Cervical Cancer Symptoms By Stage

In an advanced stage, cervical cancer symptoms may occur which are caused by tumor growth in the surrounding tissues or due to metastasizing (metastases) elsewhere in the body. Symptoms of advanced cervical cancer may include the following:

1. loss of appetite;
2. weight loss;
3. fatigue and malaise;
4. pelvic pain;
5. pain in the back;
6. pain in the leg;
7. a swollen leg heavy blood loss during and after intercourse;
8. pain on urination, and then particularly in combination with pain in the abdomen; 
9. and leakage.

The following four stages are distinguished in cervical cancer:

• Stages I : The cancerous tissue is only in the cervix.
• Stages II : The cancerous tissue is all that is grown in the vagina and / or the surrounding stroma.
• Stages III : The growth of the cancer is further down in the vagina and / or the supporting fabric.
• Stages IV : Continued growth in the bladder or rectum, or there are established metastases in other organs, for example, in the lungs , the liver or the bone .

Cervical cancer diagnosis

Cervical cancer is suspected, the doctor will perform a colposcopy. This is a study with a type of microscope which is used in order to obtain the cervix enlarged image, so that it can be examined for irregularities, and abnormal spots. Sometimes a biopsy may be needed: the removal of tissue is examined by the pathologist for the presence of cancer cells. If cancer has been established, further gynecological examination will take place to see how far the cancer has expanded. After that will be studied whether it has spread elsewhere in the body. Studies which may be used thereby, various imaging tests such as a CT scan of the abdomen to lymph nodes and liver to assess and an x-ray of the thorax and the lungs. There will also be blood tests take place.

Cervical Cancer treatment

Treatment of cervical cancer depends on the stage of the cancer, the size and shape of the tumor, the age and general health of the woman, and her desire to have children in the future.

Possible treatments for cervical cancer:

1. surgery: removal of a portion of the cervix or the entire uterus, possibly including the ovaries and fallopian tubes and the pelvic lymph nodes;
2. radiotherapy (irradiation): external or internal;
3. chemotherapy and / or hormone therapy;
4. heat treatment (hyperthermia); or
5. a combination of these treatments.

If cervical cancer is not curable, palliative treatment is proposed in which the growth of the cancer is inhibited as much as possible and / or the symptoms are reduced.