Health Topic

Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer starts in the cells of the cervix, which is the lower, narrow end of the uterus. Long-lasting HPV infection causes almost all cervical cancers.

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Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is cancer that starts in the cells of the cervix. The cervix is part of the female reproductive system. It is the lower, narrow end of the uterus (womb), which opens into the vagina (birth canal).

Cervical cancer usually develops slowly. Before cervical cells become cancer, they start to look abnormal. These cells are called "precancers." If they aren't destroyed or removed, they may become cancer cells that grow out of control and spread to other parts of your body.

Screening tests for cervical cancer can help find abnormal cells so you can get treatment to prevent cervical cancer. These tests can also find cervical cancer early when it's usually easier to treat.

Almost all cervical cancers are caused by a long-lasting infection with a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). There are many types of HPV. The types that cause cancer are called "high-risk HPV." High-risk HPV is very common. It can be passed from one person to another through close skin-to-skin touching, usually during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Most people who are infected have no symptoms and don't know they have it.

If you're infected with high-risk HPV, usually your immune system will get rid of it within a year or two. But if your immune system can't control the infection, it may last for many years. Over time, HPV can turn normal cervical cells into abnormal cells. Without treatment, these cells may keep changing until they become cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is most common in people over age 30. If you have a high-risk HPV infection in your cervix, you're more likely to develop cervical cancer if you:

  • Have a weakened immune system because you: Have a disease that harms your immune system, such as HIV.
  • Take medicine to control your immune system, such as certain medicines to treat cancer or autoimmune diseases

Cervical cancer usually doesn't cause symptoms when it first starts to grow. But when it does cause symptoms, they may include:

  • Vaginal bleeding that's not normal for you, such as bleeding after sex or between menstrual periods
  • Vaginal discharge (fluid) that's watery and has a strong odor or contains blood
  • Pelvic pain or pain during sex

If cervical cancer spreads to other parts of your body, symptoms may include:

  • Unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge
  • Pelvic pain or pain during sex
  • Difficult or painful bowel movements (poops) or bleeding from the rectum when having a bowel movement
  • Difficult or painful urination (peeing) or blood in your urine (pee)
  • Dull backache
  • Swollen legs
  • Abdominal (belly) pain
  • Fatigue

If you have symptoms or had an abnormal result on a screening test for cervical cancer, your health care provider will do more tests to find out if you have cervical cancer. They will:

  • Ask about your medical history and your family health history
  • Do a pelvic exam
  • Suggest tests to diagnose or rule out cervical cancer, including: Colposcopy, a procedure using a device called a colposcope, which helps your provider examine your cervix for abnormal areas
  • Cervical biopsy, a procedure to remove a tissue sample from your cervix so that it can be examined under a microscope to look for signs of cancer. Most biopsies can be done in your provider's office

Different treatments are available for cervical cancer. The best treatment for you depends on your health, how much cancer you have, whether it has spread, and which treatment you prefer. You may have more than one treatment, including:

  • Surgery to remove the cancer.
  • Radiation therapy, which uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. The therapy may use radiation from a machine, or a radioactive substance may be placed in your body near the cancer.
  • Chemotherapy (chemo), which uses special medicines to shrink or kill the cancer. The medicine may be pills, or it may be given through a vein (by IV). Sometimes, both types of chemo are used.
  • Targeted therapy, which uses special medicines to block the growth and spread of cancer cells.
  • Immunotherapy, which helps your immune system fight cancer cells.

Almost all cervical cancer can be prevented by:

  • HPV vaccination. HPV vaccines provide the most protection if you get them before you're exposed to HPV. So, it's best to get vaccinated before you become sexually active. Medical experts recommend vaccinating children between ages 9 and 12.
  • Routine cervical cancer screening. Two types of screening tests may be part of your routine health checkup. Both tests use a sample of cervical cells that your provider collects with a swab: A Pap smear checks for abnormal cells so they can be treated before they become cancer
  • An HPV test checks for high-risk HPV infections that can cause cancer.

You can lower your risk for cervical cancer by not smoking. Using condoms correctly during sex lowers your risk of getting an HPV infection, but doesn't prevent it completely. Condom use has been linked to fewer cases of cervical cancer. If you or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.

It sits within Cancers, Women and Female Reproductive System.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Cancer Institute.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Cervical Cancer

11,231 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

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Symptoms

Diagnosis and Tests

Treatments and Therapies

Prevention and Risk Factors

Living With

Related Issues

Statistics and Research

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Uterine Cervical Neoplasms. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Cervical Cancer, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.