Cancer Types
Cervical Cancer
Information about cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is largely preventable with HPV vaccination and regular cervical screening tests
What is the cervix?
The cervix is part of the female reproductive organs. It is found in the lower part of the womb/uterus at the top of the vagina/birth canal.
What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer starts in the cells on the surface of the cervix. Most cancers in the cervix are caused by cell changes from the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a very common virus that is passed on by sexual contact.
There are many different types of HPV. Some types can cause cancer, and are called high-risk types. If the high-risk HPV type is not treated, overtime it may develop into cancer.
Cervical cancer often takes ten years or more to develop.
Most cervical cancers are either:
- squamous cell carcinoma: arise from squamous cells in the cervix
- adenocarcinoma arise from glandular cells in the cervix.
Who can be affected by cervical cancer?
The most critical risk factor for cervical cancer is persistent HPV infection.
Cervical cancer mainly occurs in women over 35 years old and is less common in women under 25. Most cervical cancers are diagnosed in women under 60 years old. Anyone with a cervix can get cervical cancer.
Risk factors
Anything that can increase your risk is called a risk factor. Having one or more of these risk factors does not mean that you will develop cervical cancer.
The risk factors for cervical cancer are:
- not having regular cervical screening test
- smoking
- age (most common for people 45 and under)
- previous abnormal cervical screening result
- taking contraceptive pills, 'the pill', over a long period of time if you also have an HPV infection
- taking immune suppressive medications
- infection with HPV
Signs and symptoms
Early abnormal changes to cervical cells (pre-cancer) often do not have any symptoms. Some symptoms may only appear once they become cancer. That's why having regular cervical screening test is so important – they help us find and treat these changes early before they become cancer.
Some signs and symptoms of cervical cancer include:
- bleeding or spotting between periods
- bleeding or spotting after sex
- bleeding or spotting after periods have stopped (after menopause)
- unusual and persistent discharge from your vagina
- persistent pain in your pelvis
- pain during sex.
These signs and symptoms are common and not normally due to cancer but it's still important to get them checked out. Visit your doctor or nurse if you do notice any signs and symptoms.
Preventing or finding cervical cancer early
HPV vaccination:
HPV vaccination protects against high-risk types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer and a range of other head and neck and anogenital cancers. It is safe and very effective and free for people aged 9 to 26 years.
HPV vaccinations are provided to primary school-age children at participating schools. If you are aged 26 and below and have not received your HPV vaccination, you can get it free from your GP, health centre and some Family Planning centres.
For more information: click here
Cervical screening:
Regular cervical screening tests every three years can detect changes on the cervix that can be treated before they become cancers (these are called pre-cancers or abnormal cells).
It's still important to have a cervical screening test even if you have been immunised against HPV as the vaccine does not cover all types of HPV that can cause cancer or you could have contracted the virus before you were vaccinated.
For more information on cervical screening: click here
Testing and diagnosis
A cervical screening test checks the health of your cervix. For more information about having your cervical screening test, click here.
If you've had an abnormal result from a cervical screening test, you may need an additional test called a colposcopy, a procedure using a lighted magnifying instrument to examine the vulva, vagina and cervix to identify the abnormal cells. You might also have a biopsy. A biopsy involves removing a small amount of cervical tissue and sending to the lab for analysis under the microscope.
If the biopsy finds cervical cancer, you will be referred to a team of doctors who specialise in the treatment of cervical cancer. You may also have one or more of the following tests done:
- blood test
- chest x-ray
- CT scan
- MRI scan
- PET scan.
An x-ray, CT scan, MRI scan and PET scan are the different ways you can take an image inside the body.
Treatment
Treatment of abnormal pre-cancerous cells:
Treatment involves removing the abnormal cells using a loop excision, cone biopsy or laser.
Most of the treatments are done under local anaesthetic and are very low risk. Treatment is successful 95% of the time.
After treatment, you are likely to need a cervical screening test or other tests more often than usual to check that the abnormal cells have resolved.
Treatment of cervical cancer
If the biopsy found cervical cancer, you may have one or more of the following treatment options, depending on the extent of cancer in the cervix.
- cone biopsy
- removal of the cervix
- removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) or removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries
- lymph node removal
- pelvic exenteration (removal of all or part of surrounding organs, e.g. ovaries and lower colon
- radiation (high energy x-rays to destroy the cancer cells)
- chemotherapy (drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells)
- chemoradiation (a combination of chemotherapy and radiation).
A team of health professionals will look after your care.
After your treatment
Follow-up after your treatment varies and depends on your needs and whether you had abnormal changes or cervical cancer.
You may have one or more of the following tests:
- a pelvic exam
- a cervical screening test
- feeling your lymph nodes
- blood tests
- imaging tests such as an x-ray, CT scan, MRI scan.
If you have any signs and symptoms, visit your doctor as soon as you can. Don't wait for a scheduled appointment.