• Abnormal vaginal bleeding between regular menstrual periods and/or after sexual intercourse.
• Unusual, heavy or smelly discharge.
• Pain during urination.
• Pelvic pain.

These symptoms do not necessarily mean it is cervical cancer, there could be other conditions or infections which could show one or more of these symptoms.

TREATMENT OF CERVICAL CANCER

Usually in the early stages when treatment for cervical cancer is still possible, surgery (to remove part of the cervix or the entire womb) is performed, followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation. There are two kinds of surgeries for cervical cancer:

Radial Trachelectomy (To remove part of the cervix)

Based on the extent to which the cancer has spread, a radial trachelectomy is done to remove the affected part of the cervix, while leaving enough behind so that the woman can still get pregnant and have a child. Often, during the surgery itself the tissues are analysed to check how much the cancer has spread and the decision to perform radial trachelectomy is taken.

Radical Hysterectomy (To remove the womb)

When the cancer has spread too much, or if the woman is past childbearing age (or decides not to have children), a radical hysterectomy is performed, where the womb, tissues holding the womb, the top of the vagina and the lymph nodes around the womb are removed.