What Is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer happens when abnormal (uncontrolled) cell growth occurs in a woman’s cervix. It is one of the more insidious kinds of cancer because early on, there are typically no apparent symptoms to be seen or the symptoms may appear only once the disease has become well-established in the woman’s body. There are 2 main types of cervical cancer:
This type of cancer grows slowly, so there’s usually time to find and treat it before it causes serious problems. It kills fewer and fewer women each year, thanks to improved screening through Pap tests.
Causes of Cervical Cancer
Most cases are caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide and is preventable with a vaccine. Below is a list of other contributing factors that may cause cervical cancer, including but not limited to…
Risk Factors:
- Increasing Age
- Women 35 to 44 years old are most likely to get it. More than 15% of new cases are in women over age 65.
- Socioeconomic Factors / Avoiding Regular Screenings
- Due to the insidious nature of this cancer where it is nearly imperceptible in its early stages, according to American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, women should begin getting Pap smears at age 21 and get another one every three years until age 65.
- More common among groups of women who are less likely to have access to cervical screenings (women who are Hispanic, American-Indian or from low-income households)
- Immune System Deficiency
- Having One or More STIs
- Oral Contraceptives (Birth Control Pills)
- Prenatal Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol (DES)
- Smoking