Cervical Cancer Awareness Month: One of the Most Preventable Cancers

The news

Each January, Cervical Health Awareness Month — often called Cervical Cancer Awareness Month — turns attention to the health of the cervix. The message is a hopeful one: cervical cancer is among the cancers that screening and vaccination can help prevent, and early changes can often be found and treated before they ever become cancer.

Why people are talking about it

Awareness months matter here because so much of cervical cancer prevention depends on people taking a routine, planned step: getting screened when it is recommended. A calendar reminder can be the nudge that prompts someone to schedule a check-up, ask about HPV vaccination for a family member, or simply learn what the cervix is and why it deserves attention.

What this topic means

According to the National Cancer Institute, cervical cancer is cancer that starts in the cells of the cervix — the lower, narrow end of the uterus that connects the uterus to the vagina. NCI explains that cervical cancer usually develops slowly over time. Before cancer appears, the cells of the cervix go through changes known as dysplasia, in which abnormal cells begin to appear. Over time, if not removed or destroyed, those abnormal cells may become cancer.

NCI notes that most cervical cancers (up to 90%) are squamous cell carcinomas, which develop from cells in the outer part of the cervix, while adenocarcinomas develop in the glandular cells of the inner cervix. Importantly, NCI states that long-lasting HPV infection causes almost all cervical cancers.

Screening and prevention

This is where cervical cancer awareness is especially useful, because NCI supports clear prevention and screening steps. NCI states that long-lasting infection with HPV (human papillomavirus) causes almost all cervical cancers, and it points to HPV infection as the central risk factor to understand. Because the disease usually develops slowly through a stage of abnormal cell changes, screening can find those changes early — often before cancer develops at all.

NCI describes screening for cervical cancer as an important part of routine health care for people who have a cervix, and provides detailed guidance on when to be screened and what to expect. Rather than list specific ages here, we point you to NCI's screening page, which is regularly reviewed. The key takeaway from NCI is simple and encouraging: this is a cancer where routine screening and attention to HPV can make a real difference.

How to take part

• If you have a cervix and are unsure whether you are due for screening, use January as a prompt to ask a healthcare professional.
• Learn about HPV vaccination, which NCI discusses as part of lowering risk — it may be relevant for younger family members.
• Share accurate information. Cervical health is still an awkward topic for some; calm, factual conversation helps.

Questions to ask a healthcare team

• When should I be screened for cervical cancer, and which test is right for me?
• What does an abnormal result mean, and what would the next steps be?
• Is HPV vaccination something I or my children should consider?
• What symptoms or changes should I mention between visits?