Hyperkeratosis is the medical term for the development of white patches on the cervix’s mucosal surface. This is the initial symptom of cervical dysplasia or cancer in situ (Stage 0 of cancer).
What does a cervix white spot mean?
Solid white patches on mucous membranes are referred to as “white spots” (leukoplakia), and they are linked to an increased risk of cervical cancer.
The patient has white spots on her cervix, and colposcopy using luminal light and the speculum reveals that this is a lesion that affects both the mucous membrane and the top layer of the epithelium: hypertrophy, or thickening, which is similar to the keratinization process. The epithelial layer will now turn white at this point.
What causes white patches on the cervical area?
Cervical white spots have an enigmatic origin that is yet not fully understood. Theoretical explanations for all cervical white spots may be loosely separated into two categories: endogenous (affecting the body from the inside) and exogenous (having an impact from the outside).
Endogenous factors include:
- Hormonal imbalance in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system at any level: Endometrial hyperplasia results from either an excess or a lack of sex hormones when ovulation is absent.
- Chronic inflammatory conditions that affect the appendages and uterus.
- Metabolic conditions
- Immunosuppression
Exogenous causes might include:
- Delivery
- Abortion
- Harsh or early sex life
- Frequent partner changes
- Epidermophytosis, genital herpes, and chlamydia infections are genitourinary infections.
- Cervical diseases: Cervicitis brought on by ulcers
What are the signs of cervical white spots?
Cervical whites are quiet in the great majority of instances, which means they are absolutely asymptomatic and are only discovered accidentally during normal gynecological exams.
The patient might have symptoms of the condition such as:
- Pain during sexual activity
- Increased vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor in the late stages when the cervical white spot has rapidly expanded
- The vaginal discharge’s color might change
- The patient starts to experience persistent itching and burning even when there is no touch when the cervical white has advanced past the cervix and reached the vaginal wall
- After having sex, a woman could occasionally see what appears to be blood flowing from the vagina.
However, gynecological disorders can be mistaken for these symptoms.
Are cervical whites dangerous?
There are three typical forms of cervical white spots:
Flat: The lesion’s surface is parallel to the surrounding healthy epithelium. This region still retains a stratified squamous structure, which was discovered accidentally, often during normal gynecological examinations.
Wart form: Unlike the homogeneous surface of a wart, the surface of the lesion is elevated. The white spots can stack and rise well beyond the cervical lining, changing the cervix’s surface and making it uneven.
Ulcer form: There are lesions in the form of erosion, fractures, and breaks directly in the white of the cervix.
Flat cervical white patches must be recognized from other diseases like infections and fungi since they are often benign.
What to do when there is a white spot on the cervix?
Using a scraper, remove a few cells from the white patch’s surface, and then do a cytological smear. However, the findings of this test are not always reliable. If colposcopy is chosen, the following step is a process that enables the boundaries and size of the lesion to be identified. A biopsy is always the most reliable test, especially when it is done under colposcope monitoring.
This serves as the standard for selecting the course of treatment when the biopsy findings are available. If the cervical white spot is straightforward and benign, the gynecologist is in charge of treating it. If the biopsy reveals the existence of atypical cells, however, the oncologist is now in charge, along with staging and drastic planning if needed.
On day five of the menstrual cycle, ideally, all of these treatments may be carried out as outpatient procedures from two weeks to two months pass throughout the healing phase.
In conclusion, cervical white patches may be an early indicator of the development of cancer. Sexually active women should get routine gynecological exams, smear tests, and hysteroscopies to discover these lesions early and obtain aggressive radical therapy, which will enhance their quality of life in the future.
