Cervical cancer is a disease in which the cancer cells form an abnormal mass of tissue in the cervix. The cervix is the lower, narrow end part of the uterus and it connects the uterus to the vagina (birth canal). All women, particularly of reproductive age, are at risk for cervical cancer. It is most often found in women above the age of 30 years. Long-lasting infection due to certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) has been found to be the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV is a common class of viruses that has many strains and can be passed from one person to another during sexual intercourse.
Although many sexually active people have HPV at some point in their lives, only a few women develop cervical cancer due to this. The cancer of the cervix usually grows slowly over time. Before cancer develops in the cervix, the cells in the cervix undergo changes known as dysplasia, which involves the appearance of abnormal cells in the cervical tissue. These abnormal cells may become cancer cells over time. They may even grow and spread more deeply into the cervix and the surrounding areas.