loss occur due to bleeding and consumption.

4. Pain

Pain is a symptom of advanced cervical cancer. Cancer extends along the tissue, invades the pelvic wall, and compresses the peripheral nerves, with clinical manifestations of persistent pain in the sciatic nerve or sacroiliac region. Tumors compress or erode the ureters, causing narrowing and obstruction of the ureters, leading to hydronephrosis, which manifests as low back pain or even severe pain, and further develops into renal failure, leading to uremia. Invasion of the lymphatic system leads to lymphatic obstruction, lower extremity edema, and pain.

What are the early symptoms of cervical cancer?

1. Pain: If the cancer compresses the pelvic nerves, the early symptoms of cervical cancer will be pain in the lower abdomen, lower back or thighs. If the cancer invades the rectum, the early symptoms of cervical cancer will be poor bowel movements and anal swelling. If the bladder is compressed, the early symptoms will be frequent urination, urgency, pain and hematuria.

2. Irregular vaginal bleeding: This phenomenon occurs in the early symptoms of cervical cancer, accounting for 81% and 4% of patients with the disease. Experts say that bleeding in patients with cervical cancer often occurs after sex or defecation, and some bleed after sports activities or gynecological examinations, and have irregular menstruation. In the early stages, the amount of bleeding is less and can often stop on its own.

3. Increased vaginal discharge: This mainly refers to increased vaginal discharge, which is due to the presence of cancer stimulating the hypersecretion of the cervical glands. As the cancer develops, turbidity, rice water or purulent plasma can be seen secreted from the vagina. Early symptoms have a special smell or even odor. This is a symptom caused by necrosis of cancerous tissue and secondary infection. Some patients may also develop secondary vulvitis.

4. Cervical cancer metastasis: Generally speaking, the later the lesion is, the faster the metastasis is, but there are few early symptoms, that is, metastasis. In addition to the lymphatic system, the early symptoms of cervical cancer are lung metastasis, bone metastasis, and liver metastasis. At this time, anemia, weight loss, fever, or uremia may occur.

Generally speaking, different types of cervical cancer are classified as follows:

1. Ulcer type: This classification of cervical cancer is rarer than the cauliflower type. The cancerous tissue first destroys the surface of the cervix, gradually soaking and destroying more, forming an ulcer. This type mainly occurs in the cervical lips and endocervical canal, with common necrotic tissue, easy to be infected, and still sensitive to radiation.

2. Nodular type: The least common is general hypertrophy of the cervix, which mainly penetrates deep into the cervix. It is usually as hard as hard rubber or wood and is moderately sensitive to radiation.

3. Cauliflower or papillary type: It is the most common classification of cervical cancer. It is an exophytic cancer with a cauliflower pattern. It is prone to occur on the cervical lips, has a small spread, and is often accompanied by necrosis, infection, and bleeding. It is sensitive to radiation.

4. Invasive type: This type of cervical cancer is mainly classified as invasive growth with little bleeding, but it is highly invasive and has poor sensitivity to radiation.