Cervical congestion, edema, and purulent discharge are signs of acute cervicitis; natriuretic cysts and polyps are signs of chronic inflammation. The cervix is part of the uterus and is often referred to as the “cervix”. If the shape of the uterus is compared to an inverted duck and pear, the cervix is the part of the pear with a handle, cylindrical in shape, and about as long as the thickness of two forefingers combined (about 2.5 centimeters). The ratio of the cervix to the body of the uterus is variable, ranging from 2:1 in infancy to 1:2 in adult women, and about 1:1 in older women. The length of the cervix also varies during pregnancy, and by the time of delivery, the cervix almost completely disappears and returns to normal after delivery. Anatomically, the part of the cervix that protrudes from the vagina is called the “cervicovaginal area”, and its diameter varies considerably from woman to woman, ranging from the width of two to three index fingers, which is not an exaggeration to call it a “square inch”. The cervix secretes mucus, which lubricates the cervix during sex. If a woman has her cervix removed due to a medical condition, there is no significant effect on sex itself. In the center of the cervix is a cavity called the cervical canal, which is connected to the uterine cavity at the upper end and to the vagina at the lower end. It is through the cervical canal, the opening of the cervix, that the lining of the uterus, or menstruation, which is shed once a month, travels to the vagina and is then expelled from the body. There is no obvious difference in the tissue around the cervical opening from the naked eye, but if you look at it with a magnifying glass or microscope, you can see that the tissue around the cervical opening is made up of two different types of cells. The cells of the deeper tissue are arranged like teeth or corn kernels and are called “columnar epithelium”, as are the cells of the entire cervical canal, while the tissue of the superficial or peripheral part of the cervical opening is arranged like fish scales and is called “squamous epithelium”, as are the cells of the vagina. The area where the tall columnar cells meet the flat squamous cells is called the “cervical column-squamous junction”, or “migratory zone”. This area is affected by hormones secreted by the ovaries, which move it up or down at different times of the menstrual cycle, creating a contusion-like appearance of the erosion. At the same time, this area, known as the “migratory zone”, can also be attacked by certain physical, chemical or biological factors and become diseased. One of the most important factors to be concerned about is a pathogen called human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause precancerous lesions of the cervix and even cervical cancer. Cervical congestion, edema, purulent discharge is the manifestation of acute cervicitis; natriuretic cysts, polyps is the manifestation of chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation usually needs to be treated, and large cervical polyps usually need to be removed if they cause irregular bleeding; for cervical naevus cysts, if there is no symptom of increased leukorrhea, treatment may not be necessary. Pre-cancerous cervical lesions are caused by the human papillomavirus. The diagnostic process for precancerous lesions has been standardized and is called the “cytology (pathogenesis)-colposcopy-histology” ladder. Thin-layer liquid-based cytology or human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is usually used as a screening test to look for clues of malignant cells, followed by colposcopy and microscopic examination of biopsies in abnormal cases. In the biopsy report, it is reported as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 1, 2 and 3, with grade 3 being the highest version of precancerous lesions. Despite being one step away from cancer, it is still not cancer. Cervical cancer is the result of persistent infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus and develops from untreated precancerous lesions. All cervical cancers can be treated with radiotherapy + chemotherapy, and surgery is only considered in selected patients, including younger patients, early stage patients, and patients who wish to preserve ovarian and vaginal function. For cervical cancer, radiotherapy is as important as surgery. Cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease. With regular checkups, early detection of lesions, and timely and appropriate treatment, even if you are unfortunate enough to develop cervical cancer, the treatment outcome is still satisfactory, and you can even get pregnant and have children.