What’s cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix. The cervix is the lower, narrow opening of
the uterus. It leads from your uterus to your vagina. Your cervix looks kind of like
a donut if you look at it through your vagina.

Cervical cancer usually takes years to develop. During this time, the cells in the
cervix change and grow rapidly. The early changes that happen before it becomes
full blown cancer (precancerous) are called “dysplasia” or “cervical intraepithelial
neoplasia” (CIN). If these changes are found and treated, cervical cancer can be
prevented. If not diagnosed and treated, cervical cancer can spread to other parts
of the body and become deadly.

How common is cervical cancer?

Each year, about 13,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with cervical
cancer. About 4,000 people die from it every year.

What causes cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is caused by certain types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), the
most common STD.

There are more than 200 kinds of HPV. Most of them aren’t harmful and go away
on their own. But at least a dozen types of HPV can last and sometimes lead to
cancer. Two in particular (types 16 and 18) lead to the majority of cervical cancer
cases. These are called high-risk HPV.

Because HPV is such a common infection that usually goes away on its own, most
people never know they have it. If you do find out that you have one of the high-
risk types of HPV, don’t freak out — it doesn’t mean you have cancer. It means
you have a type of HPV that can possibly lead to cancer in the future. That’s why
catching it early is so important.

Who’s at risk for cervical cancer?

The biggest risk factor for cervical cancer is having one of the high-risk types of
HPV. We don’t know why some people develop long-term HPV infections,
precancerous cell changes, or cancer. But we do know that HPV is easily spread
from sexual skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it.

HPV is spread by skin-to-skin contact with genitals, as well as oral, vaginal, and
anal sex. That means it can be spread even if no one cums, and even if a penis
doesn’t go inside the vagina/anus/mouth.

HPV is the most common STD, and most of the time it isn’t a big deal. It usually
goes away on its own, and most people don’t even know that they ever had HPV.
In fact, most people who have sex get HPV at some point in their lives.

Besides HPV, there are other things that increase your cervical cancer risk. These
include:

A personal history of dysplasia of the cervix, vagina, or vulva

A family history of cervical cancer

Smoking

Other infections such as chlamydia

Immune system problems such as HIV/AIDS that make it harder to fight infections
like HPV

Having a mother who took a drug called diethylstilbestrol (DES) during pregnancy

Age is also a factor. The average age that cervical cancer is diagnosed is 48. It
rarely affects those younger than 20.

All that being said, everyone who has a cervix is at risk for cervical cancer. So no
matter who you sleep with or what your gender identity is, it’s important to take
care of your cervical health.

Will cervical cancer affect my fertility?

Cervical cancer is treatable. If it’s found and treated early, there’s a good chance
you’ll recover fully and not have any fertility problems.
Some cervical cancer treatments, though, can affect your fertility. If you get
cervical cancer, your doctor will talk with you about the different treatments and
their risks and side effects, including whether you’ll be able to get pregnant in the
future.

What can I do to prevent cervical cancer?

Here are 4 things you can do to keep your cervix healthy.

Get regular wellness exams that include HPV and/or Pap tests when you need
them. Your doctor or nurse can help you figure out which test(s) make sense for
you, and when you should start getting screened.

Get the HPV vaccine and encourage people in your life to do the same. HPV
vaccines are given in a series of 2-3 shots over 6-12 months, depending on your
age.

Use condoms or dental dams every time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. This
helps lower the chances of spreading HPV during sex.

If you can, stop or cut back on smoking: People who have a high-risk type of HPV
and smoke are more likely to get cervical cancer.

What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?

Most people who have a high-risk type of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer will
never show any symptoms until it’s already very dangerous. That’s why regular
checkups are so important. In many cases, cervical cancer can be avoided by
finding abnormal cell changes and treating them BEFORE they become cancer.

Once cervical cancer develops, the first signs include:

abnormal bleeding, spotting, or discharge

periods that are heavier than usual

bleeding after sex

Signs of advanced cervical cancer may include pelvic pain, problems peeing, and
swollen legs. If the cancer has spread to your nearby organs, it can affect how
those organs work too. For example, a tumor might press on your bladder and
make it feel like you have to pee more often.

Some symptoms of cervical cancer can also be caused by other conditions, like
yeast infections. If you have any of these symptoms, visit your doctor, nurse, or
your nearest Planned Parenthood health center to find out what's going on.

How do you get screened for cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer screening is used to find infections or abnormal cells in your cervix
that could lead to cancer. Pap tests and HPV tests are two kinds of cervical cancer
screening. Both are simple and fast.

An HPV test finds high-risk types of HPV that can possibly lead to cancer. You may
only get an HPV test, or you may have an HPV and a Pap test together (called co-
testing). In some places where HPV tests are not as available, you may only get a
Pap test.

A Pap test, sometimes called a Pap smear, finds abnormal cells caused by HPV —
it doesn't directly test for cancer or HPV. If a Pap test finds abnormal cells on your
cervix, your doctor can monitor or treat them so they don’t turn into something
more serious. You may have an HPV and a Pap test together (called co-testing).
You may also get a Pap test as a follow-up after a positive HPV test result.

Wellness exams usually include a Pap test and/or HPV test as needed. Most
people only need testing every 5 years, since cancer takes a very long time to
develop. Your doctor or nurse will let you know how often you should be tested.

How is cervical cancer diagnosed?

If you have an abnormal Pap test or positive HPV test result, your doctor or nurse
may want to do more tests or treatments, like:

Colposcopy — a procedure to look more closely at the cervix to see if there are
precancerous cells. If they do a colposcopy, they might also do a biopsy — a
procedure to remove a small piece of tissue from your cervix. Your doctor will
send the tissue to a lab to test it for signs of cervical cancer.

Cryotherapy — a treatment to freeze and remove precancerous cells from the

cervix.

LEEP or Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure — a treatment to remove

precancerous cells from the cervix with an electrical current.

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Home Learn Cancer Cervical Cancer What's a Pap test?

What's a Pap test?

In This Section

Cervical Cancer

How do I know if I have cervical cancer?

What's a Pap test?

What's an HPV test?

What is a colposcopy?

What happens after my colposcopy?

What is cryotherapy?

What happens after cryotherapy?

What's LEEP?

What happens after LEEP?

What if I’m diagnosed with cervical cancer?

Pap tests find abnormal cell changes in your cervix. How often you get a Pap test
depends on your age, medical history, and the results of your last Pap or HPV
tests.

Need a Pap test?

FIND A HEALTH CENTER

What happens during a Pap test?

Pap tests, sometimes called Pap smears, are very important tests for finding
abnormal cells on your cervix that could lead to cervical cancer. Pap tests find cell
changes caused by HPV, but they don't detect HPV itself.

Pap tests may be part of your regular check up, pelvic exam or well-woman exam.
During a Pap test, your doctor or nurse puts a metal or plastic speculum into your
vagina. The speculum opens up to separate the walls of your vagina so that they
can get to your cervix. Then they use a small sampler — a tiny spatula or brush —
to gently collect cells from your cervix. The cells are sent to a lab to be tested.
Pap tests only take a few minutes. They shouldn't hurt, but you might feel some
discomfort or pressure when your doctor or nurse opens the speculum inside you.
You might also feel a light scratching when they take cells from your cervix.

Do I need a Pap test?

How often you get tested depends on your age, medical history, and the results of
your last Pap or HPV tests. In general:

If you’re 21–24 years old: you can choose to get a Pap test every 3 years, or you
can wait until you’re 25 years old to start getting tested.

If you’re 25–65 years old: get an HPV test every 5 years, or a Pap test and HPV
test together (co-testing) every 5 years. In some places where HPV tests are not
as available, you may get only a Pap test every 3 years.

If you’re older than 65: you may not need HPV/Pap tests anymore.

You may need to get tested more often if you’ve had problems with your cervix
before, have a weak immune system, or if your mother took a medicine called
DES while she was pregnant with you. Your doctor or nurse will tell you which
tests you need and how often you should get them.

What if I have an abnormal Pap test?

If your Pap test results are abnormal, don’t panic. It's pretty common to have
unclear or abnormal Pap test results. Most of the time, it doesn’t mean that you
have cervical cancer.

An unclear test result means that your cervical cells look like they could be
abnormal. But it isn’t clear if it’s related to HPV or something else. Unclear results
are also called equivocal, inconclusive, or ASC-US.

An abnormal Pap test result means that there are abnormal cell changes on your
cervix. This doesn’t mean that you definitely have cervical cancer. The changes
may be minor (low-grade) or serious (high-grade). The more serious changes are
often called precancerous because they aren’t cancer yet but can turn into it over
time.
If you have an unclear or abnormal Pap test result, you made need further tests
and/or treatment including:

Another Pap test

An HPV test: a test that looks for high-risk types of the virus that can cause
precancerous cells

A colposcopy: a special exam to look more closely at your cervix to see if there are
precancerous cells.

If your doctor finds abnormal cells during your colposcopy, you’ll probably need
treatment. Common treatments include cryotherapy and LEEP.

Where can I go for a Pap test?

You can get a Pap test at your doctor or nurse’s office, a community health clinic,
the health department, or your local Planned Parenthood health center.

How does HPV testing work?

An HPV test looks for some high-risk types of the human papilloma virus,
including types 16 and 18, which cause most cases of cervical cancer.

An HPV test may be part of your regular checkup. During an HPV test, your doctor
or nurse puts a metal or plastic speculum into your vagina. The speculum is
opened to separate the walls of your vagina so that they can see your cervix. Your
doctor or nurse then uses a small sampler — a tiny spatula or brush — to gently
take a small number of cells from your cervix. The cells are sent to a lab to be
tested.

Sometimes you'll get an HPV test at the same time as a Pap test — this is called
co-testing. Your doctor or nurse might be able to use the same sample of cells for
both tests. Or they might need to take 2 samples instead.

An HPV test only takes a few minutes. It shouldn't hurt, but you might feel some
discomfort or pressure when your doctor or nurse opens the speculum inside you.
You might also feel a light scratching when they take the cells from your cervix.
Should I get an HPV test?

How often you get tested depends on your age, medical history, and the results of
your last Pap or HPV tests. In general, it’s a good idea to get an HPV test every 5
years if you’re between 25 and 65 years old. After age 65, you may not need HPV
tests anymore.

You may be able to get an HPV test instead of a Pap test. Or your nurse or doctor
may recommend getting both an HPV test and a Pap test at the same time (called
co-testing).

You may need to get tested more often if you’ve had problems with your cervix
before, have a weak immune system, or if your mother took a medicine called
DES while she was pregnant with you. Your doctor or nurse will tell you which
tests you need and how often you should get them.

What if my HPV test is positive?

HPV is the most common STD, but most of the time it’s not a big deal. In fact,
most people who have sex get HPV at some point in their lives. And HPV usually
goes away on its own.

If your HPV test comes back positive, your nurse or doctor will usually do a Pap
test next — this is to see if there are cell changes on your cervix that can lead to
cervical cancer. They may be able to use the same sample from your HPV test to
do the Pap test, or they might need to take a new sample of cells from your
cervix.

If you have a positive HPV test, don’t panic. This doesn’t mean that you have
cancer — it just means that you have a type of HPV that could possibly lead to
cancer in the future. You’ll probably need to get HPV and/or Pap tests more often,
so your nurse or doctor can monitor your cervix to make sure you stay healthy.

Practicing safer sex — which means using condoms or dental dams during vaginal,
anal and oral sex — helps lower the chances of spreading HPV to someone else.

Where can I get tested for HPV?

You can get tested for HPV at your doctor’s office, a community health clinic,
health department, or your nearest health facility.

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Cervical Cancer What is a colposcopy?

What is a colposcopy?

In This Section

Cervical Cancer

How do I know if I have cervical cancer?

What's a Pap test?

What's an HPV test?

What is a colposcopy?

What happens after my colposcopy?

What is cryotherapy?

What happens after cryotherapy?

What's LEEP?

What happens after LEEP?

What if I’m diagnosed with cervical cancer?

Colposcopy is a way to get a close-up look at your cervix. It’s a quick and easy way
to find cell changes in your cervix that may turn into cancer.

Need a colposcopy?

FIND A HEALTH CENTER

What’s a colposcopy?
A colposcopy is a type of cervical cancer test. It lets your doctor or nurse get a
close-up look at your cervix — the opening to your uterus. It’s used to find
abnormal cells in your cervix.

What happens during a colposcopy and biopsy?

You’ll lie down on an exam table like you would for a pelvic exam. The doctor or
nurse will put a speculum into your vagina and open it. This separates the walls of
your vagina so they can get a really good look at your cervix.

They’ll wash your cervix with a vinegar-like solution. This makes it easier to see
abnormal cells. Next they’ll look at your cervix through a colposcope — an
instrument that looks like binoculars on a stand with a bright light. The
colposcope doesn’t touch you or go inside you.

If your doctor or nurse sees something that doesn’t look normal, they’ll do a
biopsy. This means they’ll take a tiny sample of tissue and send it to a lab.

There are 2 types of biopsies: One takes tissue from outside your cervix. The
other takes tissue from inside the opening of your cervix. Sometimes you need
more than one biopsy.

A colposcopy and biopsy only takes about 5-10 minutes.

Does a colposcopy hurt?

A colposcopy is nearly pain-free. You might feel pressure when the speculum goes
in. It might also sting or burn a little when they wash your cervix with the vinegar-
like solution.

If you get a biopsy, you might have some discomfort. Most people describe it
feeling like a sharp pinch or a period cramp. You might have a little spotting,
bleeding, or dark discharge from your vagina for a few days after a biopsy.

What should I know before my appointment?

You don't have to do much to prepare for a colposcopy. Here are 2 things you can
do to make things easier:
Schedule your colposcopy for when you won’t have your period or when the
bleeding is light. That makes it easier to see your cervix.

Don’t have vaginal sex or put anything in your vagina (like fingers or sex toys) the
day before your appointment.

Where can I get a colposcopy?

You can get a colposcopy at your doctor or nurse’s office, some community health
clinics, or your local Planned Parenthood health center.

What do I need to do after my colposcopy procedure?

After you have a colposcopy, your vagina may feel a little sore for a couple of
days. If you had a biopsy, you may also have spotting or dark-colored vaginal
discharge. Use a pad, panty-liner, or tampon — unless your doctor or nurse tells
you not to use tampons.

Here are some other things to keep in mind after your colposcopy and biopsy:

You can shower or bathe as soon as you want.

If you didn’t have a biopsy, you can have vaginal sex whenever you want.

If you did have a biopsy, wait about 3 days to have vaginal sex. This lets your
cervix heal.

If you take any medications, continue taking them as usual — including your birth
control.

What are the risks of a colposcopy and biopsy?

It isn’t common to have problems after a colposcopy and biopsy. Rare risks
include bleeding or an infection that needs treatment.

Call your doctor or nurse if you have:

bleeding that's heavier than spotting — unless you think it's your period

fever or chills
heavy, yellow-colored, or bad-smelling discharge from your vagina

severe pain in the lower part of your belly

If You’re Pregnant

It’s safe to get a colposcopy procedure while you’re pregnant. Getting a biopsy
while you’re pregnant is pretty low-risk, but your doctor may want to delay it until
after you have your baby. Pregnant people may have more bleeding after a biopsy
than people who aren’t pregnant. This is because the cervix has an increased
blood supply during pregnancy.

And don’t worry: getting a colposcopy and a biopsy won’t affect your ability to
have children in the future.

What if my colposcopy results aren’t normal?

If your doctor or nurse finds abnormal cells, you might not need to do anything
right away. Sometimes, you'll need more tests or treatments. It depends on how
abnormal your cervical cells are.

Your doctor or nurse may recommend waiting to see if the cells heal themselves.
In this case, you’ll have another Pap test and maybe other tests to watch the cells.

Sometimes, your biopsy is also your treatment. That’s because your doctor may
be able to remove all of your abnormal cells during the biopsy. If so, you won’t
need any more treatment. You’ll go back to having regular pelvic exams, Pap
tests, and/or HPV tests. Your doctor or nurse will tell you how often you need to
have these.

Or you might also need further treatment. There are 4 procedures that are very
good at removing the abnormal cells and preventing cervical cancer.

Cryotherapy: abnormal cells are frozen off

LEEP: abnormal cells are removed using a thin wire loop that carries an electrical
current

Laser: abnormal cells are removed using a laser

Cone biopsy: a cone-shaped wedge is cut out of your cervix to remove the
abnormal cells

No matter what treatment you get, it’s important to continue getting regular
pelvic exams after you’ve been treated for abnormal cells. Even though these
procedures are very effective, sometimes abnormal cells come back

Cryotherapy is a treatment that prevents cervical cancer. Your doctor uses a

chemical to freeze abnormal cells off your cervix so normal ones can grow back.

Need cryotherapy?

FIND A HEALTH CENTER

How does cryotherapy work?

Cryotherapy removes abnormal cells from your cervix. It’s also used to remove
warts and other growths on other parts of the body. It’s done by putting a very
cold chemical on the cells to freeze them and then remove them. This gets rid of
the bad cells so new, normal cells can grow back in the same spot.

Here’s how it will go: You’ll lie down on an exam table like you would for a Pap
test. Your doctor or nurse will put a speculum into your vagina and open it. This
separates the walls of your vagina so they can get a good look at your cervix. Then
they’ll put in a tool called a cryoprobe and gently hold it at your cervix for a few
minutes. This tool freezes the cells very quickly. Usually they do this twice and
stop for a few minutes in between. But the whole thing only takes about 5
minutes.

How effective is cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy may be performed after abnormal cells are found during a Pap test,
colposcopy, or biopsy. In most cases (about 85-90% of the time), cryotherapy
cures abnormal cells so that the problem does not come back.

If your treatment doesn't remove all the abnormal cells, you may have to have
cryotherapy treatment again, or your doctor or nurse may recommend another
treatment like LEEP or more tests. This is why it’s so important to get regular Pap
tests. It lets your doctor or nurse know if the cryotherapy worked or not.

Does cryotherapy hurt?

Most people feel mild cramping or pressure during cryotherapy. It can also make
your vagina feel cold. Some people don’t have any discomfort at all.

Where can I get cryotherapy?

You can get a cryotherapy at your doctor’s office, some community health clinics,
or your local Planned Parenthood health center.

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Home Learn Cancer Cervical Cancer What happens after cryotherapy?

What happens after cryotherapy?

In This Section

Cervical Cancer

How do I know if I have cervical cancer?

What's a Pap test?

What's an HPV test?

What is a colposcopy?

What happens after my colposcopy?

What is cryotherapy?

What happens after cryotherapy?

What's LEEP?

What happens after LEEP?

What if I’m diagnosed with cervical cancer?

After cryotherapy, you’ll have some watery discharge that may last from a few
days to several weeks. Other problems are very rare. Most of the time
cryotherapy is very effective.

Need cryotherapy?

FIND A HEALTH CENTER

What do I need to do after cryotherapy treatment?

After cryotherapy, you’ll have a watery discharge that can last from a few days to
several weeks. Your discharge might be heavy, and there might be a little blood in
it. Be sure to drink lots of fluids to replace the water you’re losing.

Your doctor or nurse may tell you to not put anything in your vagina for a while.
This gives your cervix time to heal and lowers your chances of infection.

Your nurse or doctor will probably want to do testing more often to monitor your
cervix carefully. The problem could stay the same, get worse, or go away on its
own or after treatment. Your doctor or nurse can discuss your best treatment
plan with you.

Is cryotherapy safe?

Most people don’t have any serious cryotherapy side effects. Rarely, however,
problems can happen. These include:

fainting

flare up of an existing pelvic infection

heavy bleeding

freeze burns in the vagina

Call your doctor right away if you have:

heavy bleeding

severe pain in your belly

fever (temperature 100.4 F or higher) or chills

vaginal discharge that smells bad

Cryotherapy shouldn’t affect your ability to get pregnant in the future, unless a
very rare complication occurs.

In a small number of cases, cryotherapy doesn’t completely remove the abnormal

cells. This is more likely if the abnormal cells are deep in your cervix. If this
happens, you might need to get cryotherapy again, or different treatment.

Cryotherapy During Pregnancy

Doctors usually wait until after you give birth to treat abnormal cervical cells.
Delaying treatment is usually safe because it generally takes a long time for
abnormal cervical cells to become cancerous.

Are there other treatments that prevent cervical cancer?

Yes. Other treatments include:

LEEP — using a small electrical wire loop to remove abnormal cells from your
cervix.

Laser — using a laser beam to remove abnormal cells.

Cone biopsy — cutting a cone-shaped wedge of tissue out of your cervix and
testing it in a lab.

LEEP is a type of treatment that prevents cervical cancer. LEEP removes abnormal
cells from your cervix, and it’s effective and safe.

Need LEEP?
FIND A HEALTH CENTER

What’s LEEP?

LEEP stands for Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure. It’s a treatment that
prevents cervical cancer. A small electrical wire loop is used to remove abnormal
cells from your cervix. LEEP surgery may be performed after abnormal cells are
found during a Pap test, colposcopy, or biopsy.

How does LEEP work?

You’ll lie down on an exam table like you would for a Pap test. Your doctor or
nurse will put a speculum into your vagina and open it. This separates the walls of
your vagina so they can see your cervix.

Once your doctor or nurse can see your cervix, they'll apply numbing medicine to
it. Then they’ll use a small tool with an electrical wire loop to remove the
abnormal cells. Then your blood vessels in the area will be sealed to prevent
bleeding. They might also use a special paste called Monsel’s Solution to prevent
bleeding. The cells are sent to a lab to be tested.

LEEP takes about 10 minutes.

Does LEEP hurt?

You may feel mild discomfort or cramping. You won’t feel cutting or heat from the
loop. Because numbing medicines are used, a lot of people don’t feel anything at
all.

How effective is LEEP?

LEEP removes all abnormal cervical cells most of the time. If LEEP doesn't remove
all of the abnormal cells, you may have to have LEEP again, or your doctor or
nurse may recommend more tests or a different treatment.

Where can I get LEEP?

You can get LEEP at your doctor or nurse’s office, some community health clinics,
or your local Planned Parenthood health center.
After LEEP you’ll have some cramps and discharge. There are things you can do to
make yourself more comfortable.

Need LEEP?

FIND A HEALTH CENTER

What do I need to do after LEEP?

You may have mild cramping for a day or so after LEEP. If you’re uncomfortable,
you can take over-the-counter pain medicine (like ibuprofen or acetaminophen).

You’ll probably also have watery discharge for several weeks. It may be heavy and
have a little blood in it. It also may smell a little bad. You can wash your vulva with
plain water a few times a day, but don’t wash or put anything inside your vagina.
And drink lots of fluids to replace the water you’re losing in your discharge.

To speed up your LEEP procedure recovery and prevent infection, follow these
guidelines:

Don’t douche or use tampons for at least 3 weeks. You can use pads or panty
liners.

Don’t have vaginal sex or put anything in your vagina (like fingers or sex toys) for
3 weeks, unless your doctor or nurse tells you otherwise.

Your nurse or doctor will probably want to do testing more often to monitor your
cervix carefully. The problem could stay the same, get worse, or go away on its
own or after treatment. Your doctor or nurse can discuss your best treatment
plan with you.

Is LEEP safe?

Most people don’t have any serious problems after LEEP. Very rarely, serious
problems happen. These include:

pelvic infection — especially if you have vaginal sex before your cervix heals

damage to other pelvic organs or the wall of your vagina

heavy bleeding

reaction to local anesthesia

Call your doctor right away if you have

severe belly pain

fever (temperature of 100.4 F) or chills

vaginal discharge that smells very bad

unusual vaginal bleeding or bleeding that’s heavier than the heaviest day of your
period

LEEP may increase the risk of preterm birth in future pregnancies. Talk with your
doctor or nurse if you plan on getting pregnant in the future, and if you get
pregnant, let your doctor know that you’ve had LEEP.

In a small number of cases (10%), LEEP doesn’t completely cure the problem. If
this happens to you, you might need to have another LEEP or a different
treatment.

LEEP During Pregnancy

Doctors usually wait until after you give birth to treat abnormal cervical cells.
Delaying treatment is usually safe because it generally takes a long time for
abnormal cervical cells to turn into cancer.

Are there other treatments that prevent cervical cancer?

Yes. Other treatments include:

Cryotherapy — using a chemical to freeze abnormal cells off your cervix so normal
ones can grow back

Laser — using a laser beam to remove abnormal cells.

Cone biopsy — cutting a cone-shaped wedge of tissue out of your cervix and
testing it in a lab.
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Home Learn Cancer Cervical Cancer What if I’m diagnosed with cervical cancer?

What if I’m diagnosed with cervical cancer?

In This Section

Cervical Cancer

How do I know if I have cervical cancer?

What's a Pap test?

What's an HPV test?

What is a colposcopy?

What happens after my colposcopy?

What is cryotherapy?

What happens after cryotherapy?

What's LEEP?

What happens after LEEP?

What if I’m diagnosed with cervical cancer?

There are many treatment options for people with cervical cancer. The best
treatment depends on things like the stage of the cancer, your age, and your
medical history.

What are the treatments for cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is very treatable, especially when it’s caught early. If you’ve been
diagnosed with cervical cancer, your doctor will talk to you about cervical cancer
treatment options. Depending on the cervical cancer stage and your plans for
pregnancy, your treatment plan might include:

Surgery to remove a part of your cervix, all of your cervix, or all of your
reproductive organs

Radiation therapy

Chemotherapy

Your doctor may run tests to figure out which treatments are right for you. Talk
with your doctor about your options, and be honest about your concerns.

Make a list of questions you’d like to ask at each appointment. You also may find
it helpful to seek a second opinion from another specialist when deciding the best
treatment for you. In some cases, you might be offered a few options for
treatment.

Will my cervical cancer treatment affect my sex life?

Treatment for cervical cancer shouldn’t affect your ability to experience sexual
pleasure or orgasm. The vagina and clitoris are usually not impacted by
treatments done on the cervix or uterus.

Chemotherapy can temporarily decrease sexual desire, but it usually comes back
soon after the treatment is finished.

Can my cervical cancer treatment make me infertile?

This depends on the stage of the cancer and type of treatment you get. If you
want to become pregnant in the future, make sure to tell your doctor that. There
are certain procedures that leave you more likely to be able to carry a pregnancy
in the future than others.

Where can I find more information?

There are many good resources available on cervical cancer:

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Home Learn Sexually Transmitted Infections (STDs) Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Should I get the HPV vaccine?

Should I get the HPV vaccine?

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Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

What are the symptoms of HPV?

Should I get tested for HPV?

How is HPV treated?

How can I make sure I don't get or spread HPV?

Should I get the HPV vaccine?

HPV is one of the most common STDs out there, so it’s a big relief to know that
vaccines will protect you against some types of HPV that can cause problems.

Want to get tested for HPV?

FIND A HEALTH CENTER

What’s the HPV vaccine?

The HPV vaccine helps protect you against certain types of HPV that can lead to
cancer or genital warts. Also known by the brand name Gardasil 9, the HPV
vaccine protects against:

HPV types 16 and 18 — the 2 types that cause 80% of cervical cancer cases.
HPV types 6 and 11, which cause 90% of genital warts cases.

Another 5 types of HPV (types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58) that can lead to cancer of
the cervix, anus, vulva/vagina, penis, or throat.

The HPV vaccine is given in a series of shots. For people ages 15-45, the HPV
vaccine is 3 separate shots. The second shot is given 2 months after the first, and
the third shot is given 4 months after the second shot. So, in all, it takes about 6
months to get all 3 shots.

For people ages 9-14, you only need to get 2 shots. The second shot is given 6
months after the first shot.

Who should get the HPV vaccine?

All people ages 9 to 45 can get the HPV vaccine to protect against genital warts
and/or different types of HPV that can cause cancer. It’s recommended that
children get the vaccine at age 11 or 12, so they’re fully protected years before
they become sexually active.

But regardless of your age, talk with your nurse or doctor to find out if the HPV
vaccine could benefit you.

How effective is the HPV Vaccine?

The HPV vaccine is one of the most effective vaccines you can get. Studies show
that the HPV vaccine works extremely well to prevent high-risk HPV and the
problems it can cause. If you get all recommended shots of the HPV vaccine
before you have sex, it can lower your chances of getting genital warts and cancer
caused by HPV by up to 99%.

The HPV vaccine works best when you get it years before you have any sexual
contact with another person. That’s why it’s recommended to get vaccinated at
ages 11-12. But even if you’ve already had sex or know you’ve had HPV, it’s still a
good idea to get the HPV vaccine. There are several strains of HPV that can cause
cancer and genital warts, and the vaccine can protect you from any strains you
haven’t been exposed to yet.
How long is the HPV vaccine effective?

Studies also show that the HPV vaccine gives long-lasting protection against HPV.
The longer the vaccine is out, the more scientists will know about how long it
works for. But so far the vaccines are being shown to last for many years.

Since the HPV vaccine was recommended in 2006 in the U.S., rates of infection,
genital warts, and cervical precancers have gone down a lot.

Are there HPV vaccine side effects?

Research shows that the vaccine is safe. The most common side effect is
temporary pain and redness where you get the shot.

One of the reasons the HPV vaccine is controversial is because it prevents a

sexually transmitted infection, which leads some people to believe it’s
inappropriate for children. But, the thing is, the vaccine works best if you get it
long before you have sex. So it’s a good idea to get it when you’re young so you
won’t have to worry about getting certain kinds of cancer later in life.

Studies show that the HPV vaccine doesn’t lead to people having more sex or sex
at a younger age. So giving kids the HPV vaccine doesn’t encourage them to have
sex. All it does is help protect them from genital warts and cancer in adulthood.

If I already have an HPV infection, can the vaccine treat it?

Nope. If you already have an HPV infection, getting an HPV vaccine can’t treat it. It
can, however, protect you from getting other types of HPV.

If you have an HPV infection, talk with your doctor or nurse to find out what tests
or treatment you need.

Do I still need to get Pap/HPV tests if I got the HPV vaccine?

Yup. Pap tests are still an important way to find and prevent cervical cancer. The
HPV vaccine doesn’t protect against all types of HPV that can cause cancer. So it's
still important to get Pap/HPV tests to find any cell changes that might lead to
cervical cancer.
Where can I get the HPV vaccine?

You can get the HPV vaccine at many Planned Parenthood health centers. You can
also get it from other clinics, health departments, and private nurses and doctors.

How much does the HPV vaccine cost?

Each dose of the vaccine can cost about $250. Luckily, many health insurance
companies cover the HPV vaccine. There are also programs that help some people
without insurance get the vaccine for low or no cost.

You deserve to be healthy, regardless of whether you have health insurance. Talk
with the staff at your local Planned Parenthood health center or another nurse or
doctor to get more information about ways to make the vaccine more affordable.

The best way to avoid getting any STD is not to have sex at all. If you’re having
sex, getting the HPV vaccine, using condoms and/or dental dams, and getting
regular Pap/HPV tests is the best way to avoid problems that can come from HPV.

Want to get tested for HPV?

FIND A HEALTH CENTER

How to avoid the HPV virus

As always, the best way to make sure you don’t get an STD like HPV is to avoid
any sexual contact with another person — that includes vaginal, oral, and anal
sex, and any other genital contact.

But most people have sex at some point in their lives. If you’re sexually active,
there are things that you can do to lower your chances of getting or spreading
HPV:
Get the HPV vaccine.

Use condoms and/or dental dams every time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
Though condoms and dental dams are not as effective against HPV as they are
against other STDs like chlamydia and HIV, safer sex can lower your chances of
getting HPV.

How can I avoid I giving someone HPV?

The truth is, unless you have a high-risk type of HPV, or have genital warts, you’ll
probably never know you had HPV. So the best way to avoid giving it to someone
is to never have it to begin with, by getting the HPV vaccine.

Here are some things you can do to help prevent HPV:

Avoid skin-to-skin contact by not having sex.

Use condoms and/or dental dams every time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
Though condoms and dental dams are not as effective against HPV as they are
against other STDs like chlamydia and HIV, safer sex can lower your chances of
getting HPV.

Get the HPV vaccine and encourage your partner to do the same.

Most HPV infections go away on their own. If not, don’t worry. While there’s no
cure for the virus, there are treatment options for the problems HPV can cause.
Want to get tested for HPV? FIND A HEALTH CENTER

What’s the treatment for high-risk HPV

There is no treatment for HPV itself, but if you have high-risk HPV, it could cause
abnormal cell changes that might lead to cancer. If you have an abnormal Pap test
result, you may need further tests and/or treatment including:

Colposcopy — a procedure to look more closely at the cervix to see if there are
precancerous cells.

Cryotherapy — a treatment to freeze and remove precancerous cells from the

cervix.

LEEP or Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure — a treatment to remove

precancerous cells from the cervix with an electrical current.

Is HPV curable?

There’s no cure for HPV, but there are plenty of things you can do to stay healthy
and safe, and it’s even preventable! There are vaccines that can prevent high-risk
HPV types and the types that cause genital warts. Most of the time your body can
fight off HPV before it causes any serious problems and before you’re even aware
you have the infection. For the high-risk types of HPV that can eventually lead to
cancer, finding abnormal cell changes through regular Pap tests and/or HPV tests
is the best way you can prevent cervical cancer.