Cervical Cancer Symptoms & Indications

Most women will not experience any symptoms during the earliest stages of cervical cancer. For most women and their families, their diagnosis comes as a completely unexpected shock. Up until most recently, most cases were diagnosed using a Pap smear test, although the FDA recently approved the usage of the HPV DNA test for cervical cancer screening. Both tests require vaginal swabbing, so patients won’t be able to tell the difference.

(If you would like to learn more about enrolling in a cervical cancer clinical trial, you can find an extensive list of open trials here.)

Unfortunately, the few symptoms that this disease does produce can be easily ignored or completely missed altogether. Things like pelvic pain aren’t that uncommon and could be just as easily caused by PMS. Other women may not realize that it’s not normal to experience vaginal bleeding after intercourse. If you have been experiencing anything unusual, it’s crucial to visit the family doctor or gynecologist.

Woman worries pelvic pain could be caused by cervical cancer

Pelvic pain could be a symptom of more advanced cervical cancer.

 

The following are all physical symptoms that have been associated with cervical cancer:

Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding

Having heavy periods or mild to severe spotting in between periods is not something that should be ignored. You’ll want to see your OB/GYN to determine the cause. It could be the result of cervical cancer or other diseases as well.

Abnormal Vaginal Discharge

Vaginal discharge is something that every woman experiences, but at some degree it can become abnormal. Normal discharge can look:

  • Yellow
  • Clear
  • Cloudy white

Abnormal vaginal discharge can be have any of the following properties:

  • Foul smelling
  • Watery
  • Thick
  • Contains mucus

If you’ve been experiencing increased levels of discharge or anything that seems abnormal, then you should see your doctor right away (even if you haven’t experienced any other symptoms).

Pelvic Pain

Pelvic discomfort and even some pain is also not that unusual, especially right before or during menstruation. Frequent episodes of pelvic pain should be discussed with a doctor. Several women with cervical cancer have described these symptoms as a mild to severe aching, sometimes accompanied by acute pain, that persists for hours on end. This particular symptom is not specific to cervical cancer.

Pain During Urination

This can be a red flag for more advanced stage cervical cancer. In those cases, the pain experienced during urination is produced as a result of the cancer having metastasized to the bladder. Fortunately, this is more often than not the symptom of less serious problems, like a urinary tract infection.

Pain During Intercourse

Clinical studies have shown that this is often a cervical cancer symptom that manifests later on.

As you have seen, many of these symptoms could be produced by a range of other medical conditions (many of them less serious than cervical cancer). Hopefully, you’ll still make an effort to at least talk to your doctor if you do discover any of these are happening. Waiting for it to clear up on its own could be a very costly choice to make.