Understanding Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment 

Dr.Arun Giri, 3 mins read

The cervix forms the narrow lower part of the uterus, which is the entrance to the womb. Every year, thousands of women seek cervical cancer treatment in India, and while a majority of them do get better, quite a few learn about cancer at a very advanced stage. 

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes most cases of cervical cancer but a vaccine for HPV is effective in preventing the disease and is recommended for all people aged between 9–26 years it can also be administered to adults aged 27 to 45 years who didn’t receive a vaccine before. 

In this article, we look at cervical cancer causes and prevention along with symptoms and treatment. 

Symptoms of cervical cancer

In its early stages, cervical cancer may cause no noticeable symptoms and women should have regular cervical smear tests, also called Pap tests. These tests will not detect cancer but will reveal any changes to cells that could potentially mean the development of cancer; which can help people take early action and successfully treat it.

Common symptoms of cervical cancer include bleeding in between periods, bleeding post-menopause, painful sexual intercourse followed by bleeding after, vaginal discharge with a strong odor or tinged with blood, and pelvic pain. These symptoms can also be related to infection but they should not be ignored and medical treatment should be sought immediately. 

Stages of cervical cancer 

The stage of cancer is essentially an assessment of how far cancer has spread and if it has reached nearby or distant organs, treatment for cervical cancer will also depend on which stage it has reached. There are 4 stages but there is also Stage 0 when precancerous cells are present. This is followed by Stage 1 when cancer spread from the surface into deeper tissues of the cervix, and even into the uterus and lymph nodes. In 

In stage 2 cancer spreads beyond the cervix and uterus but does not reach the l lower part of the vagina, whereas in Stage 3 cervical cancer cells reach the lower part of the vagina or the walls of the pelvis, and could even block the ureters. In Stage 4, the cancer is present the bladder or rectum, and later on, it will spread to other organs like the lungs, liver, bones, and lymph nodes.

Getting immediate screening and receiving medical attention in case any symptoms occur has helped thousands get early treatment and successfully beat the disease.

Causes of Cervical Cancer

Cancer develops as a result of uncontrolled division and the growth of abnormal (mutated) cells in our body. Unlike normal cells that die to make way for new cells, abnormal cells do not die and continue dividing. This causes an excess buildup of cells, which together form a tumor or a lump. The exact cause cells turn cancerous is yet unknown but certain risk factors could end up increasing the risk of cervical cancer. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus and there are over a hundred types of HPVs; out of which at least 13 could potentially cause cervical cancer. Sexual contact with someone who has HPV leads to the spread of cancer-causing HPV types and women with many sexual partners face a higher risk of HPV infection, which in turn increases their risk of developing cervical cancer. Smoking increases the risk of cervical cancer along with other types as well. People who have a weakened immune system are also at risk. Long-term consumption of contraceptive pills along with other sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea also increase the risk of developing cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer treatment

Treatment options for cervical cancer include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, and sometimes a combination of two or more therapies. The stage of cancer determines the kind of treatment required, a patient’s age and overall health will also be factored in. 

Treatment for early-stage cervical cancer affords success rates but these decrease as cancer spreads. 

Early-stage treatment 

Surgery is common if cancer has not spread beyond the cervix and radiotherapy can help post-surgery if the presence of cancer cells is suspected inside the body, it can also prevent the recurrence of cancer. 

Chemotherapy is not very common at this stage. 

Advanced stage treatment 

Surgery is not possible if cancer has spread beyond the cervix to other areas of the body. Extensive treatment involving radiation therapy or a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy is needed. 

Prevention of cervical cancer 

Women who keep to HPV vaccination programs can reduce the risk of cervical cancer. Practicing safe sex using protection helps protect from HPV infection.

Regular cervical screening is an effective way to identify and deal with any potential cancer beforehand. Women who have sexual intercourse at a very young age are at higher risk of HPV infection. Women who smoke are also at greater risk of developing cervical cancer than those who don’t.

Also, Read: Cervical Cancer and How to prevent and detect it at an early stage