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Summary
The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, the place where a baby grows during pregnancy. Cervical cancer is caused by a virus called HPV. The virus spreads through sexual contact. Most women's bodies are able to fight HPV infection. But sometimes the virus leads to cancer. You're at higher risk if you smoke, have had many children, use birth control pills for a long time, or have HIV infection.
Cervical cancer may not cause any symptoms at first. Later, you may have pelvic pain or bleeding from the vagina. It usually takes several years for normal cells in the cervix to turn into cancer cells. Your health care provider can find abnormal cells by doing a Pap test to examine cells from the cervix. You may also have an HPV test. If your results are abnormal, you may need a biopsy or other tests. By getting regular screenings, you can find and treat any problems before they turn into cancer.
Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination. The choice of treatment depends on the size of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread and whether you would like to become pregnant someday.
Vaccines can protect against several types of HPV, including some that can cause cancer.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Symptoms
- Cervical Cancer Symptoms (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
- Cervical Cancer Diagnosis (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Cervical Cancer Screening: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Cervical Cancer Stages (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) (Johns Hopkins Medicine)
- Tests for Cervical Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Cervical Cancer Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- HPV and Pap Test Results: Next Steps after an Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Test (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccines (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Cervical Cancer Treatment (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Cervical Cancer Treatment by Stage (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Cervical Cancer Treatment during Pregnancy (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Cryosurgery to Treat Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Drugs Approved for Cervical Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
- Gynecologic Cancers: Treatment Types (American Society for Radiation Oncology)
- Surgery for Cervical Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Living With
- Coping with Cervical Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Cervical Dysplasia: Is It Cancer? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Exposure and Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- HPV and Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Oral Contraceptives and Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Cervical Cancer Prognosis and Survival Rates (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Images
- Cervical Cancer Stage IA (National Cancer Institute)
- Cervical Cancer Stage IB1 (National Cancer Institute)
- Cervical Cancer Stage IB2 and IB3 (National Cancer Institute)
- Cervical Cancer Stage IIIA (National Cancer Institute)
- Cervical Cancer Stage IIIB (National Cancer Institute)
- Cervical Cancer Stage IVA (National Cancer Institute)
- Cervical Cancer Stage IVB (National Cancer Institute)
Statistics and Research
- Key Statistics for Cervical Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- What's New in Cervical Cancer Research? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Uterine Cervical Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Cemiplimab monotherapy in Japanese patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer.
- Article: Head-to-head comparison of two human papillomavirus vaccines for efficacy against cervical...
- Article: A study on improving cancer-related fatigue and disease-related psychological variables in...
- Cervical Cancer -- see more articles
Reference Desk
- Dictionary of Cancer Terms (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society
- Choosing a Cancer Doctor (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Find a Screening Program Near You (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- How to Find Find an Ob-Gyn (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
- NCI - Designated Cancer Centers (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Children
- Childhood Cervical and Vaginal Cancers (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Cervical cancer (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Cervical Cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Cervical cancer -- screening and prevention (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Cervical dysplasia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish