Smoking is a third risk factor. Smoking does a lot of things, Sevin says. Smoking reduces the immune system s functioning, and it s a carcinogen that may actually lead to the development of cancer locally at the cervix. Smoking along with HPV may work together and result in cervical cancer. Sevin recommends sexually active women have an annual Pap test, which can detect cancer and precancerous changes in the cervix.
Women usually don t develop symptoms of cervical cancer until the cancer has become invasive.
Symptoms include unusual vaginal discharge, bleeding after intercourse, bleeding between menstrual periods and pain during intercourse. I cancer is the earliest form of cancer that has invaded deeper than the cells lining the cervix. It is almost always curable with surgery, radiation or a combination of both. He stresses the importance of a monogamous relationship in which both partners are monogamous. If a woman cannot guarantee that, Sevin advises she make certain her partner uses condoms.