The stirrups, speculum, and jelly that your gyno never quite manages to get rid of. Cervical cancer used to be the leading cause of cancer death in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so yes, Paps are painful (in a somewhat literal sense). It no longer even makes the top 10 thanks to Paps, which can detect problems before they become cancerous.
Nevertheless, according to the American Cancer Society, 13,240 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be identified in 2018, with 31% of them having a fatal outcome. Furthermore, according to the CDC, six out of every ten cases of cervical cancer are found in women who have never had a Pap test or who haven't had one in the previous five years. (FYI, according to the CDC, all women between the ages of 21 and 65 should receive a Pap smear every three years from 21 to 30, and every five years from 30 to 65.)
“In fact, one of the biggest risk factors of getting cervical cancer is not having had a Pap smear within the past five years,” says Eloise Chapman-Davis, M.D., a gynecological oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian.
However, she notes that you
shouldn’t just rely on a Pap to flag any issues. It’s also important to
watch out for cervical cancer symptoms, which can develop in cases of
more developed cancer growths. Translation: If you spot any symptoms of
cervical cancer, it’s worth talking to your gyno and getting checked out
asap.
1. Totally Not-Normal Vaginal Bleeding
“One
of the most common symptoms of cervical cancer is vaginal bleeding,
whether it’s in between your periods, after sex, or after menopause,”
says Taraneh Shirazian, M.D., a gynecologist at NYU Langone Health.
Abnormal vaginal bleeding is generally a symptom of advanced cervical
cancer, because it means that a tumor on the cervix is spreading to
affect nearby tissue, Chapman-Davis adds. Call your gyno asap.
2. Periods That Are Heavy AF
This isn’t about your period lasting a day longer or suddenly seeming a bit darker. “Rather, it’s your period all of sudden lasting two weeks instead of four days, or having two periods in one month,” says Shirazian. But to play it safe, it you have any changes in your cycle that last for at least two cycles (heavier, lighter, whatever!), it’s worth talking to your gynecologist, she says.
3. WTF-Worthy Vaginal Discharge
Discharge is totally normal, but the type of discharge you experience could be an indicator of a number of different vaginal health issues. “With cervical cancer, you might notice a discharge that’s foul-smelling and pink, brown, or bloody, potentially with chunks of tissue, or what we call necrotic material,” says Shirazian. And because “masses and tumors secrete fluid, that could contribute to a continuous, watery discharge that seems to occur for no reason,” says Chapman-Davis. Go ahead and give your gyno a call.
4. Pelvic, Back, or Leg Pain
Pelvic pain could be an indicator of changes to the cervix, but advanced cervical cancer can even spread to the bladder, intestines, or even the lungs and liver, says Chapman-Davis. “Then you might have things like back pain or leg pain,” she says. “But that’s typically associated with very advanced cases because the cervix isn’t really affecting a lot of nerves.” Talk to your primary care doc to rule out cervical cancer as well as other potential nerve causes.
5. Major Fatigue
Because most cervical cancer symptoms don’t come along until it enters more advanced stages, it does share some symptoms with all cancers. “Fatigue is definitely one of those symptoms,” says Shirazian. One reason why: Abnormal vaginal bleeding, one of the major symptoms of cervical cancer, can actually lower the amount of red blood cells and oxygen in the body, causing you to feel utterly exhausted all the time, usually with no other explanation. If you are dealing with chronic fatigue, your doctor will likely check your iron and red blood cell levels. check out these five signs.
6. Feeling Like You’re Going To Barf—All The Time
A persistent feeling of nausea or indigestion can be a sign of cancer, and that includes cervical cancer, says Shirazian. That’s because, when advanced, cervical cancer can cause the cervix to swell into the abdominal cavity, compressing the gastrointestinal tract and stomach to cause or even acid reflux, she says. Since nausea can be a sign of cervical cancer as well as other issues, talk to your primary care physician before opting for gyno input.
7. Out-Of-Nowhere Weight Loss
The same factors that can cause cervical cancer-related nausea can cause unintended weight loss, says Shirazian. (Think: a compressed stomach that can’t hold very much food.) Plus, if you’re constantly feeling nauseated, you probably aren’t going to even want to try to eat. If you lose up to 5 or 10 percent of your bodyweight over the course of six months without trying, go ahead and call your primary care doc.
