Can Cervical Cancer Be Prevented?

The two most important things you can do to prevent cervical cancer are to get the HPV vaccine if you are eligible, and to be tested regularly according to American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines. These can be found in The American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer.

The most common form of cervical cancer starts with precancerous changes and there are ways to stop this from developing. The first way is to find and treat precancers before they become invasive cancers, and the second is to prevent the precancers.

Finding cervical precancers

The Pap test (or Pap smear) and the human papillomavirus (HPV) test are specific tests used to screen for cervical cancer. These tests are done the same way. A special tool is used to gently scrape or brush the cervix to remove cells for testing. If a precancer is found, it can be treated, to keep it from turning into a cervical cancer.

The HPV test looks for HPV infection(s), particularly high-risk types that are more likely to cause precancers and cancers of the cervix. Certain HPV tests are approved to be a primary HPV test and others are approved as part of a co-test.  The type you get most often depends on which test is available in your area.

The Pap test or Pap smear is a procedure used to collect cells from the cervix so that they can be looked at closely in the lab to find cancer or precancer. It's important to know that most invasive cervical cancers are found in women who have not had regular Pap tests. A Pap test can be done during a pelvic exam, but not all pelvic exams include a Pap test.

The HPV and Pap test results help assess your risk of developing cervical cancer. If the results are positive, this could mean more follow-up visits, more tests to look for a precancer or cancer, and sometimes a procedure to treat any precancers that might be found.

It is best to talk to your healthcare provider about your screening test results in more detail to fully understand your risk of developing cervical cancer and next steps.

Things to do to prevent precancers and cancers

Based on your age, overall health, and personal risk for cervical cancer, there are some things that can be done that may prevent precancers and conditions that lead to precancers.

Get an HPV vaccine

Vaccines protect children and young adults against infection with the HPV types most linked to cervical cancer, as well as some types that can cause anal and genital warts.

These vaccines only work to prevent HPV infection − they will not treat an infection that is already there. That is why the HPV vaccines should be given before a person becomes exposed to HPV (such as through sexual activity).

The vaccines are given in 2 or 3  injections (shots) depending on your age. Side effects are usually mild. The most common ones are short-term redness, swelling, and soreness at the injection site. Rarely, a young person might faint shortly after the injection.

The ACS recommends:

• HPV vaccination of children between the ages of 9 and 12.
• Children and young adults ages 13 through 26 who have not been vaccinated, or who haven’t gotten all their doses, should get the vaccine as soon as possible. Vaccination of young adults will not prevent as many cancers as vaccination of children and teens.
• The ACS does not recommend HPV vaccination for persons older than 26 years.

It’s important to know that no vaccine provides complete protection against all cancer-causing types of HPV, so routine cervical cancer screening is still needed.

For more information on the vaccine and HPV,  see HPV Vaccines.

Limit exposure to HPV

HPV is passed from one person to another during skin-to-skin contact with an infected area of the body. HPV infection seems to be able to spread from one part of the body to another. This means that an infection may start in the cervix and then spread to the vagina and vulva.  Although HPV can be spread during skin-to-skin contact − including vaginal, anal, and oral sex − sex doesn't have to occur for the infection to spread. All that is needed is skin-to-skin contact with an area of the body infected with HPV. This means that the virus can be spread without sex. It is even possible for a genital infection to spread through hand-to-genital contact.

Limiting the number of sex partners and avoiding sex with people who have had many other sex partners may lower your risk of exposure to HPV.  HPV is very common, so having sexual activity with even one other person can put you at risk. Remember that someone can have HPV for years and still have no symptoms. This makes it possible for someone to have the virus and pass it on without knowing it.

Use a condom

Condoms (“rubbers”) provide some protection against HPV, but they don’t completely prevent infection. One reason that condoms cannot protect completely is because they don’t cover every possible HPV-infected area of the body, such as skin of the genital or anal area. Still, condoms provide some protection against HPV, and they also help protect against HIV and some other sexually transmitted infections.

Don't smoke

Not smoking is another important way to reduce the risk of cervical precancer and cancer.