Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the cervix, the lower narrow part of the uterus (womb). It is due to the abnormal growth of cells that can invade or spread to other parts of the body. Early on, typically no symptoms are seen. Later symptoms may include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain or pain during sexual intercourse. While bleeding after sex may not be serious, it may also indicate the presence of cervical cancer.

Almost all cases (99%) are linked to genital human papillomavirus infection (HPV); most who have had HPV infections, however, do not develop cervical cancer. The risk is higher in people who smoke, have a weakened immune system, use birth control, start sex at a young age and have many sexual partners. Cervical cancer typically develops from precancerous changes over 10 to 20 years. About 75% of cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, 20–25% are adenocarcinoma. Diagnosis is typically by cervical screening followed by a biopsy. Medical imaging is then done to determine whether or not the cancer has spread beyond the cervix.

HPV vaccination is the most cost-effective public health measure against cervical cancer. HPV vaccines protect against two to seven high-risk strains of this family of viruses and may prevent up to 90% of cervical cancers. By the end of 2024, 147 countries provided the HPV vaccine in their national immunization schedule for girls. As of 2022, 47 countries also did it for boys. As they do not prevent all cervical cancer, guidelines recommend regular screening. Cervical screening allows for the detection of pre-cancer, which can be treated to prevent the development of cancer. Treatment may consist of some combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. Five-year survival rates in the United States are 68%, but outcomes depend on how early the cancer is detected.

Worldwide, cervical cancer is both the fourth-most common type of cancer and the fourth-most common cause of death from cancer in women, with over 660,000 new cases and around 350,000 deaths in 2022. This is about 8% of the total cases and total deaths from cancer. Almost 90% of cases and deaths occur in low- and middle-income; it makes up 17% of overall cancer cases in women in these countries, compared to 2% in high-income countries. In developed countries, the widespread use of cervical screening programs has dramatically reduced rates of cervical cancer. In medical research, the most famous immortalized cell line, known as HeLa, was developed from cervical cancer cells of a woman named Henrietta Lacks.

17 November is the Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action. The date marks the day in 2020 when WHO launched the Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem, with a resolution passed by 194 countries.