Cervical cancer doesn’t usually have symptoms, especially in the early stages. That’s why it’s so important to be tested. Screenings can find cancer early, when treatment is more likely to be successful. These recommended tests also detect abnormal cells that may be precancers, so they can be treated before the cells turn into cervical cancer. The most important thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to have regular screenings starting at age 21.
What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer, or cancer of the cervix, occurs in the cells of the lower part of the uterus, an organ that plays a key role in menstruation and pregnancy. In the early stages of the disease, the cells on the cervix become precancerous. While not all precancerous cells will turn into cancer, finding and treating these cells before they change can help prevent cancer.
If healthy cells in the cervix grow and multiply out of control, a tumor may form, resulting in cervical cancer.
What causes cervical cancer?
A sexually transmitted infection called the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes most cervical cancers. HPV is very common. In fact, most people get HPV at some point in their lives without realizing it because the body fights the infection. There are more than 100 kinds of HPV, about a dozen of which play a role in the development of cancer.
In rare cases, when the body fails to overcome an HPV infection, it can cause the cells of the cervix to become cancerous.
Other factors, including your lifestyle, may also play a role in determining whether you’ll develop cervical cancer.
Risk factors for cervical cancer
Your chance of developing cervical cancer is higher if you have a family history of the disease. While having one or more risk factors increases your odds of developing cervical cancer, just because you have a risk factor doesn’t mean you will develop the disease.
You may be more likely to develop cervical cancer if you:
- Have a weak immune system due to another health condition
- Eat a diet low in fruits and vegetables
- Smoke tobacco
- Start having sex at an early age
- Have many sexual partners
- Have unprotected sex
- Are infected with HPV or other STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV/AIDS)
Take steps to lower your risk factors for cervical cancer
Lowering your risk factors for cervical cancer and making healthy lifestyle choices can help prevent you from developing the disease:
- Don’t smoke. Smoking is associated with some cervical cancers, so if you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you smoke, ask your doctor about strategies to help you quit. Many health plans offer tobacco cessation programs. Your doctor or healthcare provider can refer you to resources to help you quit smoking and resist tobacco cravings.
- Practice safe sex. Using condoms during sex is associated with a lower rate of cervical cancer. Condoms help prevent sexually transmitted infections that increase your risk of HPV.
- Limit your number of sexual partners. Having many sexual partners increases your chance of getting HPV. Having sex at an early age also increases your risk of HPV.
- Consider getting vaccinated. Ask your doctor if an HPV vaccine is right for you. Getting vaccinated to prevent an HPV infection can reduce your risk of cervical cancer. If you receive the vaccine, be sure to continue to follow cervical cancer screening guidelines for your age.
Screening tests for cervical cancer
Cervical cancer screening tests can catch the disease in its early stages before you experience any symptoms. Healthcare providers use two different tests to identify changes that could become cervical cancer:
- A Pap test looks for changes in cells of the cervix that might become cancer if they’re not treated. When found early, changes in these cells can be treated before they turn into cancer.
- An HPV test looks for the virus that can cause changes in the cells on the cervix. When an HPV test is done alone, it’s called a primary HPV test. When it’s done at the same time as a Pap test, it’s called a co-test.
Cervical cancer screening guidelines
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) provides recommendations for cervical cancer screenings. USPSTF cervical cancer screening recommendations include:
Age 21 – 29
- Every three years with a Pap test
Age 30 – 65
- Every three years with a Pap test OR
- Every five years with a primary HPV test OR
- Every five years with an HPV test combined with a Pap test
Depending on your health history, your doctor may recommend that you be screened more often.
Continue to follow cervical cancer screening guidelines after you stop having children. If you’re over the age of 65 or have had a total hysterectomy, ask your doctor if you should stop cervical cancer screenings.
While the benefits of cervical cancer screening are well established, most cervical cancers are found in patients who have never had a Pap test or who haven’t had one recently. Getting a recommended screening test is the best way to find cervical cancer early when treatment is more likely to succeed.
Additional source
The American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer