Carcinoma of the cervix
Cervical cancer is one of the more common cancers affecting women of reproductive age.
One of the high risk factors for cervical cancer is the presence of antibodies to the human papillomavirus (the same group of viruses that cause genital warts). Although benign, the virus is believed to trigger alterations in the cells of the cervix, leading to the development of cancer. The strains of HPV linked to cervical cancer (strains 16, 18 and 31), are not the ones that cause genital warts.
Epidemiologists working in the early 20th century noted that:
- Cervical cancer was common in female sex workers.
- It was rare in nuns, except for those who had been sexually active before entering the convent.
- It was more common in the second wives of men whose first wives had died from cervical cancer.
This led to the deduction that cervical cancer could be caused by a sexually transmitted agent. But it wasn't until the 1970s that this agent was identified as the human papillomavirus. It has since been demonstrated that the virus is implicated in 90% of cervical cancers.
Women are advised to have a pap smear annually to check for precancerous cells, or other abnormalities. If cervical cancer is detected early, it can be treated without impairing fertility.
Notable people who have suffered from or died of cervical cancer:
