Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

When cells in an area of the body grow abnormally, cancer can develop. Cervical cancer is abnormal cell growth in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina.⁷

Cervical cancer is a serious condition that can be life-threatening. It can begin when a woman becomes infected with certain types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). ⁸ If the immune system does not clear the infection, normal cells can begin to grow abnormal, and turn into precancerous lesions.^1,8

If not discovered early and treated, these precancerous lesions can become cancer.⁸ Most often this can take a number of years, although in rare cases it can happen within a year.⁷