Cervical cancer is usually diagnosed during a woman’s annual physical exam.  The tissues of the cervix are swabbed and sent to a lab to detect any abnormal cells that could be pre-cancerous.  If this is missed during the exam, it can still take years for pre-cancerous cells to turn into cervical cancer (if they do at all).

The highest risk factor for being diagnosed with cervical cancer is if you have been infected with the human Papilloma virus (HPV).  HPV is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that in one manifestation can cause genital warts.  Other way it infects woman is to cause cervical cancer by changing the cells of the cervix.

The best way to prevent infection of HPV is to use protection when having intercourse.  There is also a vaccine available now for HPV that can potentially reduce the amount of cases of cervical cancer that are reported each year.  As a woman gets older (30 and up) her chances of catching HPV are lessened.

It is important to note that just because you have been infected with HPV it does not mean you are going to get cervical cancer.  By going for your annual Pap test and getting the approved vaccine the chances are slim that you will contract the disease from this virus.

There are other risk factors associated with cervical cancer including other STD’s – it is always recommended to have protected sex.  Some of the other factors are prolonged use of birth control pills, smoking; multiple full-term pregnancies and diet are a few more risk factors of cervical cancer.

The single most important thing a woman needs to do to prevent cervical cancer is to go for her annual Pap test.  If she has had normal results, an annual test can be pushed back to occur every 2-3 years.

Latest Article: American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society was formed in 1913 by a team of 15 doctors and has grown, evolved, and helped countless people that have been diagnosed with cancer to the society we know today.  The American Cancer Society is the place that you should go to for any and all information on cancer.  They have a call center – the National Cancer Information Center - that is...

Related Articles:

• Inflammatory Breast Cancer
  Think all breast cancers are alike?  Guess again.  The newly recognized inflammatory breast cancer may be one of the sneakiest combatants in our war against this type of...
• Endometrial Cancer
  Endometrial cancer, which is cancer to the uterus, is a very common cancer for women.  There are about 40,000 women diagnosed with endometrial cancer each year, making it the fourth most...
• Colorectal Cancer
  If you or someone you care about is concerned about colorectal cancer, you’ll want to read this article.  Below, we give all you need to know to help with the prevention and treatment...
• Colon Cancer
  Colon cancer is also commonly referred to as colorectal cancer as it the cancer for both the colon and the rectum are very similar.  The beginning stages of colon cancer are usually in the...
• Cancer Research
  Are you a teen or young adult who is interested in pursuing a job in cancer research?  Though it might seem like a long road to take, be heartened; people who choose this career path often...
• Cancer Picture Tonsil
  New technologies such as cancer pictures are allowing doctors to more easily diagnose cancer in hard to view areas of the body.  For example, a cancer picture tonsil will allow doctors to...
• Cancer Cells
  Cancer cells are abnormal, malignant cells which spread and grow excessively, destroying healthy cells and tissue. Cancer cells are the most basic underlying unit of cancer irregardless of the...
• Breast Cancer Statistics
  Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring non skin cancer and is the number two killer of American women behind heart disease. These and other breast cancer statistics can help us understand...
• Breast Cancer Stages
  Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer that affects women.  Over the past few decades, leaps and bounds have been made in the advancement of breast cancer treatment and now there...
• Breast Cancer Ribbon
  The pink breast cancer ribbon is in much the same vein as the red Aids awareness ribbon in that it seeks to lend solidarity to those who are suffering from breast cancer as well as raise...
• Breast Cancer Awareness
  The human breast contains milk-producing ducts, and glands that transport lymph throughout the body. The majority of the breast is composed of fat tissue, though it is in these milk ducts that...
• Breast Cancer
  The most well-known and common risk factor for breast cancer is being female.  Breast cancer is primarily known as a cancer that affects women.  While the majority of people who are...
• Brain Cancer
  There are two types of brain cancer, the first one being in the form of a primary brain tumor, and the second one comes in the form of a metastatic brain tumor. A primary brain tumor is a tumor...
• Brain Cancer
  Brain Cancer has always been dreaded. Previously people saw no chances of recovery once afflicted by the fatal disease. Even today, brain cancer is regarded as of the most complicated ailments;...
• Bone Cancer
  Our bones are covered with a fibrous tissue called periosteum, and we have one layer. Bones contain 2 different cells.  One is the osteoblast, this one develops the bone, and the other is...
• Blood Cancer
  One form of cancer is blood cancer, also known as leukaemia.  This blood cancer caused when the white blood cells of the body over produce.  The white blood cells are part of the...
• Rectal Cancer
  Rectal cancer is form of cancer that can affect the layers of the rectum, which is the lower part of the colon that connects the anus to the large intestine.  There are three layers of the...
• Prostrate Cancer
  Prostrate cancer is characterized by the presence of malignant cells within the male prostate gland, located under the bladder, or the surrounding tissue.  Prostrate cancer is the second...
• Prostate Cancer Treatment
  Deciding on a prostate cancer treatment with your doctor is an understandably difficult journey and series of tough decisions. First, it is important to note that prostate cancer treatment...
• Prostate Cancer
  Like many cancers, no one knows for sure what causes prostate cancer, but there are risk factors that point to certain things that can be done to prevent it.  That being said, some risk...
• Pancreatic Cancer
  Pancreatic cancer is formed inside the pancreas, a body organ that is located behind the stomach.  The pancreas is made up of two glands inside that produce two different kinds of cells...
• Pancreas Cancer
  Pancreas cancer is a very serious form of cancer and is defined as cancer of the cells that form the tissues of the pancreas.  The role of the pancreas in the human body is very important,...
• National Cancer Institute
  As Americans, we don’t always know where our tax dollars go.  Sometimes, we assume that they simply are wasted… but you’ll be happy to learn that the National Cancer...
• Mesothelioma Cancer
  Mesothelioma cancer always occurs as a consequence of previous exposure to asbestos. One should be aware of the disease and what really happens in it. The mesothelium is actually a...
• Male Breast Cancer
  Male breast cancer is a form of cancer that sometimes goes unnoticed and uncared for long periods of time because not many men are aware that they can have male breast cancer.  While it is...
• Lymph Node Cancer
  Lymph node cancer is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.  The lymphatic system is very important to the body.  The lymphatic system is a set of tiny vessels that take...
• Liver Cancer
  Liver cancer is cancer that begins in the liver and is often caused by an abnormal growth of cells called tumors. The more common type of liver cancer is when cancer spreads into the liver from...
• Kidney Cancer
  Your kidneys are the bean-shaped organs situated in your lower back, on either side of your spine. They play an important role in the urinary process of your body by processing the liquids as...
• Thyroid Cancer
  The thyroid gland is located in your neck, at the base of your Adam’s apple, and is a very important part of the endocrine system of your body. Hormones that the gland secretes are...
• Testicular Cancer
  A lump is the most prevalent way cancer is found including testicular cancer.  Usually the patient notices or feels a lump on their testicles but they could also appear swollen or...
• Testicle Cancer
  Testicle cancer is a very common cancer, usually detected in men between the ages of 15 and 34.  While testicle cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer is men, it is not talked...
• Stomach Cancer
  Only about 2% of the cancer cases diagnosed each year in the U.S. are attributed to stomach cancer, but the mortality rate remains high. Unfortunately, many of the signs and symptoms can easily...
• Small Cell Lung Cancer
  Small cell lung cancer, or small cell carcinoma, is a type of rapidly spreading lung cancer characterized by the small, almost “oat” like shape of the malignant cells affecting the...
• Bladder Cancer
  Determining what the cells of bladder cancer look like under a microscope determines what type of cancer you have.  The four different types of bladder cancer are urothelial cancer,...
• Esophageal Cancer
  Get Back Your Health QUIT SMOKING TODAY! Esophageal cancer is the presence of malignant cancer cells within the tissue that lines the muscular tube through which food travels on its way to...
• Cervical Cancer
  Cervical cancer is usually diagnosed during a woman’s annual physical exam.  The tissues of the cervix are swabbed and sent to a lab to detect any abnormal cells that could be...
• Cancer Types
  Get Back Your Health QUIT SMOKING TODAY! Though it’s never a good time to learn that you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, it’s a relief to know that many cancer...
• Cancer Skin
  Moles, Warts & Skin Tags Removal Of all types of cancer skin cancer is growing at an alarming rate leaving lung, breast and colorectal and prostate cancers far, far behind. One out of...
• Cancer Cure
  Get Back Your Health QUIT SMOKING TODAY! Cancer is a disease that affects many people throughout the US and the rest of the world.  In fact, it is estimated that one half of men and one...
• Ovarian Cancer
  Reverse and Eliminate Ovarian Cysts Ovarian cancer can fall into one of three main groupings each with its own set of sub-groups.  The main types of ovarian cancer are germ cell...
• Mouth Cancer
  Get Back Your Health QUIT SMOKING TODAY! Also called oral cancer, mouth cancer is most often located on the lips or the tongue. The other parts of the mouth could become infected also, such...
• Lung Cancer
  Get Back Your Health QUIT SMOKING TODAY! The majority of lung cancers are considered non-small cell lung cancer.  This type of cancer can manifest itself in three different ways. ...
• Lip Cancer
  Get Back Your Health QUIT SMOKING TODAY! Lip cancer is a form of cancer that is usually related to extended exposure to natural elements such as the sun and the wind.  Because of this,...
• What is Cancer?
  Get Back Your Health QUIT SMOKING TODAY! There are hundreds of types of cancer out there and many people have the same question concerning this disease and that is, what is cancer? Cancer is...
• What Does Skin Cancer Look Like?
  Moles, Warts & Skin Tags Removal From blemishes which seem to scar, to sunspots and subtle changes in pigment, a change in your skin’s appearance is to be taken seriously and...
• Vaginal Cancer
  Vaginal cancer is a type of cancer that tends to be very rare.  In a one year period, there are only about 300 cases of vaginal cancer diagnosed in the UK. Vaginal cancer can...
• Uterine Cancer
  It’s the “silent killer”… uterine cancer.  But is it really so stealthy? Research shows that, though it’s commonly thought to have no symptoms,...
• Types of Skin Cancer
  Moles, Warts & Skin Tags Removal Skin cancer is, fortunately, on the decline.  However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be concerned about it.  Below,...
• Types of Cancer
  Get Back Your Health QUIT SMOKING TODAY! Even if you aren’t at risk for cancer from a hereditary standpoint, it’s always a good idea to know the types of cancer.  In fact, in...
• Tongue Cancer
  Get Back Your Health QUIT SMOKING TODAY! Oral cancers, including tongue cancer, are on the decline.  Nonetheless, an estimated 34,000 patients this year will receive the devastating news...
• Skin Cancer Symptoms
  Mole, Wart & Skin Tag Free In Just 3 Days!! Skin cancer symptoms are not always easy to discern given the wide variations in appearance, shape and types of skin cancer. Because of this...
• Skin Cancer Pictures
  Mole, Wart & Skin Tag Free In Just 3 Days!! Skin cancer pictures can be used as a guide to detect potential cancer when a change in the color, appearance or texture of the skin occurs....
• Skin Cancer
  Moles, Warts & Skin Tags Removal There are ways to prevent skin cancer and most of them fall under the category of common sense.  The rays from the sun, in particular, ultra violet...
• Signs of Skin Cancer
  Mole, Wart & Skin Tag Free In Just 3 Days!! Unlike generations past, Americans are now being encouraged to cover up while in the sun as prevention against skin cancer.  However, some...