How do you get cervical cancer? Could it happen to me?
Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by a
common virus called
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) that you can catch as soon as soon as you start having intimate relationships - either through sexual intercourse or from intimate skin-to-skin contact in the genital area. It is possible to catch HPV from just one sexual experience.
2,3 The virus is usually cleared naturally but sometimes it persists inside the cells of the cervix and it could cause abnormal cells to develop. If these cells are left undetected and untreated, they could go on to develop into cervical cancer.
4
Unlike some cancers, cervical cancer is
not usually hereditary – passed on through families.
2,18
If you’ve ever had or have a sexual relationship you
may be at risk.