Everything You Need to Know About Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is mostly caused by persistent high-risk HPV infections. Nearly everyone who engages in sexual activity will have HPV at some point in their lives because it is a fairly common virus. Cervical cancer does not, however, result from every HPV infection. Factors that increase the likelihood of an HPV infection progressing to cervical cancer include:

1. HPV Infection
The main cause of cervical cancer is ongoing infection with high-risk HPV strains, like HPV 16 and HPV 18. Worldwide, over 70% of all cervical malignancies are caused by these high-risk HPV strains.

2. Early Sexual Activity and Multiple Sexual Partners
People who become sexually active at a young age, especially before age 18, or have multiple sexual partners, are more likely to become infected with high-risk types of HPV. The risk of cervical cancer increases as the number of sexual partners increases over time.

3. Weakened Immune System
Having a weakened immune system increases the likelihood that an HPV infection will persist and lead to cervical cancer. People with HIV or those undergoing immunosuppressive treatments are at a higher risk of persistent HPV infections, as their immune systems are less able to fight off the virus.

4. Smoking
One established risk factor for cervical cancer is cigarette smoking. Smoking damages the immune system and makes it harder for the body to clear the HPV virus. Additionally, smoking produces chemicals that can harm the DNA of cervical cells, increasing the risk of abnormal cell changes that may lead to cancer.

5. Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol (DES)
Women who were exposed to a synthetic estrogen called diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero may be at an increased risk of developing a rare form of cervical cancer called clear cell adenocarcinoma. Between 1940 and 1971, DES was prescribed to pregnant women to prevent miscarriage, but later studies revealed the risks it posed to the developing fetus.