The cervix is the narrow neck of a woman’s uterus, just above the vagina.  More than 9 out of 10 cervical cancers originate in surface cells lining the cervix.  In some women, healthy cells enter an abnormal phase called dysplasia; although these cells are not cancerous, they can become so.  When dysplastic cells are in their most advanced state they are described as carcinoma in situ.  As cancer cells multiply, some may invade the lining of the cervix itself, spread to nearby tissue, and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

Just as it usually takes many years for dysplasia to become carcinoma in situ, it often takes months or even years for cervical cancer to become invasive.  When caught early, cervical cancer is often curable; even in advance cases, the chance of surviving at least five years, with the likelihood of full cure, is still better than 60 percent.  Only when the cancer spreads to distant organs does prognosis for five-year survival dip below 20 percent.

In its early stages, cervical cancer causes no pain or other symptoms.  The first identifiable symptom of the disease is likely to include:

            Watery or bloody vaginal discharge, sometimes heavy and foul-smelling

            Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between menstrual periods or after menopause; menstrual periods may be heavier and last longer than normal.

If the cancer has spread to nearby tissues, symptoms may include:

            Difficult urination and possible kidney failure

            Painful urination, sometimes with blood in urine

            Dull backache or swelling in the legs

            Diarrhoea, or pain or bleeding from the rectum upon defecation

            Fatigue, loss of weight and appetite and general feeling of illness