Five stages of cervical cancer

What are the five stages of cervical disease? Cervical precancerous lesions refer to the changes that occur in this area before cancer occurs and thus cause cancer. Cervical precancerous lesions are cervical intestinal metaplasia. The occurrence and development of cervical cancer has a gradual evolutionary process, which can take from many years to decades. It is generally believed that this evolutionary process goes through the following stages: hyperplasia, intestinal metaplasia, carcinoma in situ, early invasion, and invasive cancer.

Cervical cancer is the only gynecological malignant tumor with an established cause at this stage, and is related to persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV).

HPV virus is a double-stranded DNA virus with a spherical shell and a diameter of 55nm. It mainly infects the epithelial cells of the skin and mucous membranes, causing different diseases. Currently, more than 200 types of HPV viruses have been evaluated, and at least 30 types are related to reproductive mucosal infections. 80% of women with HPV will be infected with HPV in their lifetime, and the infection is usually eliminated within 8-10 months. Only a very small number (5%) of women will have persistent infection.

What are the other high-risk factors associated with cervical cancer?

1. Sexual life: starting sexual life too early and having multiple sexual partners;

2. Factors related to menstruation and childbirth: poor environmental hygiene during menstruation, prolonged menstruation, early marriage, early childbearing, multiple births, etc.;

3. Long-term irritation to the cervix caused by cervical inflammation caused by reproductive tract infection;

4. Smoking: Intake of tobacco tar reduces the body's immune system, affects the elimination of HPV infection, and increases the risk of cervical cancer, especially squamous cell carcinoma;

5. Long-term use of birth control pills: Taking birth control pills for more than 8 years doubles the risk of cervical cancer, especially adenocarcinoma;

6. Immunodeficiency and suppression: HIV infection causes immunodeficiency and long-term use of immunosuppressive drugs after liver transplantation increases the incidence of cervical cancer;

7. Other viral infections: The connection between herpes simplex virus type II (HSV-II) and the cause of cervical cancer cannot be eliminated.

What are the clinical symptoms of cervical precancerous lesions?

1. Bleeding during sexual intercourse. 70%-80% of cervical cancer patients have this symptom;

2. Cervical erosion. Young women with cervical erosion who have not been treated for a long time, or women who still have cervical erosion after menopause, should be taken seriously;

3. Bleeding when touched, bleeding during intercourse, or abnormal uterine bleeding after gynecological examination are all signs of cervical precancerous lesions;

4. Mixed secretions. In addition to abnormal uterine bleeding caused by IUD insertion, women with mixed secretions for a long time should be checked in time.