Living with Gynecologic Cancer

Cervical Cancer: A Few Facts

By Pat Battaglia

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of all those affected by this disease, we present a few facts about this complex diagnosis.

Worldwide, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among people assigned female at birth. Anyone with a cervix can develop cervical cancer.¹

Once a leading cause of cancer death for females in the United States, cervical cancer screening and prevention have led to a 65% reduction in incidence rates from 2012 through 2019.²

Despite decreased incidence, nearly 14,000 diagnoses of cervical cancer were projected to occur in the U.S. in 2023, with over 4,300 deaths from the disease.³

Approximately 95% of cervical cancer cases in the U.S. are linked to certain high-risk forms of human papillomavirus (HPV). Nine out of ten HPV cases resolve on their own within two years, while the remainder can develop into long-lasting infections, some of which may lead to precancerous changes in cervical cells.⁴

About 5 to 10% of all cervical cancers worldwide are HPV-negative. Compared with its more commonly-occurring counterpart, HPV-negative cervical cancer is poorly understood. Further study into this uncommon but important subtype is needed.⁵

It takes about three to seven years for high-grade changes in cervical cells to become cancerous. The Pap smear, the HPV test, or both can help detect these changes before they become cancer. ⁶

Trials and real-world data have demonstrated that HPV vaccines reduce the risk of precancers and cancers of the cervix, vagina, and vulva – as well as genital, anal, and oral cancers that affect everyone. Those who are vaccinated still need to undergo screening appropriate to their age and circumstances.⁷

Treatments for cervical cancer are guided by a number of considerations. A gynecologic oncologist is a specialist who diagnoses and treats cancers of the female reproductive tract and can advise those with cervical cancer as they make informed treatment decisions.

Although its population-wide impact in the U.S. has decreased, cervical cancer still occurs. If you are diagnosed with cervical cancer, it is not your fault.

This article first appeared in the Winter 2022 issue of Voices of the Ribbon.

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1. who.int/health-topics/cervical-cancer#tab=tab_
2. cancer.org/research/acs-research-news/facts-and-figures-2023.html
3. cancer.gov/statfacts/html/cervix.html
4. cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/basic_info/index.htm
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7925842/
6. acog.org/womens-health/faqs/cervical-cancer-screening
7. cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/infectious-agents/hpv-vaccine-fact-sheet