What are the obvious symptoms of cervical cancer?

The incidence of cervical cancer is also high among gynecological tumors, so everyone should pay considerable attention to this disease. Compared with gynecological diseases, cervical tumors also have obvious symptoms, such as vaginal bleeding, vaginal pain, increased secretions and other abnormal manifestations. Generally, patients can detect them in time.

1. Vaginal bleeding:

Irregular vaginal bleeding, especially contact bleeding (ie bleeding after sexual intercourse or gynecological examination) and postmenopausal vaginal bleeding are the main symptoms of patients with cervical cancer. The amount of vaginal bleeding can be more or less. Vaginal bleeding is often caused by rupture of tumor blood vessels, especially cabbage-shaped tumors, which cause bleeding symptoms to appear earlier and in larger amounts. If bleeding occurs frequently, excessive blood loss can lead to severe anemia. In advanced cases, heavy vaginal bleeding may occur, leading to shock, which is more common in invasive tumors.

2. Pain:

It is a symptom of advanced cervical cancer. The tumor extends along the paravertebral tissue, invades the pelvic wall, and compresses the peripheral nerves. The clinical manifestations are persistent pain in the sciatic nerve or one side of the sacral or iliac region. The tumor compresses or erodes the ureter, causing narrowing and obstruction of the ureter, leading to hydronephrosis, which manifests as unilateral low back pain or even severe pain, and further develops into renal failure and even uremia. Invasion of the lymphatic system leads to blockage of lymphatic vessels and obstruction of lymphatic return, resulting in symptoms such as lower limb edema and pain.

3. Increased vaginal discharge:

It is also the main symptom of patients with cervical cancer. It often occurs before vaginal bleeding. Initially, vaginal discharge may not have any odor. As the tumor grows and becomes infected and necrotic, the amount of discharge increases, and it may look like rice water or be mixed with blood and have a foul odor. When the tumor spreads upward and involves the endometrium, the secretions are blocked by the cervical tumor tissue and cannot be discharged, which may form intrauterine fluid effusion or intrauterine pyorrhea. The patient may experience symptoms such as lower abdominal discomfort, lower abdominal pain, back pain and fever.

4. Systemic symptoms:

Late-stage patients develop fever due to the metabolism of tumor tissue, absorption of necrotic tissue or combined infection. The body temperature is generally around 38°C, and in a few cases it can reach above 39°C. Anemia, emaciation and even cachexia may occur due to blood consumption.