Cervical erosion is often made into a big deal

Cervical erosion is a common gynecological disease, but some medical institutions, driven by profit, vigorously promote cervical erosion as a precancerous lesion of cervical cancer and can develop into cervical cancer. Experts suggest that simple cervical erosion will not induce cervical cancer, but because the symptoms of the two are similar, cervical cancer prevention examinations are still required if cervical erosion is found.

A survey shows that 33% to 38% of adult women suffer from various gynecological diseases, among which cervical erosion has the highest incidence, accounting for more than 47% of gynecological patients. As a common gynecological disease, cervical erosion is also a common word in illegal medical advertisements, and it is also a key disease for some medical institutions to make profits illegally. These advertisements and medical institutions often use the gimmick that cervical erosion can develop into cervical cancer to earn attention and money. Under their powerful propaganda offensive, the view that cervical erosion is a precancerous lesion of cervical cancer and can develop into cervical cancer has also been recognized by many women.

Is this really the case? Professor Xue Fengxia, director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, said in an interview recently that many studies at home and abroad have shown that simple cervical erosion is not a terrible problem for women. Some patients do not even need treatment. On the contrary, many patients in the outpatient clinic receive treatment that should not be implemented because of fear of cancer, which causes more serious damage to the body. Simple cervical erosion will not induce cervical cancer, but because the appearance and symptoms of the two are similar, regular cervical cancer prevention examinations are required if cervical erosion is found.

Recognize the true face of cervical erosion--it is a manifestation of high estrogen secretion

"The cervix plays an important role in women's health. In daily life, the cervix can prevent microorganisms and harmful substances from entering the uterine cavity. When pregnant women give birth, the cervix dilates normally, and the fetus can be delivered smoothly." Xue Fengxia said, "The cervical erosion seen in clinical practice is not true ulceration, so the term 'cervical erosion' does not accurately reflect the disease, but is easily ambiguous. It has long been abandoned in medical textbooks."

The cervix has a very special physiological structure. The cervix is ​​covered with two types of epithelium, which are squamous epithelium and columnar epithelium. The squamous epithelium is located at the junction of the cervix and the vagina. When the surface of the cervix is ​​completely covered with squamous epithelium, the cervix will appear pink and very smooth. The columnar epithelium is located in the endocervical canal, and the junction of the two epithelia is called the transition zone. The transition zone occurs with the body environment, hormones, inflammation and other factors. For example, in young women and pregnant women, due to the high level of estrogen in the body, the columnar epithelium moves to the cervical vagina to replace the squamous epithelium. At this time, the gynecologist can see that the cervical opening is redder and the surface is not smooth, and it can be diagnosed as varying degrees of cervical erosion.

Overtreatment may do more harm than good

Do not rush into surgery if you have not given birth

Xue Fengxia said that in most cases, the cervix covered by columnar epithelium is still a normal cervix. If it is clearly diagnosed as a simple erosion-like change, it will neither affect life and fertility nor increase the risk of cervical cancer, and no medication or surgical treatment is required. However, in rare cases, due to the thin columnar epithelium and its secretory function, there will be increased secretions or occasional bleeding after sexual intercourse. After excluding cervical lesions, appropriate medication or physical local treatments such as microwaves and lasers can be used. Because some bad medical institutions are not good at medicine and some are driven by interests, or facing the diagnosis of cervical erosion given by doctors, more women are afraid that erosion will increase the risk of cervical cancer, and thus worry too much. All these have led to the widespread overtreatment, and the consequences of overtreatment for a considerable number of patients are often more serious than the physical damage caused by cervical erosion.

Xue Fengxia especially reminds young women who are preparing to have children not to rush into surgery or other physical treatments just because of "cervical erosion". Excessive treatment may affect future fertility.