The Top Warning Signs And Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

This year alone, an estimated 12,820 American women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer, and approximately 4,210 of those women will die from this disease. Although any cancer diagnosis, including one for cervical cancer, can be life-changing, there are ways to prevent this form of cancer, and one of the simplest ways is to get an annual pap smear, as early detection can dramatically increase a woman's chances of receiving effective treatment. Learn more now about the common warning signs and symptoms of cervical cancer, as well as what causes it, now.

Loss Of Appetite And Weight Loss

Loss of appetite and weight loss can be indicative of cervical cancer when it accompanies other gynecological symptoms. All cancers cause affected individuals to experience an unusual and prolonged lack of appetite. This malfunction occurs due to a combination of many factors including depression, lack of physical activity, too little energy to eat, feeling full quickly, dehydration, and an altered sense of smell and or taste. This appetite loss causes the patient to have a negative energy balance. When an individual is eating fewer calories than their body is burning off, it is called a negative energy balance. Because the body does not get enough nutrients from the food consumed, it depletes its stored nutrients so the cells can produce the energy they need. This process causes any fat cells to be used up for the production of cellular energy, resulting in weight loss. Even though cancer cells are harmful and serve no positive functional purpose to the human body, they are still cells that use up nutrients that should be allocated to other healthy cells. The combination of poor appetite and depletion of nutrients by cancer cells causes affected individuals to lose weight.

Keep reading to discover more symptoms of cervical cancer now.