Cervical cancer is a common cancer among females in India. It used to be the number one cancer in females but has now been overtaken by breast cancer. It would still account for roughly fifteen percent of cancers in females in India. It is also a major cause for cancer mortality.
For many cancers the etiology is not known but we know that almost all cervical cancers are caused due to a virus known as human papilloma virus or HPV. HPV transmission happens usually due to close skin contact during sexual intercourse. Though it is highly prevalent most people would clear off the HPV from their body without any problem. In few women however the HPV becomes persistent in the cervix and this can over a span of many years cause cancer. Not all HPV strains cause cancer, most cancers are attributed to specific strains like 16 and 18.
