9 Cervical Cancer Symptoms Every Woman need to know:
Cervical cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs primarily within the cervix. Almost 500 thousand women are diagnosed with the disease annually in the world, including young girls. Unfortunately, the statistics are inexorable, every 12 months the number of patients with cervical oncology who have not reached the age of 30 increases by almost 2%. At the same time, as oncologists say, every woman can reduce the risk of developing cancer. No miraculous drugs or special methods are needed for this. It is enough to lead a healthy lifestyle, take care of your health, and make it a rule to undergo preventive gynecological examinations annually. Indeed, when cervical cancer is detected at the initial stage, until it becomes visible to the eye, cure or persistent remission can be achieved in 98% of oncologist patients.
The risk factors include:
- The beginning of sexual activity from the age of 14;
- Pregnancy before the age of 18;
- Abortions
- Smoking (carcinogens coming from cigarette smoke are found, including in samples of cervical mucus);
- Frequent changes in sexual partners (a history of sexually transmitted diseases);
- Hormonal disorders;
- Low quality of life (lack of ability to regularly visit a doctor).
Pay attention to the symptoms of cervical cancer
Various signs of the disease appear already in the early stages of cervical cancer, as a rule, they appear when the tumor can already be visualized.
The first symptoms that signal the appearance of cervical cancer include:
- Profuse watery discharge from the genital tract, odorless (lymphorrhea). Appear due to damage to the lymph nodes by malignant cells.
- Bloody discharge, which is observed after sexual contact, lifting weights, intense physical activity.
- Acyclic bleeding (occur only in women of reproductive age).
- The appearance of bloody discharge after menopause.
Pain may be absent.
With the growth of the tumor, its decay, the following dangerous symptoms may be disturbing: pain in the lower abdomen, lower back, giving out to the lower extremities. Pain is not associated with movement or other stimuli, often occurs at night. Such symptoms make it possible to distinguish it from pain in diseases of the joints, musculoskeletal system.
- Swelling of the legs caused by tumor infiltrate, up to thrombophlebitis.
- The presence of putrefactive odor from the genital tract, which indicates the destruction of the tumor and stagnation of secretions.
- Heavy bleeding during tumor decay.
- Violation (rapid, anuria) of urination due to tumor pressure on the pelvic organs.
- Constipation
- Abrupt loss of body weight.
If cervical cancer is suspected, to clarify the diagnosis, the following can be indicated:
- Ultrasound - ultrasound diagnostics. A transvaginal study may be prescribed. The method allows you to see even the presence of small nodes on the cervix.
- To clarify the results of ultrasound, the doctor can prescribe a CT scan (computed tomography) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Blood tests are prescribed, including studies to identify onomarkers of the disease, urinalysis.
Treatment:
Cervical conization - removal of part of the cervical mucosa, followed by curettage of the preserved mucous membrane. It can be performed with a knife, a radio knife, using a laser. The uterus can be saved.
Amputation (including ultrasound amputation) - excision of the vaginal part of the organ, the doctor does not affect the uterus.
Radical trachelectomy (vaginal or abdominal). It was first tested in 1987. Laparoscopic surgery, which allows you to remove the affected tissue, lymph nodes, but maintain fertility.
Pelvic exentation. A radical operation to remove organs of the reproductive system, carried out if cervical cancer is already detected in the last stages, when the tumor germinates outside the reproductive organs.
Chemotherapy can also take two forms. It is prescribed before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor and reduce the risks of complications, it is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
