{"id":1582,"date":"2020-06-03T11:40:45","date_gmt":"2020-06-03T11:40:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blog.kayawell.com\/?p=1582"},"modified":"2025-11-25T10:46:18","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T10:46:18","slug":"cervical-cancer-overview-symptoms-causes-and-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cervical-cancer-overview-symptoms-causes-and-prevention","title":{"rendered":"Cervical Cancer- Overview, Symptoms, Causes and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Cervical\ncancer is a form of cancer that occurs in the cervix cells \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the lower part of\nthe uterus that is linked to the vagina. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Specific\nstrains of the human papillomavirus ( HPV), a sexually transmitted infection,\nlead to most cervical cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The body&#8217;s\nimmune system typically prevents the virus from doing harm when exposed to HPV.\nHowever, the virus survives for years in a small percentage of people, contributing\nto the process which causes some cervical cells to become cancer cells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By having\nscreening tests, and having a vaccine that protects against HPV infection, you\nwill reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\r\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\r\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\r\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\r\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cervical-cancer-overview-symptoms-causes-and-prevention\/#Symptoms_Cervical_Cancer\" title=\"Symptoms Cervical Cancer\">Symptoms Cervical Cancer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cervical-cancer-overview-symptoms-causes-and-prevention\/#Causes_of_Cervical_Cancer\" title=\"Causes of Cervical Cancer\">Causes of Cervical Cancer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cervical-cancer-overview-symptoms-causes-and-prevention\/#Risk_Factors\" title=\"Risk Factors\">Risk Factors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cervical-cancer-overview-symptoms-causes-and-prevention\/#Complications\" title=\"Complications\">Complications<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/cervical-cancer-overview-symptoms-causes-and-prevention\/#Prevention\" title=\"Prevention\">Prevention<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Symptoms_Cervical_Cancer\"><\/span>Symptoms Cervical Cancer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An\nindividual may experience no symptoms at all during the early stages of\ncervical cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will\nresult in women should getting regular cervical smear tests or Pap tests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Pap test\nis preventive. This is aimed not at detecting cancer but at identifying any\ncell changes which indicate the potential cancer development so that a person\ncan take early action to treat this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most\ncommon symptoms of cervical cancer are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bleeding between periods<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bleeding after sexual intercourse<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bleeding in post-menopausal women<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discomfort during sexual intercourse<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vaginal discharge with a strong odor<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vaginal discharge tinged with blood<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pelvic pain<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These\nsymptoms can have other causes, including infection. Someone having any of\nthose symptoms should see a physician. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When to call\nyour doctor<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take your\ndoctor an appointment if you have any signs or symptoms that bother you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Causes_of_Cervical_Cancer\"><\/span>Causes of Cervical Cancer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most\ncervical cancer cases are caused by the sexually transmitted human\npapillomavirus (HPV). It&#8217;s the same virus which causes genital warts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are\nabout 100 different strains of HPV. Only certain types cause cervical cancer.\nThe two types which cause cancer most commonly are HPV-16 and HPV-18. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting\ndiagnosed with a cancer-causing HPV strain does not mean you are going to get\ncervical cancer. Your immune system eliminates the vast majority of HPV\ninfections, often within two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HPV can also\ncause other cancers in women and men. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Vulvar Cancer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vaginal Cancer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Penile Cancer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anal Cancer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rectal Cancer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Throat Cancer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>HPV is a\nvery common infection. Find out what percentage of sexually active adults will\nget it at some point in their lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Risk_Factors\"><\/span>Risk Factors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cervical\ncancers are caused by one of the high-risk forms of HPV infections. However,\nsince not all people who are infected with HPV will develop cancer, other\nfactors are likely to also play a role in cervical cancer development. Some\nrisk factors that increase a woman&#8217;s risk of developing cervical cancer have\nbeen identified:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tobacco smoking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HIV infection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Immune system suppression<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Past or current Chlamydia infection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Overweight<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Having three or more full-term pregnancies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Long-term use of oral contraceptives (although when contraceptive<br>pills are stopped the risk returns to normal) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>First full-term pregnancy before age 17<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poverty<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Family history of cervical cancer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Complications\"><\/span>Complications <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cervical\ncancer complications can occur as a side effect of treatment and as a\nconsequence of advanced cervical cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having\ncancer does not always mean having pain. Pain rarely ever constitutes a symptom\nof early cancer. But advanced cancer patients do not always have suffering. It\nmay also cause serious pain if cancer spreads through the nerve endings, bones\nor muscles. It&#8217;s important to manage the pain effectively and if the pain\nmedicine is not helping you then you should talk to your doctor. However, it is\nnormal to use a variety of effective painkilling medications. Depending on the\nlevels of pain, they can range from codeine and morphine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kidney Failure<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some\ncases of advanced cervical cancer, cancer can block urine out of the kidneys.\nThe build-up of urine inside the kidneys can cause the kidneys to become\nswollen and stretched and in severe cases can lead to kidney failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Blood clots<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As with any\nother cancer, cervical cancer can make the blood more prone to forming clots.\nBed rest after surgery and chemotherapy can also raise the risk of a clot\nforming. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) may develop in some women with cervical\ncancer. This needs to be treated in case it travels to the lungs, which can be\nfatal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bleeding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If cancer\nspreads through your vagina, intestine or bladder, it may cause significant\ndamage, leading to bleeding. Bleeding may occur in your vagina, rectum, or you\nmay pass through the blood while urinating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Vaginal Discharge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another rare\nbut distressing complication of advanced cervical cancer is an unpleasant smell\ndischarge of the vagina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\ndischarge may occur for a number of reasons, such as tissue breakdown, bladder\nor bowel leakage out of the vagina, or vaginal bacterial infection. Antibiotics\ncan be used for the treatment of infections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prevention\"><\/span>Prevention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To reduce\nyour risk of cervical cancer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ask your doctor about the HPV vaccine<\/strong>. Receiving\na vaccine to avoid HPV infection can lower the risk of cervical cancer and\nother cancers associated with HPV. Ask your doctor if you should get an HPV\nvaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Have routine Pap tests<\/strong>. Pap tests can detect precancerous cervical\nconditions, so they can be monitored or treated to prevent cervical cancer.\nMany medical institutions, at age 21, recommend beginning daily Pap tests and\nrepeating them every few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Practice safe sex<\/strong>. Reduce the risk of cervical cancer by\ntaking steps to avoid sexually transmitted diseases, such as using a condom if\nyou have intercourse and restricting the number of sexual partners that you\nhave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Don&#8217;t smoke<\/strong>. If you don&#8217;t smoke, don&#8217;t start. If you do smoke, discuss\nstrategies with your doctor to help you quit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cervical cancer is a form of cancer that occurs in the cervix cells \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the lower part of the uterus that is linked to the vagina. Specific strains of the human papillomavirus ( HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, lead to most cervical cancer. The body&#8217;s immune system typically prevents the virus from doing harm when [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1132],"tags":[42],"class_list":["post-1582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cancer","tag-cancer"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1582"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1582\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}