The difference between cervicitis and cervical cancer

Cervicitis and cervical cancer are two completely different cervical diseases. The former is mostly an inflammatory reaction, while the latter is a malignant tumor. Cervicitis mainly manifests as acute or chronic inflammation, while cervical cancer is a malignant lesion characterized by abnormal cell proliferation.

1. Differences in causes

Cervicitis is usually caused by pathogenic infections, such as sexually transmitted microorganisms such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, or mixed infections such as bacterial vaginosis. Cervical cancer is mainly related to persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus. Other triggers include long-term smoking, immunosuppression, and a history of multiple births. The pathogenesis of the two is different. Cervicitis is a reversible lesion, and cervical cancer needs to be diagnosed through pathological biopsy.

2. Symptoms

Common symptoms of cervicitis include increased vaginal discharge that is purulent, post-coital bleeding or contact bleeding, which may be accompanied by lower abdominal pain. Cervical cancer may be asymptomatic in the early stages, but may cause irregular vaginal bleeding, foul-smelling discharge, pelvic pain, and weight loss in the advanced stages. Symptoms of cervicitis are intermittent, and symptoms of cervical cancer are progressively worse.

3. Inspection methods

For cervicitis, cervical congestion and edema can be seen through gynecological examination, and routine leucorrhea and pathogen testing are required. Cervical cancer screening needs to be combined with TCT cytology and HPV typing testing, and the diagnosis relies on colposcopy biopsy and pathological diagnosis. Inflammatory lesions show neutrophil infiltration under the microscope, while cancerous tissues show cellular atypia and mitotic figures.

4. Treatment principles

Cervicitis is mainly treated with anti-infective treatments, such as azithromycin tablets, doxycycline capsules and other antibiotics. Chronic cases can be treated with laser or cryotherapy. Cervical cancer requires surgical resection, radiotherapy or chemotherapy according to the stage. Cervical conization is feasible in the early stage, and chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin injection are needed in the late stage. The treatment period for inflammation is short, while cancer treatment requires long-term follow-up.

5. Prognosis and Outcome

Most cases of cervicitis with standard treatment can be completely cured without affecting life span. The prognosis of cervical cancer is closely related to the stage. The five-year survival rate of stage IA exceeds 90% and that of stage IV is less than 20%. Cervicitis does not directly lead to cancer, but chronic inflammation caused by persistent HPV infection may increase the risk of cancer.

Regular gynecological examinations are the key to distinguishing the two. It is recommended that women with sexual intercourse undergo TCT combined with HPV screening every year. Maintaining a single sexual partner and getting the HPV vaccine can effectively prevent cervical cancer. When abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge occurs, you should seek medical treatment promptly for a clear diagnosis to avoid mistaking cancer symptoms for ordinary inflammation and delaying treatment.