Cervical Cancer: Fast Facts

Reviewed By:
Martin E. Liebling, M.D., FACP

• The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that more than 11,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States in 2008.
  
  
• Half of the women diagnosed with cervical cancer are between 35 and 55 years of age. The disease rarely affects women under the age of 20.
  
  
• Approximately 20 percent of women diagnosed with cervical cancer are over age 65. For this reason, it is important for women to have annual Pap tests until at least the age of 70.
  
  
• Noninvasive cervical cancer is about four times as common as the invasive type. When this cancer is detected and treated early, it often can be cured.
  
  
• Cervical cancer was once one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in the United States. Since 1955, the number of deaths from cervical cancer has declined significantly.
  
  
• There are two main types of cervical cancer ‑- squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. About 80 to 90 percent of all cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main risk factor for cervical cancer. There are more than 100 types of HPV and some of them can be spread through sexual contact and can lead to genital warts, cancer and other problems.
  
• In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine to protect against four types of HPV. The vaccine is most effective when a girl or woman has not yet been exposed to HPV. It has been approved for girls and women ages 9 to 26.
  
  
• Precancerous changes and early cancers of the cervix generally do not cause symptoms. You may have precancerous cervical changes and have no pain or discomfort.
  
  
• When cervical cancer becomes advanced, the most common symptoms are abnormal vaginal bleeding, increased discharge and pelvic pain.
  
  
• A Pap test is the most effective screening method for cervical cancer. The test detects precancerous changes and allows for early treatment.
  
  
• Most women who have abnormal cervical cell changes that progress to cervical cancer have never had a Pap test or have not had one in the previous three to five years. Women in the United States who are most likely not to get a Pap test include those over 65, Hispanics, African-Americans and women with low incomes.
  
  
• Women who have many sexual partners have a higher-than-average risk of developing cervical cancer. Women with HIV infection also have a higher risk.
  
  
• Finding and treating abnormal cells can prevent most cervical cancers. Regular pelvic examinations with a Pap test are very important for the prevention of this disease.
  
  
• Precancerous cells can be removed with various methods including cryosurgery (freezing) and laser therapy. These procedures can be performed in a physician's office without general anesthesia.
  
  
• The U.S. death rate from cervical cancer continues to decline each year. This decline is primarily attributed to the increased use of the Pap test and pelvic examinations.
  
  
• The five-year survival rate of cervical cancer is 83 percent. However, when the disease is detected at its earliest stage, the survival rate increases to 95 percent.

Find support for cervical cancer on iVillage's Cervical & Gynecological Cancers message board.