Holding the number three spot on the list of common gynecological cancers, cervical cancer can be prevented and cured when detected early. On a yearly basis, about 11,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and more than 3,800 die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Across the globe, close to 500,000 women are affected by this malignancy. In some parts of the world, cervical cancer is the most commonly found cancer in women, according to the National Cervical Cancer Public Education Campaign.

However, most cases of cervical cancer are preventable, either with a recently developed vaccine or with regular screenings for cervical cancer. Both the vaccine and the screening are related to the greatest risk factor for cervical cancer, the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by some strain of HPV. There are more than 100 types of HPV, some of them common viruses frequently found on the skin as warts. Others are transmitted through skin to skin and sexual contact, where they can contribute to HPV infection.

HPV exposure on the cervix may cause no problems or may cause an infection that clears on its own. In a few cases, HPV infection of the cervix can initiate changes that eventually develop into precancerous lesions, which may develop into cervical cancer if left untreated.

HPV infections generally do not produce symptoms, so people do not know they have the virus, and more importantly, do not realize they can pass it to other people through sexual contact. Your risk for contracting HPV increases with sexual activity. Although using condoms can reduce the risk of transmission, they cannot completely prevent HPV. Most risk factors for HPV are associated with sexual activity, including an early age for sexual activity, number of sexual partners and having unprotected sex. In addition, having another sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia or HIV also increases the risk of contracting HPV.

Despite the fact that HPV is so common, it is one of the few carcinogens that can be stopped or managed before it becomes cancer. For years, doctors have been able to manage HPV and its potential damage through regular Pap smears. More recently, a vaccine introduced in 2006 can prevent infection from the strains of HPV that cause most cases of cervical cancer.

The Pap smear is an extremely simple test. During a pelvic examination, a doctor scrapes the cervix to gather cells, which are put on to a slide or are dipped in a fluid mixture especially for the test. A technologist or pathologist examines the cells under a microscope, where lesions or changed cells can be identified. Pap tests can detect precancerous lesions, also known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), which if untreated can lead to cancer.