Who is at risk for cervical cancer?
All women age 25 and over. Age is a risk, as over half of cervical cancer occurs in women over 55. Women who have Human Papillomavirus (HPV) have an elevated risk, as do women who have a family history of cervical cancer, have a suppressed immune system, use oral contraceptives, smoke, or were exposed to a drug called DES while in their mother’s womb. In general, however, this cancer can strike any woman, which is why it is so important to have regular Pap smears.
