Cancer of the uterus: symptoms

Uterine cancer, the symptoms of which can be variable, but fit into three main groups - discharge, pain and bleeding, is oncological pathology, the second most common after breast cancer. Uterine cancer is rarely diagnosed in women younger than 35-40 years, more often it affects women during the menopause. The etiology of the oncological process is still not specified, among the many causes that provoke cancer, the following factors are called: 

• Metabolic disorders, excessive body weight; 
• Bad habits - smoking, alcoholism; 
• Diabetes; 
• Dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, hypomenorrhea, and other forms of menstrual irregularities; 
• Polycystic ovary; 
• Late menopause; 
• Unintelligibility in sexual relations, frequent changes in sexual partners; 
• Early childbirth; 
• Infertility; 
• Venereal diseases, STDs (sexually transmitted diseases); 
• HIV.

Cancer of the uterus symptoms may not show for a long time, nevertheless, there are pre-cancer diseases that should alert the woman and closely monitor the condition of the pelvic organs. To precancerous, background diseases are: 

• Erosion of the epithelium of the cervix uteri - pseudo-erosion. Erosive processes are divided into congenital, caused by hormonal changes and post-traumatic (abortion). 
• Polyps are formations on the mucous tissue of the cervix, provoked by hormonal changes, inflammatory processes. 
• Leukoplakia - a gradual change in the epithelial tissue of the cervix, the keratinization of the upper layers of the epidermis (hyperkeratosis). 
• Thinning of the epithelium of the cervix (vaginal zone) is erythroplasty. 
• Papillomas - proliferation on the cervix. 
• Endometriosis is a pathological proliferation of endometrial cells (inner layer). 
• Cervicitis - pathological inflammation of the cervix, provoked by STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), viruses, abortive injuries, erosions.

Cancer of the uterus, the symptoms of which depend on the area in which it is localized, is divided into two categories in clinical practice: 

Oncological process in the cervix. Most often diagnosed in women over forty, less often cervical cancer develops in young women and in those who did not give birth. Gynecologists associate this age feature with the risk of degeneration of scar tissue (childbirth, abortion, erosion) and changes in the hormonal system.

Cervical cancer is characterized by standard signs - secretions, periodic bleeding and pain symptoms, which are manifested, unfortunately, at the last stage of oncoprocess. The whitish-gray discharge (whitish) is the first alarming symptom, which indicates that the tumor has already begun to disintegrate and damage the lymph vessels. If an infection is attached to the pathological process of decay, the secretions acquire a specific characteristic smell. Bleeding is rare, mainly at the terminal stage of the pathological process. They appear after an intimate affinity, when the mucous tissue is injured or after a gynecological examination. These painful sensations are called contact, that is, with any contact, whether it is sexual or contact with a medical tool, in the vagina, pain appears inside it. Often, the cancer of the uterus, the symptoms of which show localization in the neck, penetrates into nearby tissues. Typically, the oncology process affects the bladder, then spreads to the rectum, often affects the vagina. The last stage is metastasis in the organs distant from the cervix. The body of the uterus, as well as the ovaries, does not affect the oncoprocess. 

Cancer of the uterus, the symptoms of which indicate the localization of the process in the body of the uterus, in clinical gynecological practice is less common than oncoprocess in the cervix. Background and cancer-provoking diseases are already a serious reason for complex examination and initiation of long-term therapy, even if there are no signs of cancer. The first stages of the cancer of the body of the uterus are often asymptomatic, very rarely a woman can celebrate unusual spotting. As a rule, uterine cancer with localization in the body develops during menopause, when menstrual irregularities and bleeding are considered to be the physiological norm characteristic for this period of changes in many body systems. If there are painful sensations, then this is evidence of an already started process. Pain as well as with onkoprotsesse in the neck, manifested after various contacts - sexual, after examination or after active syringing. Oncological pathology develops gradually in the first stages, the terminal stage is characterized by rapid metastasis to nearby lymph nodes - in the groin, the lumbar region. Further metastases affect the organs separated from the uterus.

Cancer of the uterus symptoms may present clinically weakly manifested, the signs of cancer depend on which epithelium zone affected the cancer and the stage of development of the cancer process. Adenocarcinoma is an oncological process in the cervical canal and in the body cavity of the uterus, this pathology is also called a glandular cancer. There is another type of cancer - squamous cell carcinoma, which develops directly in the cervix. The least commonly diagnosed sarcoma, which has characteristic pain symptoms in the pelvic region, abundant and regular discharge. Also, the sarcoma is accompanied by a rapid increase in the uterus, the signs of which are similar to the typical symptoms of interstitial fibroids or subserous myoma. Uterine cancer is divided into four stages or stages of development: 

• The tumor is localized in the body - in the largest area of the uterus and is bounded by the boundaries of the endometrium. 

This stage is divided into sub-stages:

• Onkoprotsess, accompanied by infiltrates into the muscular wall of the organ, - myometrium. Symptomatic little, it is weakly manifested. 
• Cancer with infiltrates into the connective layer, the cellulose that surrounds the uterus is a parameter. There may be discharge, but painful sensations, as a rule, no.

Oncoprocess, penetrating the cervix. Often there are discharge, there may be bleeding after sexual intercourse.

• The third stage is also divided into sub-stages: 
  • Cancer with infiltrates into the connective outer layer - a parameter penetrating the pelvis. There are regular discharge with a characteristic odor. Bleeding occurs after intimate contact, less often spontaneous. 
  • Onkoprotsess, accompanied by metastases in the lymph nodes, as well as in the vagina and in the appendages of the ovaries. There are painful sensations, most often in the pelvic region, in the waist. 
  • Onkoprotsess, which affects almost the entire surface of the uterus - the peritoneum, but does not affect nearby organs. There is a whole classical triad - bleeding, whites and painful symptoms.
• The fourth stage is the terminal stage of the oncological process in the uterus. This is divided into two stages: 
  • Oncoprocess, developing and affecting the rectum and bladder. 
  • Cancer accompanied by metastasis to other organs distant from the uterus.

Since the cancer of the uterus often does not manifest symptoms, all women without exception whose age has exceeded 40-45 years are recommended not less often than once a half a year to undergo a preventive examination at the treating gynecologist. With any anxiety symptoms, you should consult a doctor, since the main principle of fighting any cancer processes is early detection and diagnosis of cancer.

The main signs that should alert a woman are the following: 

• Cancer of the uterus, the symptoms of which can appear before the menopause: 
• Spontaneous bleeding, discharge with blood, which gradually pass on their own, that is, release after a few months cease.
• Violation of the menstrual cycle - scant discharge, followed by abundant secretions. 

Cancer of the uterus, the symptoms of which are manifested in menopause: 

• After the termination of menstruation, when the menopause period comes, one should be alert if the discharge appears after several months. It does not matter how abundant and how often they appear. The main thing is their resumption after a long pause. 
• In addition to bleeding or discharge, there are signs that should alert and alarm a woman of any age. These are characteristic pains in the lower abdomen or in the lumbar region, pain during sexual intercourse, pain in the vagina, apathy, fatigue and body weight loss.

Uterine cancer, the symptoms of which are often hidden, requires a woman not only to take a close look at her own health, but also a certain responsibility, courage and patience during treatment if the cancer of the uterus is confirmed. The result of treatment depends first of all on the timely detection of the oncological process, when it can be stopped at the first and second stages, the psycho-emotional mood of the woman herself, which helps to cope with this menacing and sometimes deadly pathology, is also important.

[1], [2], [3]