Follow-up – Jawdat Nasri
Uterine cancer develops slowly and often silently. But there are still signs that should not be overlooked because they can reveal infection with the disease.
Find out the symptoms of uterine cancer after and before menopause in the following lines:
Unfortunately, this disease develops slowly, often silently, and therefore with very few warning symptoms. Only regular screening and vaccination against human papilloma virus (HPV) – the main risk factor for cervical cancer – can prevent the appearance of precancerous lesions and prevent the development of cervical cancer.
What are the symptoms of uterine cancer?
Uterine cancer can cause different signs and symptoms as the cancer grows. Other medical conditions can cause the same symptoms as uterine cancer.
The most common symptom of uterine cancer is abnormal gynecological bleeding; This includes changes in menstruation (heavier, longer, or heavier periods than usual), bleeding between periods, bleeding after menopause, and light female bleeding.
Other signs and symptoms of uterine cancer include:
unusual female discharge, which may be foul-smelling, pus-like or mixed with blood;
Feeling pain during marital relations;
pain or pressure in the pelvis, lower abdomen, back, or legs;
pain during urination, difficulty urinating, or blood in the urine;
pain during defecation, difficulty defecation, or blood in the stool;
bleeding from the bladder or rectum;
fluid buildup in the abdomen (called ascites) or in the legs (called lymphedema);
– Lose weight;
– Anorexia;
– difficulty breathing.
Who should you consult?
When you notice abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, abnormal or foul-smelling female discharge (these are the most common basic symptoms), or more, you should consult a gynecologist quickly. He will examine your cervix and if he finds any abnormalities, he will perform a biopsy right in the clinic. In some cases, he or she may perform a gynecoscopy using dyes that will highlight any lesions, although lesions generally show up on a biopsy.
What is the average age of cervical cancer?
The average age of cervical cancer is about 40-45 years. Cervical cancer mainly affects young women, unlike breast, endometrial or ovarian cancer, which generally affects postmenopausal women. Therefore, menopause is not considered a risk factor for cervical cancer. The main risk factor is persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Cervical cancer develops when the immune system fails to clear the human papillomavirus (HPV). It is estimated that it takes an average of 10 to 15 years to develop cervical cancer.
