How to get the cervical cancer vaccine?

Written by Li Shun Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on March 21, 2025
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The cervical cancer vaccine is administered in the same way as regular vaccines, which is an injection in the deltoid muscle. However, the scheduling of the subsequent doses of the cervical cancer vaccine differs. For the bivalent cervical cancer vaccine, the second dose is administered one month after the first dose, and the third dose at six months. For the quadrivalent and nonavalent vaccines, the second dose is administered two months after the first, with the third dose given at six months.

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Written by Li Lin
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Does cervical cancer hurt?

Early cervical cancer generally has no obvious symptoms, often manifesting as vaginal discharge with blood streaks or bleeding after intercourse. However, if not treated timely, the condition can progress to an advanced stage where the growth of the cancer may compress surrounding tissues, possibly causing swelling and pain in the lower body and back pain. If the cancer cells spread throughout the body and affect nerves, stubborn pain can occur, and when bone metastasis occurs, localized bone pain can also be experienced.

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Written by Liu Jian Wei
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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How is cervical cancer screened?

Cervical cancer screening is a routine gynecological examination item for married women and women who are sexually active. Cervical cancer screening includes TCT (ThinPrep Cytologic Test) and HPV (Human Papillomavirus) tests. The TCT is a cytological examination of the cervix to determine if there are any cervical lesions based on cell morphology. HPV is the human papillomavirus, and its presence is a high-risk factor for cervical cancer. Therefore, cervical cancer screening consists of both TCT and HPV tests. If abnormalities are found in either test, a cervical biopsy may be necessary to confirm the presence of cervical lesions. It is best to conduct these tests between three to seven days after the end of menstruation.

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Written by Xu Xiao Ming
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Causes of cervical cancer

There are several causes of cervical cancer, such as having multiple sexual partners, premature birth, smoking, and early sexual activity, all of which could lead to cervical cancer. However, the main cause of cervical cancer is infection with HPV, the human papillomavirus. It has been scientifically proven that cervical cancer is caused by HPV infection. Therefore, this viral infection is the primary cause of cervical cancer. It is recommended that women of childbearing age undergo cervical cancer screening to check for any abnormalities in the cervix.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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Cervical cancer screening

For the examination of cervical cancer, it should be based on medical history and clinical manifestations, especially for people with contact vaginal bleeding, a detailed general examination and gynecological examination should be conducted, and an examination of cervical biopsy tissue is needed for diagnosis. What specific examinations are there? There are cervical scrape cytology tests, iodine tests, colposcopy, examination of cervical and cervical canal tissue, as well as post-surgical cervical conization, and examination of postoperative specimens. Therefore, there are indeed many examinations, including some radiological assessments such as enhanced CT, PADCT, MRI, and other such tests.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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Late-stage symptoms of cervical cancer

The symptoms of advanced cervical cancer start with vaginal bleeding. In the later stages, the bleeding becomes irregular and possibly heavy. The second symptom is vaginal discharge. In advanced stages, due to cancerous tissue necrosis accompanied by infection, there can be a large amount of foul-smelling, watery, or purulent discharge. The third point about advanced symptoms depends on the extent of the cancerous area involved. Secondary symptoms may appear depending on the adjacent tissues, organs, and nerves affected, including frequent urination, urgency, constipation, swelling and pain in the lower limbs. When the tumor compresses or involves the ureter, it can cause ureteral obstruction, hydronephrosis, and uremia. In the advanced stages, patients may experience symptoms of systemic failure like anemia and cachexia.