Cancer is when cells in the body grow out of control and start to form tumours. Cervical cancer starts on the cervix, which is a tube-shaped part of the lower end of the uterus (or womb). It’s an important part of a woman’s reproductive system because it connects the vagina to the uterus and protects the baby during pregnancy. Most cervical cancers are caused by the HPV virus. This is a sexually transmitted infection that can lead to pre-cancers, but most women don’t get cancer from HPV because their bodies can fight the virus. However, if the infection isn’t treated, the cells can change and turn into cancer. This is why screening for HPV is so important.
The most common type of cervical cancer is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). It starts in the squamous cells that cover the outer surface of your cervix, called the ectocervix. SCC develops most often at the area where the ectocervix joins with the cervix inside your pelvis, called the transformation zone.
If your doctor thinks you may have SCC, they will do a biopsy to check for it. If the results of the biopsy are positive, your doctor will treat you with surgery and other treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
SCC can also spread to other parts of your body. This is called invasive SCC and can cause problems in your uterus, pelvic bones or bowels. Invasive SCC is more likely to cause serious health problems, but it is still possible to survive when it’s diagnosed early and treated well.
Most cervical cancers develop from pre-cancerous cells that can turn into true (invasive) cancer if they aren’t treated. These pre-cancers are usually found during a regular gynecological exam or Pap test. There are three types of cervical pre-cancer: CIN1 (also called mild dysplasia or low grade SIL), CIN2 and high-grade SIL.
Pre-cancerous cells can develop into cervical cancer in a few ways, but most often, it happens when the cell changes to DNA that makes the cell multiply faster than normal. This can happen because of an abnormal genetic mutation or damage to the cell’s DNA from other factors, such as the HPV infection.
The most common type of non-squamous cervical cancer is adenocarcinoma. It develops in the glandular cells that line the inside of your cervix. There are several types of adenocarcinoma, including papillary serous adenocarcinoma, villoglandular papillary adenocarcinoma and microcystic adenocarcinoma. Other rare types of adenocarcinoma that can occur in the cervix include clear cell adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma, which contains both glandular and squamous cancer cells.
