What is cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is an invasive cancer that develops in the mucous membrane of the lower part of the uterus, in women with a median age of 50 years. More than 3,000 new cases are diagnosed in France every year. This is the 11th most common cancer affecting women in France.

Most cervical cancers are caused by genital infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV). This cancer can therefore be avoided thanks to vaccination against HPV, intended for adolescents, girls, and boys.

There are other risk factors for cervical cancer, such as active smoking, immunosuppression (HIV, transplant-related treatments, etc.), or sexually transmitted infections.

In order to detect cervical cancer at an early stage, national screening has been organized for women in France since 2018. It involves the following:

• A cervical smear test every three years for women aged 25 to 29 (after two normal tests performed one year apart) to analyze the cells of the cervix in search of abnormalities;
• Then an HPV-HR test every five years for women between the ages of 30 and 65 to check for the presence of the HPV virus. If the test is positive, and therefore there is an HPV infection, a smear should be taken to see if there are abnormalities in the cervix.

The Institute of Women’s Cancers

Expert in the management of gynecological cancers, Institut Curie offers patients with ovarian cancer optimal and innovative care that is personally adapted to each individual case.
Institut Curie is co-founder of the Institute of Women’s Cancers, which was certified as a University-Hospital Institute in 2023. This project combines the scientific and medical requirements of Institut Curie, PSL University and Inserm for holistic management of patients affected by breast and gynecological cancers in order to better prevent them, cure them, limit their relapses, and mitigate their consequences in terms of quality of life. Since we are a national referral center, doctors, caregivers, researchers, and patient associations combine their expertise to accelerate breakthrough innovations in breast and gynecological cancer for the benefit of women affected by the disease.

More information about the Institute of Women’s Cancers