HPV Virus and Cervical Cancer Symptoms

Cervical cancer symptoms are difficult to detect since they often either don't show at all or else they are confused with the symptoms of other
common complaints. They can often be mistaken for ovulation pains or Pre Menstrual Syndrome (PMS).

Severe symptoms often don't show up until the cancer is in the more advanced stages and consequently more difficult to treat.

Symptoms to be on the lookout for are:

• abnormal vaginal bleeding - either light or heavy during the month or after sexual intercourse.


• Unusually heavy or smelly vaginal discharge.


• pelvic pain (more intense than normal menstrual pain)


• pain during urination


• and depending on where the tumor has extended to:


• sciatic pain down the back of the leg


• rectal pain and or bloody discharge


• blood in the urine

Cervical cancer is linked to recurrent infections with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which is a very common STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease). It is estimated that seventy-five percent of adults become infected with some form of HPV at some stage in their life, although many are not even aware of it. Infection can occur through the skin or mucus membranes. If untreated they can eventually result in cervical cancer.

A Papanicolaou (Pap) smear is the simplest way of early detection of this disease. Cells are scraped from the surface of the cervix and smeared onto a slide which is sent to a laboratory to be examined for any unusual cells. These can then be removed before they have a chance to become malignant.