According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer are being diagnosed per year in the United States alone and over 4500 women died of this disease. These numbers are considered very high because of the fact that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers in women. However, this number is on a decline for the past decades due to certain medical advancements such as a pap smear test and vaccination against the HPV virus.
Cervical cancer is not very common in young females and its incidence increases with passing age, middle age (35 – 50 years) being the peak time. Besides the most common cause, the HPV infection, cervical cancer can be caused or triggered by;
- Having multiple sexual partners
- Smoking
- Non-judicious use of contraceptives
- Multiple pregnancies
- History of sexually transmitted diseases
- Positive family history
Signs and Symptoms of Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer may don’t cause any specific signs and symptoms until it becomes more advanced. During the initial stages, most of the signs of cervical cancer are local, however, they become remote and involve other parts of the body as the disease progresses. Once cancer progresses to more advanced stages, women may start to experience following signs and symptoms.