There is a slow, gradual change from a normal cervix to precancer to cancer. Some women with precancerous changes of the cervix will develop cancer. This usually takes several years but sometimes can happen in less than a year. For some women, precancerous changes may go away without any treatment. More often, these precancers are treated and true cancers are prevented.
Several factors increase a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer.
Women without any of these risk factors rarely develop cervical cancer. Although these risk factors increase the odds of developing cervical cancer, many women with these risks do not develop this disease. The most important risk factor for cervical cancer is infection by human papillomavirus . HPVs are a group of more than 80 types of viruses that may cause warts and other types of cell changes in various parts of the body. About 30 strains of HPV can be passed sexually and infect genital organs and the anal area.