The facts about cervical cancer

Jane Chalmers

Cancer nurse, Cancer Care Team

9 September 2025

Cervical cancer accounts for approximately 2% of all new cancers diagnosed in women, with around 3,200 women in the UK per year being diagnosed.¹ The good news is that 99.8% of cases are preventable, which highlights the importance of attending cervical screening when you’re invited to one.¹

Jane Chalmers, Cancer Care nurse, picks out some key facts and frequently asked questions about cervical cancer that you need to know…

Be aware of HPV

There are over 200 types of HPV, but they’re generally split into two types:

low-risk types – may cause either harmless conditions, such as warts, or no problems that we know about.
high-risk types – may cause cancer to develop.

14 HPV types are considered high-risk and high-risk HPV is linked to almost all (99.7%) cervical cancers.²

HPV is an extremely common virus, with 8 in 10 of us getting HPV at some point in our lives.³ It’s spread by skin-to-skin contact of the genital area, which means that anyone who has ever been sexually active could be infected.

The body’s immune system will usually clear up HPV infections and generally most people don’t even know they have contracted the virus. Cervical cancer itself is not infectious and having HPV does not mean you will get cancer.³

What about the HPV vaccine?

The HPV vaccine provides protection against nine types of HPV, but in particular it helps prevent against HPV 16 and 18 – the two high risk strains of HPV which cause 70% of all cervical cancers.⁴

A 2021 UK study, found that cervical cancer rates were reduced by almost 90% in women in their 20s in England, who were offered the vaccine aged 12-13.⁴

Although having the vaccine reduces your chances of getting cervical cancer, it doesn’t eliminate them completely which is why attending screenings are still important.

>Read more about why cervical screenings are important.

Teenage boys are offered HPV vaccine and men who have sex with other men are also eligible to have this vaccination, they can source it through any sexual health clinic.

Does smoking increase your chance of developing cervical cancer?

It is believed that smoking weakens the immune system and impairs local immunity in the cervix. This means that HPV is more likely to cause the abnormal changes in cells which can result in the cancer developing.

What about oral contraceptives?

Research suggests that women who have taken oral contraceptives for 5 years plus have a higher chance of getting cervical cancer. The risk remains smallest for those who have taken it for under 5 years, with one study stating an increased risk of 10%.⁵

However, the risk of cervical cancer has been found to decline over time after women stop using oral contraceptives.⁵

It’s worth noting that the pill can help protect against womb and ovarian cancers.

What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?

Vaginal bleeding between periods and during or after sex could be a sign that something is wrong.
Pain during sex.
Changes in vaginal discharge is also worth paying attention to.
Pains in the lower back, pelvic area or lower tummy.

Although most women and people with a cervix with these symptoms will not have cervical cancer, it's important to see your doctor to rule out serious illness.

How is cervical cancer detected?

Cell samples are collected from the cervix during a cervical screening (smear test). You may be offered a screening if:

you exhibit symptoms of cervical cancer,
if you are over 25,
or if your doctor sees something that concerns them during a pelvic examination.

Cervical screening: the key to prevention

During a cervical screening a small sample of cells are collected from the cervix and tested for the HPV virus.

If HPV is present, then you’ll be contacted with the next steps. A HPV positive result but no abnormal cell changes means you’ll be invited for a screening in a five years’ time, whereas a HPV positive result and abnormal cells changes means you’ll be asked for further testing to look at the cervix.⁶

Not going for a cervical cancer screening is one of the biggest risk factors for developing it.

Our article on the importance of cervical screening provides more information on this topic, as well as why the screening process isn't nearly as unpleasant or uncomfortable as some people think.

If you do receive a cancer diagnosis, the news can feel overwhelming and you’ll have a lot of questions. Explore our cancer care articles for more information. If you're a member with AXA Health, here's more information on dedicated cancer support you may have access to.

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