Overview

What is cancer?

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Cancer cells grow together to form a mass called a tumor. They can invade nearby tissues and organs and spread through out the body. Benign (non-cancer) cells can also grow but are not invasive. Cancer is more likely to be life threatening, because cancer cells are invasive and can metastasize, through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to distant parts of the body. Early detection before the cancer spreads provides the best chance of cure.

What is cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer occurs when normal cells of the cervix become cancer cells. The cervix forms the narrow passageway between the uterus (womb) and the vagina. In the United States approximately 9,710 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed in 2006 and about 3,700 women will die of the disease (many of them African-American). Over the past few decades, mostly due to early screening with the Pap test, fewer women are dying of cervical cancer each year. Research is ongoing to improve treatment and screening. Efforts are increasing to make routine gynecological care more available to minority women.

More on Cervical Cancer

Pap Tests Saving Lives

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.