The cervical cancer is rare cancer that can first affect the cervix, the area just below the uterus and then can spread into the uterus, the vaginal wall, and metastasize to other parts of the body.
Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of cervical cancer at a more advanced stage include the following:
- Vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse, between one menstruation and another, or after menopause
- Fluid and bloody vaginal discharge that can be thick and have an unpleasant smell
- Pelvic pain or during sexual intercourse
When to see the doctor?
Ask for a consultation with your doctor if you have signs or symptoms that concern you.
When normal cells undergo a genetic mutation that turns healthy cells into abnormal cells can lead to cancer. Healthy cells grow and multiply at a fixed rate, eventually dying at a set time. The cancer cells grow and multiply out of control and do not die. The cells that accumulate abnormal form a mass (tumor).
With annual visits to gynecologists and yearly Pap tests, it can be very easy to diagnose cervical cancer at an early stage, when it is most treatable
- Physical examination
- HPV test
- Blood tests
- Biopsies of areas that appear in cancer
- Conization or cone biopsy
Treatment and Management
The treatment of the condition depends a lot on the stage. When the cancer is in the early stages, Conization, laser surgery or cryosurgery (freezing the cells) can remove abnormal cells from outside the cervix.
Once cancer has moved deeper into the cervix or is affecting the uterus, hysterectomy is almost always necessary, and if the cancer has metastasized, women may also have to undergo radiation and chemotherapy to eliminate cancer cells.