Some women with cervical cancer may experience symptoms, including: Abnormal vaginal bleeding, such as bleeding after sexual intercourse, bleeding between periods, or unusually heavy periods. Pain during sexual intercourse. Unusual vaginal discharge, which may be watery, thick, or foul-smelling.

What was your first cervical cancer symptom?

Unusual bleeding – In most cases, vaginal bleeding is the first noticeable symptom of cervical cancer. It usually occurs after having sex. Bleeding at any other time, other than your expected monthly period is also considered unusual. This includes bleeding after the menopause (when a woman’s monthly periods stop). Visit your GP for advice if you experience any type of unusual vaginal bleeding.

How does your body feel if you have cervical cancer?

What is cervical cancer pain like? – Pain from cervical cancer may not feel like much in the early stages of the disease if you feel anything at all. As cancer progresses and spreads to nearby tissues and organs, you may experience pain in your pelvis or have issues urinating. Other people will feel generally unwell, tired or lose their appetite.

How long can you have cervical cancer without knowing?

Cervical cancer is a very slow developing cancer. It takes a long time for an HPV infection to become an invasive cancerous growth. The slow growth of cervical cancer is why Pap tests are so effective at preventing cervical cancer. A regular Pap smear can check for any abnormal changes that will eventually lead to cervical cancer.

• That means you can receive treatment before the cancer ever fully develops.
• Learn how cervical cancer develops, along with early symptoms, causes, prevention strategies, and treatment.
• Cervical cancer develops very slowly.
• It can take years or even decades for the abnormal changes in the cervix to become invasive cancer cells.

Cervical cancer might develop faster in people with weaker immune systems, but it will still likely take at least 5 years. Fortunately, this means there is ample opportunity to detect and treat cervical cancer early. Routine Pap tests can detect any abnormal changes and pre-cancerous signs.

Cervical cancer spreads in stages once it has developed. These stages represent how far the cancer has spread in your body. How fast the cancer spreads depends on factors such as how quickly you receive treatment, your age at diagnosis, and your overall health. The spread of the cancer also depends on underlying features of the cancer (such as cell type), and whether the person smokes.

Byproducts of tobacco have been found in the cervical tissues of women who smoke. Researchers believe these byproducts damage cell DNA and may contribute to the onset of cervical cancer, Smoking also weakens the immune system, hindering its ability to fight off HPV infections.

abnormal vaginal bleeding, such as spotting between periodsbleeding after intercoursemenstrual periods that are longer or heavier than usualpostmenopausal bleeding

Many of these changes, however, have other possible causes, including stress, weight loss, new medications, or chronic health conditions. It’s important to discuss any changes you notice with a medical provider, so you can find out what’s causing them.

What does Stage 1 cervical cancer feel like?

What are the symptoms of stage 1 cervical cancer? – Stage 1 cervical cancer often has no symptoms. By the time symptoms appear, cancer has often advanced. If you experience any symptoms in this stage, they are likely to be vague and involve:

Bleeding in between periods Pelvic discomfort

Who is most likely to get cervical cancer?

Other factors can increase your risk of cervical cancer – Some risk factors make it more likely for a person who has a high-risk HPV infection of the cervix to have a persistent infection that leads to severe cervical cell changes that can develop into cervical cancer. These risk factors include

Having a weakened immune system : This can lower the body’s ability to fight HPV infection and other diseases. HPV infections are more likely to be persistent and progress to cancer in people who are immunocompromised than in people who are not immunocompromised. You may be immunocompromised if you:

Have HIV infection or another disease that weakens the immune system.Take medicine to suppress your immune response, such as to prevent organ rejection after a transplant, to treat an autoimmune disease, or to treat cancer.

Smoking or breathing in secondhand smoke : Those who either smoke or breathe in secondhand smoke have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. The risk increases the more a person smokes per day and the longer a person has smoked. Learn about different tools to help you quit smoking and how to use them. Becoming sexually active at an early age : The risk of high-risk HPV infection that is persistent and ultimately leads to cervical cancer is higher in people who become sexually active before age 18 and in those who have had multiple sexual partners. This sexual history increases the chances of exposure to high-risk HPV. Other reproductive factors : Both the use of oral contraceptives (birth control pills) and giving birth to many children have been found to be associated with cervical cancer risk. The reasons for these associations are not well understood.

What age group is most at risk for cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is most frequently diagnosed in women between the ages of 35 and 44 with the average age at diagnosis being 50.

What color is discharge with cervical cancer?

Most of the time, early cervical cancer has no symptoms. Symptoms that may occur include: Abnormal vaginal bleeding between periods, after intercourse, or after menopause. Vaginal discharge that does not stop, and may be pale, watery, pink, brown, bloody, or foul-smelling.

Where do you feel pain with cervical cancer?

Main symptoms of cervical cancer – Symptoms of cervical cancer include:

vaginal bleeding that’s unusual for you – including bleeding during or after sex, between your periods or after the menopause, or having heavier periods than usualchanges to your vaginal dischargepain during sexpain in your lower back, between your hip bones (pelvis), or in your lower tummy

If you have another condition like fibroids or endometriosis, you may get symptoms like these regularly. You might find you get used to them. But it’s important to be checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or do not feel normal for you.

How do I make sure I don’t have cervical cancer?

The most important things you can do to help prevent cervical cancer are to get vaccinated against HPV, have regular screening tests, and go back to the doctor if your screening test results are not normal.

Can cervical cancer show up in 3 years?

HPV and cervical cancer – A large majority of cervical cancer (more than 95%) is due to the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. Most sexually active women and men will be infected at some point in their lives, and some may be repeatedly infected.

More than 90% of the infected populations eventually clear the infection. Cervical cancer is by far the most common HPV-related disease. Nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be attributed to HPV infection. Although most HPV infections clear up on their own and most pre-cancerous lesions resolve spontaneously, there is a risk for all women that HPV infection may become chronic and pre-cancerous lesions progress to invasive cervical cancer.

It takes 15 to 20 years for cervical cancer to develop in women with normal immune systems. It can take only 5 to 10 years in women with weakened immune systems, such as those with untreated HIV infection.

Can I check myself for cervical cancer?

What is self-collection? – Self-collection is when a woman takes her own sample for, The sample is taken with a long cotton swab and is done under the supervision of a healthcare professional who also offers cervical screening. You will be given instructions on how to collect the sample and offered a private place to collect your sample, usually behind a screen or in a bathroom at the doctor’s or other healthcare setting.

How long does it take for HPV to turn into cancer?

How Does HPV Cause Cancer? – HPV infection causes cells to undergo changes. If not treated these cells can, over time, become cancer cells. Credit: National Cancer Institute Once high-risk HPV infects cells, it interferes with the ways in which these cells communicate with one another, causing infected cells to multiply in an uncontrolled manner.

These infected cells are usually recognized and controlled by the immune system, However, sometimes the infected cells remain and continue to grow, eventually forming an area of precancerous cells that, if not treated, can become cancer, Research has found that it can take 10 to 20 years, or even longer, for HPV-infected cervical cells to develop into a cancerous tumor.

Among women whose cervical cells are infected with high-risk HPV, several factors increase the chance that the infection will be long lasting and lead to precancerous cervical cells. These include:

Having a very aggressive HPV type, particularly HPV 16 or HPV 18. If you have either of these HPV types, make sure you receive diagnostic testing with a colposcopy. Smoking cigarettes. Quitting smoking can help your body to fight HPV. Having a weakened immune system. If you have HIV or are taking medicines that suppress your immune system, talk to your health care provider about diagnostic testing and follow-up.

Clinical trials are an important step in learning about better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, such as cancers caused by HPV. NCI’s Cancer Information Service can help you learn about HPV-related trials in the United States. The National Cancer Institute is conducting and funding research to learn more about HPV:

The Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) conducts research into cervical and other HPV-related cancers to advance our understanding of how HPV causes cancer, evaluates screening practices to determine the most effective methods to detect precancerous changes early, develops and tests new approaches to screening that may be easier to use in low-resource settings, and refines tools for risk assessment in the clinic to help health care providers follow up on abnormal screening test results. Investigators in DCEG conducted the first population-based clinical trial of HPV vaccines. The Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP) conducts and fosters the development of research on the prevention and early detection of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers and related conditions. The Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) supports research-tested intervention programs related to HPV and the investigation of implementation strategies to promote the HPV vaccine in regions with low HPV vaccine rates. The Center for Cancer Research (CCR) is home to scientists and clinicians who are exploring the cutting-edge of cancer-related research. CCR scientists work on a wide spectrum of biological and biomedical problems, including HPV. Investigators in CCR conducted the research that led to the initial development and characterization of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

Is cervical cancer caught early?

What is the survival rate for cervical cancer? – There are different types of statistics that can help doctors evaluate a person’s chance of recovery from cervical cancer. These are called survival statistics. A specific type of survival statistic is called the relative survival rate.

• It is often used to predict how having cancer may affect life expectancy.
• Relative survival rate looks at how likely people with cervical cancer are to survive for a certain amount of time after their initial diagnosis or start of treatment compared to the expected survival of similar people without this cancer.

Example : Here is an example to help explain what a relative survival rate means. Please note this is only an example and not specific to this type of cancer. Let’s assume that the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific type of cancer is 90%. “Percent” means how many out of 100.

Imagine there are 1,000 people without cancer, and based on their age and other characteristics, you expect 900 of the 1,000 to be alive in 5 years. Also imagine there are another 1,000 people similar in age and other characteristics as the first 1,000, but they all have the specific type of cancer that has a 5-year survival rate of 90%.

This means it is expected that 810 of the people with the specific cancer (90% of 900) will be alive in 5 years. It is important to remember that statistics on the survival rates for people with cervical cancer are only an estimate. They cannot tell an individual person if cancer will or will not shorten their life.

Instead, these statistics describe trends in groups of people previously diagnosed with the same disease, including specific stages of the disease. The 5-year relative survival rate for cervical cancer in the U.S. is 67%. The survival rates for cervical cancer vary based on several factors. These include the stage of cancer, a person’s age and general health, and how well the treatment plan works.

Other factors that can affect outcomes include race and ethnicity. For White women, the 5-year relative survival rate is 67%. For Black women, the 5-year relative survival rate is 56%. Older women also have lower survival rates. Women who are 65 or older have a 46% relative survival rate, while women between ages 50 to 64 have a 61% relative survival rate.

• Women under 50 have a 77% relative survival rate.
• When detected at an early stage, the 5-year relative survival rate for people with invasive cervical cancer is 92%.
• About 44% of people with cervical cancer are diagnosed at an early stage.
• If cervical cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or organs and/or the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year relative survival rate is 59%.

If the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body, the 5-year relative survival rate is 17%. Experts measure relative survival rate statistics for cervical cancer every 5 years. This means the estimate may not reflect the results of advancements in how cervical cancer is diagnosed or treated from the last 5 years.

Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about this information. Learn more about understanding statistics, Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) publications, Cancer Facts & Figures 2023 and Cancer Facts & Figures 2020; the ACS website; and the International Agency for Research on Cancer website.

(All sources accessed February 2023.) The next section in this guide is Medical Illustrations, It offers drawings of body parts often affected by cervical cancer. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.

How long can you live with cervical cancer?

Survival rates for cervical cancer – Doctors estimate cervical cancer prognosis by using statistics collected over many years from people with cervical cancer. One statistic that is commonly used in making a prognosis is the 5-year relative survival rate,

• The 5-year relative survival rate tells you what percent of people with the same type and stage of cervical cancer are alive 5 years after their cancer was diagnosed, compared with people in the overall population.
• For example, the 5-year relative survival rate for cervical cancer diagnosed at an early stage is 91%.

This means that people diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer are 91% as likely as people who do not have cervical cancer to be alive 5 years after diagnosis. The 5-year relative survival rates for cervical cancer are as follows:

When cervical cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is 91%.When cervical cancer is diagnosed after it has spread to nearby tissues, organs, or regional lymph nodes, the 5-year relative survival rate is 60%.When cervical cancer is diagnosed after it has spread to a distant part of the body, the 5-year relative survival rate is 19%.The 5-year relative survival rate for all people with cervical cancer is 67%.

Learn more about statistics for cervical cancer, from our Cancer Stat Facts Collection.

Why is cervical cancer a silent killer?

In the U.S., cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 13,000 new cases are diagnosed and 4,000 American women die from cervical cancer each year. These numbers are staggering, especially because cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers in women.

• However, there is good news.
• There’s been a steady decline in cervical cancer rates over the last 50 years.
• The decline is largely due to regularly updated screening guidelines and also the highly effective human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine,” says Dr.
• Melody Besharati, an OBGYN with Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group,

The importance of early detection According to the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer is most commonly diagnosed in women between the ages of 35 and 44, and it rarely develops in women younger than age 20. Known as a “silent killer,” cervical cancer often causes no symptoms until it reaches a later stage — which is why regular screenings are so important.

Almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV, a common virus that can be passed from one person to another through sexual contact. The Pap test (or Pap smear) is one of the best ways to screen women for cervical cancer and test for HPV infection. “Unfortunately, women diagnosed with later stage cervical cancers often haven’t kept up with recommended screenings,” Dr.

Besharati says. “A cervical cancer screening involves a vaginal speculum exam, which takes a small sample of cells from the cervix to assess for the presence of abnormal cells and HPV. Early detection of cervical cancer increases the likelihood of successful treatment.” 5 cervical cancer red flags In addition to having regular Pap tests and HPV tests performed for screening purposes, it’s important to recognize possible warning signs.

• Here are five common cervical cancer symptoms: 1.
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding Many women have the occasional irregular period or spotting, but changes that aren’t typical for you could indicate something more serious.
• A possible symptom of advanced cervical cancer is vaginal bleeding that’s unusual for you — including bleeding during or after sex, between your periods or after menopause, or having heavier periods than usual,” Dr.

Besharati says.2. Unusual discharge While vaginal discharge is normal, the type of discharge you experience could be an indicator of vaginal health. With cervical cancer, you may notice discharge that is foul-smelling and pink, brown or bloody in color.

It can be tough to tell the difference between discharge that’s a sign of cervical cancer and the many other reasons you might have abnormal discharge. This is yet another reason to get routine screenings to rule out anything serious.3. Painful sexual intercourse Women with advanced cervical cancer may experience pain during sexual intercourse caused by tumor growth in your tissues and reproductive organs.

Pain with intercourse can also be caused by a range of other things.4. Pain in the pelvic region Menstrual cramps are a common problem, but periods are not the only cause of aches and pains in the pelvic area. If you experience pelvic pain outside of your normal menstrual cycle, it may indicate a problem.

The pain could be sharp or dull, spread throughout the pelvic area or concentrated in one specific area. Either way, pain is the body’s way of sending a warning signal.5. Complications in bowel movements Cervical cancer sometimes changes a woman’s urinary habits and bowel movements. If you have a persistent and increasing need to urinate, or if your stools change consistency over an extended period, these changes could be a sign that the cancer has spread to the kidneys, bladder or the colon region.

Many cervical cancer symptoms can also mimic other, less serious conditions, so it’s important to address any concerns with your doctor. Cervical cancer is highly preventable with the HPV vaccine, regular screenings and appropriate and timely follow up on abnormal results.

Do your legs hurt with cervical cancer?

Leg Pain – As the cancer grows and becomes more advanced, it may start to press against nerves in the pelvic wall, resulting in leg pain and sometimes swelling. While swelling could be a symptom of a number of medical problems, if accompanied by leg pain, this could be a warning sign of cervical cancer.

Does cervical cancer make you tired?

Symptoms of advanced cancer Advanced cervical cancer means that a cancer that began in the cervix has spread to another part of the body. Symptoms depend on where the cancer is in the body. They might include:

tiredness and feeling unwellgriping pain in your tummy (abdomen)feeling bloatedconstipationvomiting large amounts

It might not mean that you have advanced cancer if you have these symptoms. They can be caused by other conditions. Tell your doctor or specialist nurse if you’re worried about a symptom or if it continues for more than a few days.

Why am I high risk for cervical cancer?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection – Infection by the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most important risk factor for cervical cancer. HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses. Some of them cause a type of growth called papillomas, which are more commonly known as warts.

HPV can infect cells on the surface of the skin, and those lining the genitals, anus, mouth and throat, but not the blood or internal organs such as the heart or lungs. HPV can spread from one person to another during skin-to-skin contact. One way HPV spreads is through sexual activity, including vaginal, anal, and even oral sex. Different types of HPV cause warts on different parts of the body. Some cause common warts on the hands and feet; others tend to cause warts on the lips or tongue.

Certain types of HPV may cause warts on or around the female and male genital organs and in the anal area. These are called low-risk types of HPV because they are seldom linked to cancer. Other types of HPV are called high-risk types because they are strongly linked to cancers, including cancer of the cervix, vulva, and vagina in women, penile cancer in men, and cancers of the anus, mouth, and throat in both men and women.

1. Infection with HPV is common, and in most people the body can clear the infection by itself.
2. Sometimes, however, the infection does not go away and becomes chronic.
3. Chronic infection, especially when it is caused by certain high-risk HPV types, can eventually cause certain cancers, such as cervical cancer.

Although there is currently no cure for HPV infection, there are ways to treat the warts and abnormal cell growth that HPV causes. Also, HPV vaccines are available to help prevent infection by certain types of HPV and some of the cancers linked to those types.

Is cervical cancer curable?

What happens if you’ve been told your cancer cannot be cured – If you have advanced cervical cancer, it might be very hard to treat. It may not be possible to cure the cancer. If this is the case, the aim of your treatment will be to limit the cancer and its symptoms, and help you live longer.

Finding out the cancer cannot be cured can be very hard news to take in. You’ll be referred to a special team of doctors and nurses called the palliative care team or symptom control team. They’ll work with you to help manage your symptoms and make you feel more comfortable. The clinical nurse specialist or palliative care team can also help you and your loved ones get any support you need.

Page last reviewed: 02 September 2021 Next review due: 02 September 2024

What does leg pain feel like with cervical cancer?

Advanced cervical cancer symptoms – Cervical cancer may spread ( metastasize ) within the pelvis, to the lymph nodes, or form tumors elsewhere in the body. Signs of advanced cervical cancer include:

Leg pain that feels like a persistent sharp or dull ache Swelling in the legs Weight loss Fatigue Back pain Leakage of urine or feces from the vagina Bone fractures Difficulty urinating and having a bowel movement Blood in the urine

Can cervical cancer develop in 3 years?

HPV and cervical cancer – A large majority of cervical cancer (more than 95%) is due to the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. Most sexually active women and men will be infected at some point in their lives, and some may be repeatedly infected.

• More than 90% of the infected populations eventually clear the infection.
• Cervical cancer is by far the most common HPV-related disease.
• Nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be attributed to HPV infection.
• Although most HPV infections clear up on their own and most pre-cancerous lesions resolve spontaneously, there is a risk for all women that HPV infection may become chronic and pre-cancerous lesions progress to invasive cervical cancer.

It takes 15 to 20 years for cervical cancer to develop in women with normal immune systems. It can take only 5 to 10 years in women with weakened immune systems, such as those with untreated HIV infection.

Where is the pain with cervical cancer?

Main symptoms of cervical cancer – Symptoms of cervical cancer include:

vaginal bleeding that’s unusual for you – including bleeding during or after sex, between your periods or after the menopause, or having heavier periods than usualchanges to your vaginal dischargepain during sexpain in your lower back, between your hip bones (pelvis), or in your lower tummy

If you have another condition like fibroids or endometriosis, you may get symptoms like these regularly. You might find you get used to them. But it’s important to be checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or do not feel normal for you.

Does cervical cancer come on suddenly?

Pain during sex – Some people experience pain during intercourse, or some bleeding afterward. All of these cervical cancer symptoms should be discussed with a doctor. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), cervical cancer takes several years to develop.

Early cell changes are known as dysplasia or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Early-stage cervical cancer may develop without any symptoms. Typically, symptoms don’t become obvious until the cancer has grown into nearby tissue. Cervical cancer symptoms are not likely to come on suddenly, but usually persist once they do appear.

Your multidisciplinary team will work with you to develop a personalized plan to treat your cervical cancer in a way that fits your individual needs and goals.

Is cervical cancer back pain constant?

02 /6 ​Signs of pain – Back pain or discomfort, especially in the lower back, can be a sign of cervical cancer. This may be happening due to the pressure of the enlarging tumor, or abnormal growth. Pelvic pain can also be a symptom, which can be felt as a dull ache, pain, or pressure located in the abdomen below your navel.