One ‘embarrassing’ cancer symptom doctors say you should never ignore
The cancer type is responsible for 685 deaths a year
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Cancer, Health, NHS, Women's Health, Periods
Britt Jones
Topics: Cancer, Health, NHS, Women's Health, Periods
There is one odd symptom of a deadly cancer type that professionals are warning people not to ignore.
It can be easy to think that new symptoms that show up are harmless, particularly if they don’t come with anything obviously dangerous, but it’s still best to get it checked.
According to health professionals, there is a way to know if you’ve got a certain cancer, and you need to make sure you’re not putting off seeking help, even if you feel embarrassed about the issue.
Per Cancer Research UK, around 3,300 people are diagnosed with this cancer annually, and it’s responsible for approximately 685 deaths a year, says the NHS.
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When it comes to this cancer, the health service notes that you might start to feel pain in your abdomen, pain after sex, or experience bleeding outside of your menstrual cycle.
But when it comes to cervical cancer, there can also be a smell.
According to the NHS’s website: "Cervical cancer is a cancer that's found anywhere in the cervix. It's most common in women aged between 30 and 35, but it can happen at any age.”
It shares that: "The cervix is the opening between the vagina and the womb (uterus). It's part of the reproductive system and is sometimes called the neck of the womb.
"Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by an infection from certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Cervical cancer usually develops very slowly. How serious it is depends on how big it is, if it has spread and your general health."
HPV is something that is tested for during smear tests, which are available to all women who are 25 and up, every three years.
If you are HPV positive, you’ll get a follow-up appointment a year later to see if it has cleared, or if your swab comes back showing abnormal cells, an investigation will occur.
The smell associated with cervical cancer is known as being ‘foul’, per the Mayo Clinic, which could lead people to feel too embarrassed to see someone about it. But early detection is vital.
This way, you can get the best outcome, which may involve surgery and strong cancer-blasting medication, like radiation or chemotherapy.
Per the NHS, to minimise your risk by:
You’re more likely to be at risk if you are aged between 30 and 35, but it can happen at any time, particularly if you have a weakened immune system, HIV or AIDS, have given birth to multiple children or children when you were under 17 years old, smoke, or you've had vaginal, vulval, kidney or bladder cancer.
There are more risks factors, so be sure to read up on them on the NHS website.
If you notice any of the above, contact your GP for more.