Cervical Cancer Symptoms

Cervical cancer is of course, a cancer that originates from the cervix. The cervix is located at the lower portion of the uterus and it is the cervix that opens the uterus to the vagina.

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. This cancer is often caused by the human papilloma virus or HPV, a virus acquired through sexual intercourse. While not all strains of HPV are cancerous, there are still certain strains that directly contribute to cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is a disease that progresses very slowly and as such, it may be difficult to spot the symptoms. Also, cervical cancer symptoms may be similar with the symptoms of other conditions such as pre-menstrual syndrome. In other cases, the symptoms may not present themselves until the condition is more serious. However, the appearance and severity of symptoms will of course be different for every woman.

Some of the common symptoms include:

 Unusual heavy discharge – It is very normal for women to have vaginal discharges. However, a change in the discharge may be one of the cervical cancer symptoms. The changes may include an unusual heaviness or increased quantity of the discharge. The consistency may also change. The discharge may become thicker or more watery. Also, the discharge can become foul-smelling.

 Pelvic Pain – If a woman experiences pelvic pain that is not connected to how she normally experiences her menstrual cycle, the pain may be indicative of problems in the cervix. The severity of pain may differ from woman to woman. In some cases it can be a mild, dull pain. In other cases, it can be a severe, sharp pain felt across the pelvic area.

 Unusual bleeding – Changes in bleeding patterns is one of the most common cervical cancer symptoms. Women with cervical cancer often report experiences of abnormal bleeding.