Symptoms and diagnosis of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is not always symptomatic, but women may experience the following:

• Abnormal bleeding (metrorrhagia) from simple contact with the mucous membrane of the cervix, often triggered by sexual intercourse;
• A feeling of pelvic heaviness, even pain in the lower abdomen;
• Exceptionally abnormal vaginal discharge.

The diagnosis must be confirmed with the clinical exam performed by a gynecologist, sometimes with a colposcopy (careful inspection of the cervix with a magnifying glass after the application of two dyes to mark the lesions), followed by a biopsy of the cervix. All of these medical tests can be carried out at Institut Curie.

In the case of a cancer diagnosis, other examinations must be carried out to check the extent of the cancer (for example, a pelvic MRI or a PET scan).