Smoking and cervical cancer

Smoking can cause cervical cancer for anyone who has a cervix. Learn more about the risks.

Smoking is a cause of cervical cancer

The cervix is part of the female reproductive system, found at the top of the vagina. The main cause of cervical cancer is infection with human papillomavirus (HPV).

Anyone with a cervix who smokes has double the risk of developing cervical cancer compared to non-smokers. Scientific evidence confirms that cervical cancer is one of the 16 cancers now known to be caused by smoking. People who get cervical cancer have about a 1 in 4 chance of dying within 5 years. 

Finding cervical cancer early can save your life. Early signs of cancer of the cervix include: 

  • painful sex
  • bleeding
  • periods that are long and heavy.

However, there can be other causes of these problems too, and cervical cancer often has no signs in its early stages. The best way to find cervical cancer early is to have screening tests every 5 years.

Learn more about screening tests for cervical cancer.

Living with cervical cancer is difficult

The cervix is part of the female reproductive system. Cervical cancer is a risk for smokers who are:

  • female 
  • intersex
  • transgender and have a cervix.

Cervical cancer is often treated by an operation to remove most of your reproductive system (hysterectomy). Having this surgery means that you can no longer get pregnant. It may mean early menopause for some people.

If you have cervical cancer, you may also need: 

  • radiotherapy
  • chemotherapy
  • other drugs.

Side effects of these treatments can make life difficult.

Cigarette smoke carries toxic chemicals into your body

Cigarette smoke carries at least 7,000 chemicals into your body. About 70 of the chemicals in tobacco smoke are known to cause cancer, including formaldehyde and benzene.

As you inhale smoke, toxic chemicals fill your lungs and move into your blood stream. These chemicals then travel in the blood to all your organs. Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body.

The toxic chemicals in smoke that are likely to cause cervical cancer are:

  • polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – chemicals found in things like petrol, car exhaust, fumes from asphalt roads and tobacco smoke.
  • nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NKK) – a chemical is made during the processing or burning of tobacco. NNK sticks to DNA and mutates genes. Even very low amounts can cause cancer.

Learn more about the toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke.

How does smoking cause cervical cancer?

Infection with HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer. This virus damages DNA, which makes cervical cells more likely to form a tumour. 

Smoking can prolong infection with HPV. This could make it more likely that the virus will damage DNA in cervical cells. Scientists believe that this may be one way smoking causes cervical cancer. 

Toxic chemicals from smoke may also cause cervical cancer. Toxic chemicals from smoke move into each organ of your body from the blood stream. They stick to the DNA inside your cells. DNA contains the blueprint to produce more cells. Chemicals from smoke change your DNA, forming mutations in your genes. These changes are the triggers that start cancer growing.

Scientists have found nicotine and other toxic chemicals from tobacco in the cervix cells of women who smoke. These chemicals have been found stuck to the DNA of cervix cells, where they can cause damage.

People who smoke are about twice as likely to get cervical cancer compared to people who do not smoke.

Quitting smoking reduces your risk of cervical cancer

Quitting smoking reduces your risk of cervical cancer. Just a few years after quitting, ex-smokers have a lower risk of this cancer.

For every 100 never-smokers who get cervical cancer, 183 smokers are diagnosed, and 126 ex-smokers are also diagnosed. These numbers show how quitting reduces your risk.

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