Cervical cancer symptoms have warning signs that you should watch out for.
In fact, there are only a few serious diseases that are especially dangerous for women. One of them is ” cervical cancer ” that many people secretly wonder if they are at risk or are about to get cervical cancer. When they have severe menstrual cramps, is it a warning sign of this disease? And what are the symptoms of cervical cancer? Health has found the answer for you.
Cervical cancer symptoms
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding, such as during or after intercourse or after a pelvic exam.
- Continued vaginal bleeding after menopause or irregular periods
- There is a visible vaginal discharge, which may be mixed with blood.
- There is pain during intercourse.
- There is an abnormal amount of vaginal discharge, which may be mixed with blood.
- Frequent urination or possible swelling and pain, unable to urinate
- Exhausted, no energy
- Loss of appetite, emaciation, unexplained weight loss
- Lower abdominal pain
- If the symptoms become more severe, there may be other symptoms such as leg swelling, back pain, blood in the urine, etc.
You will see that the most obvious symptoms of cervical cancer are vaginal bleeding during or after intercourse, as well as vaginal discharge that may contain blood. If you experience these symptoms, plus the other แทงบอล UFABET ราคาดีที่สุด ไม่มีขั้นต่ำ symptoms, see a doctor immediately. However, even if you have cervical cancer, there are ways to prevent it.
Who gets cervical cancer?
From one interesting piece of information, which is information from a survey of statistics around the world, it was found that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer found in women, after breast cancer. This information also includes Thailand. Moreover, cervical cancer is a disease that often occurs in adults aged 30-70 years, most commonly found in those aged 45-55 years, but is not detected in women under the age of 30 years and in the elderly aged over 70 years.
When should women start getting cervical cancer screening?
To begin screening for cervical cancer, women of all ages who have had sex should go for a cervical cancer screening, also known as a Pap smear, at least once a year. Women who have never had sex should start screening when they are around 21-25 years old and up. If abnormalities are found, the doctor may perform additional tests, such as repeating the Pap smear or scheduling more frequent Pap smears, or considering taking a cervical biopsy for pathological examination. This depends on the patient’s risk factors and the doctor’s discretion.
Stages of cervical cancer
- Stage 0 or early stage
is the initial stage before it becomes cancerous. It is the stage when the cells of the cervix start to change, but it can be detected from a Pap smear. If it is a normal physical examination, it may not find any abnormalities. - Stage 1
is when cancer cells start to form only in the cervix. - Stage 2
is when the cancer has spread from the cervix to the upper vagina or pelvis, but has not spread to the pelvic wall. - Stage 3
is when cervical cancer has spread to the pelvic wall or the cancer may be pressing on the ureters, causing kidney function to deteriorate to the point that that kidney does not work (this can happen to both kidneys). - Stage 4
is when cervical cancer has spread to nearby organs, such as the bladder and/or colon, rectum, or the cancer cells may spread to other organs, such as the bones, lungs, brain, and/or lymph nodes.
Cervical cancer symptoms
In the pre-cervical cancer stage or in the initial stages, patients may not have any obvious symptoms. However, they can be identified through cervical cancer screening. When it becomes more severe, the following common symptoms occur:
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding, which may be spotting between periods.
- Having an unusually long period
- There is vaginal bleeding after permanent menopause.
- Or there may be bleeding during intercourse that is not normal.
- In addition, some patients may experience abnormal vaginal discharge, foul odor, and/or blood.
- Including in some patients may experience pain during intercourse.
If the cancer has spread further or spreads to other nearby organs, it may cause back pain or pain in the buttocks or back pain radiating down the legs. If the symptoms press on the nerves, it may cause blood in the urine or blood in the stool. And if it spreads to the bladder or colon, it may cause leg swelling. If it spreads to press on the lymphatic vessels in the pelvis or causes blockage of those lymphatic vessels, it will cause abnormal urination or acute kidney failure.
There are 3 methods of screening for cervical cancer.
- Pap smear:
In this method, the doctor uses a spatula to collect tissue from the cervix, which is then sent to the laboratory for examination. This method takes quite a long time to determine whether or not it is cervical cancer. - TinPrep
This method is developed from the Pap smear test with increased accuracy and efficiency. The doctor will collect cells from the cervix with a special device. Then, the cells will be collected in a vial of TinPrep and sent to the laboratory for further testing. - This in-depth DNA testing method is the
Thin Prep Plus Cervista HPV DNA test , which screens for cervical cancer along with DNA testing for HPV strains that are associated with cervical cancer. Then, there will be a more in-depth test to see if there is an infection with HPV16 and 18. This testing method will help indicate the risk of latent lesions.
For screening for oral cancer, the best screening period is the middle of 10 days. One month is divided into 3 periods, each period of 10 days. The first day of menstruation is counted as day 1, and the next day is counted from day 11 after the first day of menstruation until day 20, which has a lower deviation value. This is considered the most suitable period for screening.
What to do if you find out you have ‘cervical cancer’?
When cervical cancer occurs in its early stages, surgery is considered the most effective method. However, if it is left until it has spread, the doctor will recommend radiation therapy in combination with brachytherapy or a combination of radiation surgery and chemotherapy. This must be performed by doctors and medical personnel who are experts, as will be explained below.
- Specialist doctors: Provide appropriate treatment guidelines for patients to achieve the best treatment results and allow patients to regain their original quality of life as much as possible.
- Specialist Nurse: Provides advice and consultation to patients regarding female cancer. They are responsible for taking care of patients closely. They must understand the needs of patients, whether physical or mental. They monitor symptoms and follow up on treatment results continuously.
- Pharmacist Specialist: Prescribes appropriate medication for each patient based on the doctor’s judgment. Also, closely monitors the patient’s medication side effects.
- Nutritionist: Responsible for preparing appropriate food for each patient, as each patient has specific nutritional needs. Appropriate food planning is required. Nutritionists must also advise patients on their diet in case they have to return home to recuperate, so that the patient’s health gradually improves.
- Physiotherapist: Responsible for providing advice and guidance to patients after surgery to help restore their health and enable them to live a normal life.
What are the risks of cervical cancer?
When a patient is diagnosed with a risk of cervical cancer, the first step is to accept it and be strong so that the treatment can proceed according to the procedure and have a chance of getting better. Otherwise, if we are stressed, think too much, or have other factors that affect our lives, it may cause the disease to spread throughout the body faster than before. So what factors increase the risk of the disease developing?
- Having sex for the first time at a young age
- Having multiple partners
- Smoking
- The mother used diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy.
- Have a compromised immune system
How do doctors diagnose cervical cancer?
In diagnosing cervical cancer, the doctor will perform a vaginal examination, along with abdominal palpation, and a rectal examination to clearly see the cervix. This also checks for the spread of the disease to nearby organs (palpable through the rectum). If a lump and/or wound is found, the doctor will cut a piece of tissue for pathological examination. For patients who do not find a lump or a clear map, but the Pap smear is suspicious of an abnormality, the gynecologist may perform additional examinations using a magnifying glass called a colposcope. The doctor will then consider cutting a piece of tissue in the abnormal part for further pathological examination.
How to prevent cervical cancer
- Get a health check for cervical cancer once a year, especially for women aged 30 and above.
- Women who use hormonal birth control methods, such as birth control pills, should be screened for cervical cancer every 6 months.
- Reduce alcohol consumption and smoking.
- Take care of your health and always observe for any abnormal symptoms in your body.
- The good news is that there is a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. You can contact your hospital to get vaccinated.
It’s not as scary as you think, right? So don’t forget to have regular health checkups every year and get a pelvic exam to check for cervical cancer. Prevention is better than cure.