What Causes Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer is a gynecological cancer that affects the cervix, the lower part of a woman’s uterus that opens into the vagina. The death rate for cervical cancer in the United States is declining thanks to medical screening. In fact, cervical cancer can be prevented or even cured, if found in the early stages with a Pap test.

There are two main types of cervical cancer: squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. They begin as thin, flat cells (squamous cells) that line the bottom of the cervix. Adenocarcinomas, which occur in the gland cells that line the cervical canal, are not as common. Sometimes both types of cells are involved in cervical cancer. And rare cancers may exist in other cervical cells.

Cervical cancer begins when healthy cervical cells mutate genetically into abnormal cancer cells. Healthy cells grow, multiply, and eventually die - all at a set time. But abnormal cancer cells do the opposite. They grow and multiply wildly, and they do not die. Instead, they accumulate into a mass, or tumor, and invade nearby tissue. Eventually they metastasize, or spread to other parts of the body.

While the cause of cervical cancer is unclear, the human papillomavirus (HPV) definitely plays a role in the cancer's development. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that causes warts, including genital warts. Not all varieties of HPV are linked to cancer, but some types cause changes in the cervix that can lead to cancer. The human papillomavirus is common, and most women with HPV never develop cancer. However, most cervical cancers show evidence of the virus. 

Risk Factors For Cervical Cancer

Several risk factors also play a role in the development of cervical cancer. A woman's genetic makeup, her lifestyle choices, and the environment are some of the factors. The following factors may increase a woman’s risk of developing cancer of the cervix:

1. Early Sexual Activity. Having sexual intercourse before the age of 18 increases the risk of acquiring the human papillomavirus. 
2. Multiple Sexual Partners. The more sexual partners a woman has, the more likely she will have an HPV infection. Her partner’s number of sexual partners also affects the risk.
3. Sexually Transmitted Disease. Other sexually transmitted disease (STD) -- such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis or HIV - increases the HPV risk. 
4. Weakened Immune System. Most women with HPV never develop cervical cancer. But a weakened immune system, combined with HPV, increases the cancer risk.
5. Cigarette Smoking. Some studies suggest a link between cigarette smoking and cervical cancer. An HPV infection combined with smoking can increase the risk.

Women can have the human papillomavirus for several years without knowing it. Cervical cancer can develop years after an infection. A Pap smear screening can find changes in cervical cells before they can grow into cancer. If the cell changes are treated early, cervical cancer may be prevented. A hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus, is the typical treatment for early-state cervical cancers. This is often combined with chemotherapy or radiation treatment.