Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that can be found anywhere in the cervix. The cervix connects the womb and the vagina. Anyone with a cervix can develop cervical cancer, this includes women, trans men and non-binary people with a cervix.  

You can find information about cervical cancer tailored for trans men and non-binary people on The Eve Appeal website. 

Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by a common virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a very common virus, with lots of different strains. Most people will get some type of it during their life.  

A lot of types of HPV are harmless, but some, called high-risk HPV, can cause changes in cells that can sometimes lead to cancer. 

HPV is usually spread during sexual activity. It doesn’t have to be penetrative sex – it can be spread through sexual touch, skin-to-skin contact of the genital area, oral sex and sharing sex toys, as well as vaginal and anal sex.  

Because of how it is usually spread, HPV can cause changes to cells which can lead to cancers in different parts of the body, like the cervix, penis, anus, vulva, vagina, and some kinds of head and neck cancers.  

The HPV vaccine aims to stop people getting some types of high-risk HPV.  As of September 2023, the vaccine is given through one injection for young people under 25.  

Find out more about the HPV jab and who is eligible here. 

The most common symptom of cervical cancer is unusual bleeding from the vagina. This includes bleeding during or after sex, bleeding between periods or bleeding that’s unusually heavy.   

If you notice bleeding between periods or during/after sex, you should book an appointment with your GP straight away.  

Noticing blood doesn’t mean you have cancer. Unusual bleeding can be a sign of lots of different things that are also important to rule out, like infections. Your GP will be able to run through what might be happening. 

Other symptoms of cervical cancer can be: 

• unexplained pain in your pelvis and lower back
• pain during sex
• a bad-smelling discharge from your vagina. 

If you notice any of these symptoms, you should make an appointment to see your GP.  

If your doctor thinks you might have symptoms which could be related to cervical cancer, they might arrange for you to have a colposcopy. This is usually done in a hospital or local clinic.  

A specialist called a colposcopist will insert a speculum into your vagina so they can see your cervix. The colposcopist looks at your cervix using a special microscope on a stand with a light; this is a ‘colposcope’ and it stays outside your body.  

A tissue sample (biopsy) might be taken during the colposcopy so it can be looked at closely for cancer cells under a microscope. You will be told before they take a biopsy. It might feel uncomfortable, if you’re nervous about any pain or discomfort you can speak to the doctor  

If cells are found in your cervix that have changes but haven’t turned cancerous, doctors can either monitor them (as many cell changes go on their own) or they can use different treatments to get rid of them. This doesn’t usually hurt, and is sometimes done by a small electric current being applied to the affected area. 

The Eve Appeal have more information about colposcopies.

Anyone with a cervix should be offered a cervical screening (sometimes called a ‘smear test’) once they reach the age of 25. In England, Scotland and Wales you should then be offered this screening every five years if you don’t have HPV. If you have HPV you will be seen more regularly. The screening is used to help stop cervical cancer developing.  

Find out more about cervical screenings, getting results and tips for helping make your screening appointment more comfortable on The Eve Appeal website. 

Cervical cancer is treated differently depending on what stage it’s at when it is diagnosed. 

If cells have become cancerous but the cancer is found very early on, you may have the cancer cells removed with a laser or small electrical current. Usually, you are offered an operation to remove all or part of the cervix, and you may need to have your womb (uterus) removed too. You could be offered radiotherapy and or chemotherapy to kill the cancerous cells too. 

Find out more about cancer treatments. 

Some types of treatment for cervical cancer might make getting pregnant more difficult, or not possible. This can be really hard but, there are often things you can do to increase your chances of having a family in the future. Your treatment team should talk to you about this and you can find more information on our fertility page.