It is quite common for women across the globe to be afflicted by cervical cancer. This sort of cancer actually is found in the cervical cells. The cervix is supposed to be the lowest part of a woman’s uterus which is connected to the vagina. It is estimated by the American Cancer Society that around 13,240 new cervical cancer cases would be diagnosed in the U.S.A. in 2018 and about 4,170 women would actually die from invasive cervical cancer. These estimates seem pretty dreadful but they are nothing but facts. Most of the cervical cancer cases are actually triggered by a deadly virus known as HPV or human papillomavirus. Once women start having sexual intercourse, they could be at a risk of getting cervical cancer irrespective of their age.
Some of the cervical cancer risk factors include multiple sex partners, unsafe sex, obesity, using oral contraceptives, poor immunity, smoking, genetics, first pregnancy at a very young age, multiple pregnancies etc. The scariest and deadliest thing about cervical cancer is that you get to see no outward symptoms at the initial stages. In fact, the symptoms would be manifesting themselves once the disease has progressed to the bladder, liver, intestines or lungs. As an adult lady, you must be alert about any changes or unusual developments impacting the reproductive organs.
You must remember that there is a high probability of treating cervical cancer successfully if it is actually detected well on time during the initial stages of the disease. By using the HIV vaccination and the Pap smear tests, cervical cancer is now preventable and could be detected successfully. In this context, you must be aware that the Genetic Profiling or Genetic Testing also, known as tumor DNA sequencing is supposed to be a good test for detecting the unique DNA changes that are taking place. You could visit reputed sites like https://www.mybiosource.com/ for antibodies, proteins, peptides, and ELISA Kits. It is a trusted one-stop-shop where you could fulfill comprehensive research reagents requirements. Here are some red flags or warning signs associated with cervical cancer.
Erratic Bleeding
When a person having regular menstruation cycles suddenly experiences untimely and unexpected vaginal bleeding, that may be an indicator of the disease. Cervical cancer may not, however, be the sole cause of erratic periods. It could be because of some other clinical issues such as pelvic inflammatory diseases, hormonal imbalance, or even pelvic organ infections. In the case of cervical cancer, when it spreads to the tissues close by, it would be creating new abnormal capillaries which would be breaking easily resulting in bleeding. This sort of induced bleeding could be occurring after menopause, post sexual intercourse, or post a pelvic examination and in between periods or menstrual cycles.
Painful Intercourse
Pain during intercourse could be another indication or red flag associated with cervical cancer. This is an indication of advanced cervical cancer that implies that the disease has already spread to the reproductive organs and the tissues. Apart from the painful intercourse, you may also, find thick and foul-smelling unusual vaginal discharge.
Unusual Vaginal Discharge
It is normal to have odorless, clear vaginal discharge but once it begins to give out a foul smell, occurs frequently, it could be an indication of cervical cancer, some sort of a vaginal infection or even endometrial cancer. When vaginal discharge is mixed with blood, you must immediately consult a doctor.
Conclusion
We have discussed some of the main warning signs of the dreaded cervical cancer. There could be some other indications such as pelvic pain which takes place frequently and lasts for relatively long periods. You could experience such a pelvic pain all on a sudden any time. Heavy menstrual bleeding also is a cause of concern at times. It is best to seek professional advice at once when you see any abnormalities in your usual menstruation cycles.