Cervical Cancer

Cervical Cancer develops when abnormal cells grow in a person’s cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, a pear-shaped organ where a fetus grows during pregnancy. It connects the uterus to the vagina.

What is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical Cancer begins when healthy cells in the cervix change and become cancerous (malignant). These cells multiply and grow out of control, forming tumors. Cervical Cancer can also spread to other nearby organs, such as the uterus and vagina, or to distant parts of the body.

Cervical Cancer Causes

Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause Cervical Cancer , and the virus is found in over 99% of Cervical Cancer. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States, with about 43 million infections each year.

Cervical Cancer and HPV

There are more than 100 different strains of HPV. HPV16 and HPV18 cause the most Cervical Cancer in the United States. People are exposed to the HPV virus through sexual activity. For most, the virus clears up on its own. If it doesn’t, cancer may develop years later. There is no way to predict who will develop Cervical Cancer after exposure.

Things That can Put you at Higher Risk of Cancer Caused by HPV Infections Include :

• Becoming sexually active at a younger age.
• Having multiple sexual partners.
• Having unprotected sex (without condoms).
• Having a weakened immune system as a result of HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), or from medications that suppress the immune system.
• Not getting the HPV vaccine.

Other Cervical Cancer Risk Factors

Additional Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer Include :

• Smoking Cigarettes : Women who smoke are about twice as likely to develop Cervical Cancer compared with women who don’t smoke.
• Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Before Birth : This medication was prescribed to pregnant women between 1940 and 1971 to prevent miscarriage. Studies later found it was not effective. Daughters exposed to DES in their mother’s womb are at higher risk of developing certain cancers including Cervical Cancer not related to HPV.
• Long-Term use of Oral Birth Control : The risk of Cervical Cancer increases for women who take oral contraceptives over several years. However, research shows that after several years off of oral contraceptives, your risk level returns to normal.