Will anything grow on the cervix in the early stages of cervical cancer?

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on June 10, 2025
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In the early stages of cervical cancer, a minority of patients may develop growths on the cervix, but most exhibit erosive changes or thickening of the cervix. Early-stage cervical cancer generally involves a small area of cancerous tissue, with localized lesions and shallow infiltration depth. Many symptoms manifest as recurrent cervical erosion that is difficult to heal completely. There are also a few cases where small nodular lesions appear on the cervix. These small nodules generally do not cause significant damage to the cervix and present with mild clinical symptoms. Many patients only experience mild vaginal bleeding and discharge, with rare occurrences of pain, fever, general fatigue, weight loss, or other systemic symptoms in clinical settings.

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Late-stage symptoms of cervical cancer

The symptoms of advanced cervical cancer start with vaginal bleeding. In the later stages, the bleeding becomes irregular and possibly heavy. The second symptom is vaginal discharge. In advanced stages, due to cancerous tissue necrosis accompanied by infection, there can be a large amount of foul-smelling, watery, or purulent discharge. The third point about advanced symptoms depends on the extent of the cancerous area involved. Secondary symptoms may appear depending on the adjacent tissues, organs, and nerves affected, including frequent urination, urgency, constipation, swelling and pain in the lower limbs. When the tumor compresses or involves the ureter, it can cause ureteral obstruction, hydronephrosis, and uremia. In the advanced stages, patients may experience symptoms of systemic failure like anemia and cachexia.

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Is cervical polyp cervical cancer?

Cervical polyps are not cervical cancer. Most cervical polyps are caused by chronic inflammation of the cervix, whereas cervical cancer is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. After removing a cervical polyp and conducting a pathological examination, if it is benign, it is considered cured. However, cervical cancer is a malignant tumor that requires surgery. If high-risk factors are present after surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are necessary. Therefore, these two diseases are different and vary in severity.

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Written by Zhang Xiu Rong
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How long does it take for cervical cancer to develop?

Cervical cancer generally forms beginning with an infection of human papillomavirus (HPV), and it usually takes five to ten years to develop into cervical cancer. The vast majority of cervical cancer cases are caused by contact with HPV. If this virus continues to replicate in the body, it typically progresses to cervical cancer over a period of five to ten years. Therefore, cervical cancer screening is crucial for women. If regular check-ups are performed annually during this period, it is possible to halt the progression to cervical cancer and its precursors. Cervical cancer screening generally includes routine TCT (ThinPrep Cytologic Test) and HPV testing. These two tests can preliminarily screen for cervical cancer and precancerous conditions. If any abnormalities are detected, it is essential to undergo a colposcopic biopsy at a hospital, as biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis.

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Late-stage symptoms of cervical cancer

What are some symptoms of late-stage cervical cancer? First, there may be vaginal bleeding, characterized by irregular vaginal bleeding. The amount of bleeding varies depending on the size of the lesion and the invasion of interstitial blood vessels. In the late stages, as major blood vessels may be eroded, significant bleeding can occur. The second symptom is vaginal discharge, which is often increased and may be white or blood-stained. Third, late-stage symptoms may include secondary symptoms such as involvement of adjacent tissues and organs and affected nerves, leading to frequent urination, urgency, constipation, swelling and pain in the lower limbs. Cancer pressing on the ureters can cause obstruction of the ureters, hydronephrosis, and uremia. Late stages may also present with symptoms of systemic failure such as anemia and cachexia.

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Can cervical cancer be cured?

Cervical cancer can be treated with options including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. For Stage 1A1 cervical cancer, a conization surgery can be chosen; for stages from 1A2 up to before 2B, a radical hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy can be selected; if it is Stage 2B, where the cancer has spread to the parametrium, it is recommended to first undergo chemotherapy as preoperative neoadjuvant therapy to reduce the tumor size before proceeding with surgery; if the cancer has progressed to Stage 3A1 and beyond, radiotherapy or chemotherapy is recommended. In summary, surgical treatment can be chosen for cervical cancer before Stage 2B; if it is Stage 2B or later, involving the parametrium or the lower third of the vagina, surgery is generally not an option, and the treatment usually involves radiotherapy or chemotherapy.