What Are the Symptoms of Cervical Cancer? | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Learn more about the signs and symptoms of cervical cancer. Ursula Matulonis, MD, medical director of the Gynecologic Oncology Program at the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber, discusses the topic with radiation oncologist Larissa Lee, MD, and medical oncologist Alexi Wright, MD, MPH.
This video is part of a live webchat on cervical cancer that originally aired Jan. 20, 2015. Watch the full webchat here: http://youtu.be/hR9duMSnCFA
More information about the Susan F. Smith Center: www.susanfsmith.org.
Transcription:
Dr. Wright: So first of all, the vast majority of cervical cancers are early stage, and they’re often asymptomatic, which is why screening is so important. Sometimes it may harbor… it may signal that someone has cervical cancer are really pretty common: heavy vaginal bleeding, bleeding between periods, bleeding after intercourse, as well as kind of a watery purulent and sometimes stinky vaginal discharge.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah.
Dr. Matulonis: In terms of the presenting signs and symptoms… So, we talked about bleeding—abnormal bleeding. I think another symptom would be painful intercourse. And then just pain, just pelvic discomfort.
Speaker 4: Yes.
Dr. Matulonis: And it’s also important that cervical cancer is not a… it’s not thought as a ‘young woman’s disease,’ but it really can span the different decades. [inaudible 01:06], do you want to comment on that in terms of the patients who you see?
Dr. Lee: That’s absolutely the case. We… Fortunately, not many women present with local advanced disease, but those are the women who tend to get treated with radiation and chemotherapy. The tumors can grow beyond the cervix, and that’s what can lead to pain. It can also cause a blockage of the ureter, which drains the kidney. That can lead to back pain, in addition to pelvic pain. Every once in awhile, a tumor is so advanced it will affect the bowel and the bladder function, which can be quite concerning, as well. So, patients may present with changes in their bowel habits, changes in their urinary function—or even blood in their bowels or in the urine.
Speaker 6: Right, right.
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