Cervical cancer is a common cancer among women in Hong Kong. Regular cervical screening and timely treatment of the detected pre-cancerous changes can effectively prevent cervical cancer.

Risk Factors

Almost all cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with one of the cancer-causing (or high-risk) human papillomavirus (HPV) types. Risk factors for HPV infection or cervical cancer include:

• Multiple sexual partners
• Sexual intercourse at an early age
• Co-infection with sexually transmitted diseases
• Smoking
• Weakened immunity
• Long-term use of oral contraceptive pills for more than 5 years (the risk returns to normal after 10 years of stopping use)
• High number of childbirths or young age at first pregnancy

Prevention

The risk of HPV infection and cervical cancer can be reduced by the following preventive measures:

• Receive HPV vaccine before initiation of sexual activity
• Practise safer sex (e.g. use condoms and avoid having multiple sexual partners) to reduce the chance of HPV infection and to protect against sexually transmitted diseases
• Do not smoke

Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

Early stage of cervical cancer may produce no symptoms at all.

The common symptom is irregular vaginal bleeding, which could occur:

• Between periods
• During or after sex
• After menopause

Other symptoms include:

• Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
• Pelvic pain, backache (if the cancer has affected nerve or bone)
• Blood in urine or pain on passing urine (if the cancer has affected the urinary system)
• Leg swelling (if the cancer has affected the lymphatic system)
• General tiredness and weight loss

You should consult a doctor as soon as possible if you develop any symptoms, even if your latest cervical screening result is normal.

Cervical Screening

Regular cervical screening is proven to be an effective way of preventing cervical cancer.

Women aged 25 to 64 who ever had sexual experience should have regular cervical screening.

• Women aged 25 to 29 who ever had sexual experience should have screening by cytology every 3 years after two consecutive normal annual screenings.
• Women aged 30 to 64 who ever had sexual experience should have screening by:
  (i) cytology every 3 years after two consecutive normal annual screenings; or
  (ii) HPV testing every 5 years; or
  (iii) co-testing (cytology and HPV testing) every 5 years.

Women aged 65 or above who ever had sexual experience:

(i) may discontinue screening if routine screenings within 10 years are normal.
(ii) should be screened if they have never had cervical screening.

No screening test is 100% accurate, so even if your latest cervical screening result is normal, you should watch out for symptoms of cervical cancer and consult a doctor promptly if you have any symptoms.

You may visit the website of the Cervical Screening Programme for more details about cervical cancer and screening.