Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer occurs when the cells on the cervix become cancerous. The cervix is at the base of the neck of the uterus (womb).
Fortunately, in the UK today, deaths form cervical cancer have dropped dramatically in recent years and this reduction is in large part due to the NHS cervical screening programme which offers women regular free smear tests.
A smear test can detect changes occuring in the cervical cells before they become cancerous meaning there is an opportunity to prevent or treat cervical cancer.
Types of Cervical Cancer
There are two main types of cervical cancer. These cancers are called after the type of cells that can become cancerous and thus are known as squamous cell cancer which is the the most common type of cervical cancer and the rarer adenocarcinoma.
In squamous cell cancer the cells are flat and they cover your cervix whilst adenomatous cells are discovered in the passageway which leads from the cervix to the womb.
Another less common type of cervical cancer is named small cell cancer.
