Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is cancer that starts in the cervix, a part of the female reproductive system. The cervix is the opening of the uterus. It connects the vagina (or birth canal) to the uterus (womb).

Cervical cancer usually starts with abnormal changes to the cells on the cervix, called dysplasia. Removing these abnormal cells can prevent cervical cancer.

Current guidelines recommend that people with a cervix, ages 21 to 65, get screened for cervical cancer. There are two screening tests. The Papanicolaou (Pap) test screens for abnormal cells that may develop into cancer. The human papillomavirus virus (HPV) test looks for the types of HPV that cause most cases of cervical cancer.

With regular screening and getting the HPV vaccine, as many as 93% of cervical cancers can be prevented. Regular screening can also find cervical cancer early when it is easier to treat.

Health Equity

Risk of cervical cancer increases with age and varies across racial groups. Black females* are more likely than white females to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and to die from the disease. In addition, those without health insurance or a regular health care provider are less likely to be screened for cervical cancer. Eliminating such disparities starts with making sure all New Yorkers are able to get screening services.

New York State has made efforts to help people get screened for cervical cancer:

  • New York State oversees a statewide Cancer Services Program (CSP) to provide free cervical cancer screening and follow-up tests, if needed, to people without health insurance and who qualify. The CSP can also help people connect to other local services to meet their needs. Call 1-866-442-CANCER (2262) to find your local CSP or visit the Cancer Community Programs List to search by county or region.
  • Cervical cancer screening is covered at no cost to the patient by nearly all health plans, including those that participate in the New York State of Health and New York's Medicaid program. Health plan coverage may vary. Check with your insurance plan to find out what benefits are covered for cervical cancer screening.

More about cervical cancer:

* Please note that for the purposes of this webpage, the term "female" is used to refer to individuals who were assigned female at birth (AFAB). In addition, the terms "women" and "female" are used when it is necessary to accurately reflect how data were collected and reported in the original source.