The most usual early symptom of cancer of the womb is abnormal vaginal bleeding. This may occur as:
- bleeding which starts after the menopause (in post-menopausal women)
- bleeding between periods
- heavier periods than normal (in pre-menopausal women)
- abnormal vaginal discharge.
Abnormal vaginal bleeding may be due to many causes other than cancer, but you should always see your GP about it.
Having had a recent normal cervical screening test (smear test) does not mean that you do not have cancer of the womb. A smear test involves a scrape of cells from the surface of the cervix. The cervix is the lower part womb. Occasionally a smear test may show signs of a cancer of the lining of the womb, but this is unusual.
Other symptoms of womb cancer might be:
- pain in the lower abdomen (tummy), back or legs
- discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse.