Early symptoms of cervical cancer

Written by Xu Xiao Ming
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on March 18, 2025
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The most common early symptom of cervical cancer may be contact bleeding, including vaginal bleeding after intercourse. However, not many patients exhibit these symptoms. Many patients do not show any symptoms, but there are some pathological changes on the cervix. Therefore, it is recommended that women who are sexually active should undergo regular early screening for cervical cancer, including HPV, TCT, and colposcopy examinations. Regular checks can determine whether there are indeed pathological changes on the cervix. This is also a preventive measure for women, and the screening is highly efficient at detecting early pathological changes in the cervix.

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Written by Liu Jian Wei
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Cervical cancer is divided into several stages.

Cervical cancer is categorized into four stages based on the extent of the cancer lesion, with different stages receiving different treatments clinically. Stage I cervical cancer is the earliest stage, while stage IV cervical cancer is the latest stage, often invading organs beyond the reproductive system. Clinically, early-stage cervical cancer is primarily treated with surgical resection, followed by postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy to reduce the likelihood of cancer recurrence. In contrast, late-stage cervical cancer is treated primarily with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

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Written by Xu Xiao Ming
Obstetrics and Gynecology
40sec home-news-image

Early symptoms of cervical cancer

The most common early symptom of cervical cancer may be contact bleeding, including vaginal bleeding after intercourse. However, not many patients exhibit these symptoms. Many patients do not show any symptoms, but there are some pathological changes on the cervix. Therefore, it is recommended that women who are sexually active should undergo regular early screening for cervical cancer, including HPV, TCT, and colposcopy examinations. Regular checks can determine whether there are indeed pathological changes on the cervix. This is also a preventive measure for women, and the screening is highly efficient at detecting early pathological changes in the cervix.

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Written by Zhang Xiu Rong
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min 14sec home-news-image

latent period of cervical cancer

The latency period for cervical cancer is generally five to ten years. The occurrence of cervical cancer is mainly due to exposure to the human papillomavirus (HPV) in the body. Typically, this virus persists and replicates within the body, leading to cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. From the initial virus infection to the development of cervical cancer, it usually takes a vast majority about five to ten years. Furthermore, different types of virus infections lead to varying probabilities of cervical cancer. In general, if the infection involves types 16 and 18 of the virus, the likelihood of developing cervical cancer is particularly high. Therefore, if one is infected with HPV types 16 and 18, it is crucial to undergo a cervical TCT test. If necessary, a cervical biopsy is generally performed under colposcopy, followed by treatment based on the examination results. Thus, to prevent cervical cancer, it is essential for women to undergo regular annual cervical cancer screening.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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Cervical cancer treatment

For the treatment of cervical cancer, it should be based on the patient's physical condition, nutritional status, pathological staging, and pathological type to develop a comprehensive treatment plan, rather than a general, single approach. The treatment principle for cervical cancer mainly involves surgery and radiotherapy, supported by a comprehensive treatment plan that includes chemotherapy. However, the treatment plan should be based on clinical staging, age, overall health, and consider the level of technology and equipment available to formulate a suitable treatment plan. It is important to focus on individualized treatment and the method of initial treatment. Therefore, each person is different, and treatments vary from person to person and disease to disease.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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Causes of Cervical Cancer

The causes of cervical cancer include: The first point is infection by the human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly persistent infection with high-risk types, which is the basic cause of precancerous lesions and cervical cancer. The second point is that DNA from HPV is not detected in the tumor tissues of a minority of cases, especially among some older patients. Epidemiology shows that early childbirth and multiparity are closely related to the occurrence of cervical cancer. With an increasing number of childbirths, the risk of cervical cancer also increases. This correlation might be due to the trauma to the cervix during childbirth and changes to the endocrine and nutritional states during pregnancy.