There is no single cause of cervical cancer, but some factors appear to increase the risk of developing it. The main risk factor for developing cervical cancer is infection of the cervix with human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV is a group of more than 100 types of viruses. Some types of HPV can be passed easily from person to person through sexual contact. HPV infections are common and usually go away without treatment because the immune system gets rid of the virus. However, certain types of sexually transmitted HPV can cause changes to cells in the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer.
Other factors that appear to increase the risk of developing cervical cancer are:
HPV is a group of more than 100 types of viruses. Some types of HPV can be passed easily from person to person through sexual contact. HPV infections are common and usually go away without treatment because the immune system gets rid of the virus. However, certain types of sexually transmitted HPV can cause changes to cells in the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer.
Other factors that appear to increase the risk of developing cervical cancer are:
- not having regular Pap tests (a test used to detect both dysplasia and cervical cancer)
- becoming sexually active at a young age
- having many sexual partners or a sexual partner who has had many partners
- smoking
- having a weakened immune system (for example, from taking drugs after an organ transplant or having a disease such as AIDS)
- using birth control pills for a long time
- giving birth to many children
- having taken diethylstilbestrol (DES) or being the daughter of a mother who took DES (a form of estrogen that was used between 1940 and 1971 to treat women with certain problems during pregnancy, such as miscarriages)
Some women develop cervical cancer without any of these risk factors.
source : cancer.ca
source : cancer.ca
