Cervicitis is inflammation of the cervix, but can this turn into cancer?
This is a question that many women would like to know, so I posed it to Justin Chura, MD, a gynecological oncologist in Philadelphia, PA.
“Chronic cervicitis does not lead to cervical cancer,” says Dr. Chura. “Cervicitis means inflammation. Inflammation can have multiple causes. This can include infection.
“The cause of cervical cancer is the human papilloma virus. Most of the time, chronic cervicitis is asymptomatic.
“Meaning, findings are seen on a Pap test, but the patient has no symptoms. When this is the case there is no recommended intervention.”
Perhaps the fear that cervicitis can lead to cancer or raise the risk of it originates from the fact that it can be discovered with a Pap smear — some patients wrongly connect dots and draw erroneous conclusions.
The risk of cervical cancer goes UP when a woman has multiple sex partners! A sexually active woman should have a Pap smear annually.
Dr. Chura provides standard cancer care and robotic surgery for cancers of the cervix, ovary, uterus/endometrium and vulva. He is affiliated with multiple hospitals including Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital-Jefferson Health and City of Hope Cancer Center Atlanta, and has been in practice for 20+ years.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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