Sadly, almost 90 of these women will die from it, and cervical cancer is the second most common cause of death due to cancer in women aged 25-39.
Other symptoms of cervical cancer may include vaginal spotting, unusual discharge and pain during sex. There can also be pain in the pelvis, anywhere between the belly button and the top of the thighs. These screenings do not detect cancer, but they detect HPV. Those who test positive for HPV will receive further testing to see if there have been any abnormal changes to their cells.
Non-HPV cervical cancer Some very rare types of cervical cancer are not caused by HPV. Currently, there is no screening test for these types of cancer, and a smear test or cervical screening can't detect it. Others with a higher risk include people whose birth mother took the hormonal drug diethylstilbestrol while pregnant. This drug was prescribed to women in Ireland between 1955 and 1975 to prevent miscarriage and early labour, before being pulled from the market because it can cause rare vaginal cancer in girls and women.