Cancer: What Causes Cervical Cancer?

The majority of cervical cancers in the United States are caused by human papilloma virus (HPV). Up to 70 percent of all diagnosed cervical cancers are caused by this sexually transmitted disease. Other causes include smoking, chlamydia, diet, HIV infection, birth control pills, multiple pregnancies, genetics or maternal exposure to a drug called diethylstilbestrol (DES) that was available from the 1940s until the early 1970's.

1. HPV and Cervical Cancer
HPV is a disease transmitted through contact. Sexual intercourse is not required to transmit HPV; any genital contact with an infected person can transmit the virus. The majority of strains of HPV are harmless and clear up on their own, but HPV type 16 and 18 are responsible for approximately 70 percent of all cervical cancer diagnoses in the United States. The cell changes associated with HPV that cause cervical cancer are generally very slow, and can be identified and treated in annual Pap smears before cervical cancer develops.

2. Smoking
Smoking cigarettes dramatically increases the risk of contracting HPV. Women who smoke cigarettes regularly are twice as likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer as women who do not smoke cigarettes. According to the American Cancer Society, doctors believe this occurs because the chemicals in tobacco smoke cause damage to the DNA of cervical cells.

3. HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, also seems to be a risk factor for cervical cancer. Doctors speculate that HIV is not the direct cause of cervical cancer, but it lowers immune response and makes it more difficult for the body to fight off HPV, which then causes the cervical cancer.

4. Chlamydia Infection
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection. It is generally asymptomatic. The American Cancer Society suggests that women with a past history of chlamydia, or a current chlamydia infection, are more likely to get cervical cancer than women with no history of the illness.

5. Other Potential Causes
The use of the birth control pill may also increase the risk of cervical cancer. The longer the pill is used for, the higher the risk. Multiple pregnancies have also been linked with an increased risk of cervical cancer. A diet low in vegetables may also be a contributing factor. Finally, a genetic predisposition to cervical cancer, and/or low income status are also risk factors for cervical cancer.