Cervical cancer is a form of cancer that develops when certain cellular changes take place in a woman’s cervix. The cervix is a tissue that helps connect the uterus with the vagina, and cervical cancer proves detrimental to these tissues and can metastasize to several other areas in the body like the liver, lungs, bladder, and rectum.

Here are some commonly observed risk factors of the development of cervical cancer:

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection
  HPV infection is one of the major risk factors of cervical cancer, and most people suffer from this infection when they engage in sexual intercourse. In a lot of cases, the infection withers away after a short while, and HPV infections are found in more than a hundred variants, and many of them do not have the kind of properties that cause cancer. HPV16 and HPV18 are the two HPV types that are mostly known to cause cervical cancer.
  Engaging in sexual activity with multiple partners makes one more susceptible to developing this infection.
• Age
  Age is one of the leading risk factors when it comes to the development of cervical cancer. Women who are still in their teens or under the age of 20 have very little chances of developing cervical cancer, while women between the ages of 20 and 35 years face a higher risk of the disease. The risk increases as women grow older, so it is important to undergo tests and regular screenings for cervical cancer, especially if they observe any symptoms related to the disease.
• A weak immune system
  Women with low immunity tend to be at a higher risk of developing the symptoms of cervical cancer. Low immunity is an important risk factor of cervical cancer, and weakened immunity is often a result of a suppressed immune system due to the consumption of corticosteroid medications or a past history of cancer treatments. It can also be caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which is responsible for causing Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). If a woman has HIV, her immune system becomes very weak and cannot muster up enough strength to battle the early symptoms of cancer.
• Smoking
  Women who smoke are at a much higher risk of suffering from cervical cancer, and the habit is detrimental to overall health as well. If one has been diagnosed with cervical cancer, they must quit or avoid smoking to prevent any fatal complications.
• Socio-economic factors
  It is imperative for every woman, across different age groups and social strata, to undergo regular screenings to check for the symptoms of cervical cancer. The symptoms of cervical cancer develop in many women who belong to lower-income group families as they lack awareness and may brush aside going for periodic tests.