- Cervical cancer doesn't usually cause symptoms early on, but when it grows into nearby tissues.
- Pelvic pain and unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge are cervical cancer symptoms.
Cervical cancer — which starts in the internal part of the body between the vagina and womb — doesn't usually cause symptoms early on, but when it grows into nearby tissues.
Ignoring possible cervical cancer symptoms, like abnormal bleeding from the vagina, could reduce the chances of successful treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Cervical cancer used to be one of the most common causes of cancer deaths for American women, but a screening test that detects changes in the cervix before it develops, called a pap smear, has significantly reduced the number of people dying from it, according to the ACS.
However, a study published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer in August found that while rates of early stage cervical cancer have dropped, rates of advanced-stage cervical cancer rose in the US between 2001 and 2018, particularly among white and younger women.
Around 14,100 women in the US will get diagnosed with cervical cancer this year, and about 4,280 women will die of the disease, the ACS estimates.
The average age of cervical cancer diagnosis is 50, with more than 20% of cases diagnosed in women older than 65, according to the ACS, and it's rarely diagnosed in people younger than 20.
Cervical cancer can cause unusual vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain
John Butler, a consultant gynecological oncology surgeon at The Royal Marsden Hospital, UK, told Insider that signs of cervical cancer to watch out for include: abnormal vaginal discharge, new pelvic pain, and vaginal bleeding that is unusual for you — such as during or after sex, between periods, or after menopause.
Professor Mark H. Einstein, chair in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said that pelvic pain that shoots down the legs can be a sign of advanced cervical cancer.
Swollen legs, problems with peeing or pooping, and blood in urine, are also seen with more advanced cervical cancer, according to ACS.
Other conditions can cause these symptoms, but anyone who has them should see a doctor both experts said.
Cervical cancer is 'rare' for women who get a pap smear
Butler said that it is "very rare" for women who are up-to-date with their cervical screening "smear" tests to develop cervical cancer.
In the US, women are advised to start cervical cancer screening from the age of 21, and continue every three to five years depending on age and medical history.
People can get tested at the same time for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that is spread through sex and causes almost all cervical cancers, though not everyone with HPV gets cervical cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The HPV vaccine is recommended in the US as part of routine vaccinations at the age of 11 or 12 years as well for those aged up to 26 if they didn't get it when they were younger. Those above this age should discuss whether to get the vaccine with their clinician, the CDC states.
Smoking, unprotected sex with multiple partners, using birth control for more than four years, and conditions that weaken the immune system all increase the chance of developing the cancer, according to the CDC.