Cervical Cancer Symptoms

Symptoms of cervical cancer

There are usually no symptoms with abnormal cells (in their pre-cancerous state) and sometimes also no symptoms with early stage cervical cancer. However, there are some recognised symptoms associated with the disease. These include;

Abnormal bleeding: after or during sexual intercourse, or between periods
Post menopausal bleeding, if you are not on HRT or have stopped it for six weeks
Unusual and/or unpleasant vaginal discharge
Discomfort or pain during sex
Lower back pain.

If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms or are concerned about any new symptom you should make an appointment to see your GP as soon as possible. Remember, these symptoms can be associated with many other conditions that are not cancer related.

Not all women diagnosed with cervical cancer experienced symptoms this means attending regular cervical screening is even more important.

As cancer develops, it can cause further symptoms;

Frequency of urine
Blood in the urine
Rectal bleeding
Diarrhea
Incontinence
Lower limb lymphoedema.

Jo's Trust Case Study
Jill describes the symptoms she experienced prior to being diagnosed with cervical cancer:

In September 2007, I had a clear smear, as I always had every 3 years. In the following months I notice a tiny amount of blood. I thought nothing of this as it was tiny. This spot of blood continued for a few weeks, so I decide to visit my G.P. He said it was probably my age, but he would refer me to a gynaecologist.