What are the symptoms of cervical cancer in women? What are some common misunderstandings about cervical cancer in women?

There are many types of cancer, and it is also a relatively dangerous disease. Cervical cancer, in particular, has a higher incidence rate and poses a serious risk to female patients. Let's take a look at some of the misunderstandings about cervical cancer.

What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?

1. Increased vaginal discharge Most cervical cancer patients have increased vaginal discharge to varying degrees. In the early stages, the presence of cancer stimulates the hypersecretion of cervical glands, producing mucous leucorrhea. As the cancer develops, cancer tissue necroses and falls off, and secondary infections occur, the leucorrhea becomes turbid, like rice washing water or pus with blood, and has a special stench.

2. Irregular vaginal bleeding. In the early stage, it manifests as a small amount of bloody leucorrhea and contact vaginal bleeding. Patients often come to the doctor because of a small amount of vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse or defecation. For those who have vaginal bleeding after menopause, attention should be paid to finding the cause. Vaginal bleeding from cervical cancer is often very irregular, usually a little at first and then more, sometimes more and sometimes less. Cauliflower-shaped bleeding occurs early and the amount is also large. In the late stage, after the cancer erodes the large blood vessels, it can cause fatal large amounts of vaginal bleeding. Due to long-term repeated bleeding, patients often suffer from anemia.

3. Pain: Pain often occurs in the lower abdomen or lumbosacral region, and sometimes in the upper abdomen, thighs and hip joints. It worsens during menstruation, defecation or sexual intercourse, especially when the inflammation spreads backward along the uterosacral ligament or along the bottom of the broad ligament, forming chronic parauterine connective tissue inflammation, and the main ligament of the cervix thickens, the pain is even worse. Whenever the cervix is ​​touched, it immediately causes pain in the iliac fossa and lumbosacral region. Some patients even experience nausea and other symptoms, which affect their sexual life.

What are the misunderstandings about cervical cancer?

Myth 1: Cervical cancer will not happen to me

Clinical investigations show that women who have sexual experience too early, especially before the age of 18, or who have multiple sexual partners and often have unclean sexual intercourse, are one of the high-risk groups for cervical cancer; while late marriage, single sexual partner, and attention to sexual hygiene are insurance for women to stay away from cervical cancer. However, this is by no means a complete blockade, because there are many factors that cause this malignant disease, and women who have sex may encounter it. Therefore, regular gynecological examinations are another level of care for yourself in addition to keeping yourself clean.

Myth 2: If symptoms are not obvious, it is okay not to treat them

Chronic cervicitis and mild to moderate cervical erosion have no obvious symptoms and do not affect normal life, so they are often ignored. However, it is one of the biggest hidden dangers leading to cervical cancer. Undoubtedly, cervicitis and cervical erosion are both caused by infection; cervical cancer is an infectious disease. If chronic cervicitis and cervical erosion are not treated well and in time, they will be repeatedly infected. Coupled with human papillomavirus (also known as HPV) infection, it is easy to cause cervical cancer. A recent survey shows that among married women, 50% to 60% have varying degrees of vaginitis and cervicitis. If not treated in time, the chance of cervicitis turning into cervical cancer is 7 times that of normal people. Therefore, to curb the "throat" of cervical cancer, we must pay attention to personal hygiene.

Myth 3: Treating cervical cancer as cervical erosion

Cervical cancer is misdiagnosed as cervical erosion, and simple physical therapy is given. It is also mistakenly believed that once cervical erosion is cured, cervical cancer will not occur again, and cervical screening will no longer be performed. This practice makes patients lose the best time to treat the disease, causing irreparable losses and huge harm. The main reason for this kind of error is that medical services are not provided in accordance with the standardized process of screening, diagnosis and treatment, or driven by the economic interests of units and individuals, and irresponsibly treat patients.

Misconception 4: Ignoring “clues”

Cervical cancer may not cause any discomfort to patients in the early stages, and some symptoms are easily ignored. Professor Liu Xishi suggested that women of childbearing age should learn to pay attention to the "health alarms" issued by their bodies.

Contact bleeding: mainly refers to bleeding after sexual intercourse or after gynecological examination, urination or defecation. Even if it happens only once and the amount is small, you should be vigilant.

Abnormal vaginal discharge: Most cervical cancer patients have varying degrees of increased vaginal discharge. Therefore, women should pay attention to the nature, amount and odor of vaginal discharge. Especially when a large amount of watery or mucous vaginal discharge is found, it must be paid attention.