Cervical cancer is an important issue to be aware of for all women. But much like breast cancer, it may be the case that lesbian and queer women are at greater risk of developing cervical cancer at some point during their lives. This is because many of the risk factors that are known to play a role in causing cervical cancer, also happen to be life realities that many lesbian and queer women share.

There are several risk factors that are known to increase a woman's chances of getting cervical cancer. Research seems to support this by suggesting that women who do not have any of these risk factors rarely develop cervical cancer. However, although these risk factors increase the odds of developing cervical cancer, it doesn't necessarily mean a woman will just because some risk factors apply to her. Many women for whom these risk factors are a reality don't develop the disease. Additionally, when a woman develops cervical cancer or pre-cancerous changes, it may not be possible to say with certainty that a particular risk factor was the cause. But its certainly helpful to know which risk factors associated with causing cervical cancer are applicable to our lives. That way, when we identify risk factors that do apply to us, we can work to change those within our control. Its still important to know about the risk factors we can't control, however, so that we can stay on top of getting regular screenings and check-ups. As the saying goes, early detection really is the best protection.

The known risk factors for developing cervical cancer include:

Human papilloma virus infection
The most important risk factor for cervical cancer is infection by the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is a group of more than 100 related viruses. They are called papilloma viruses because some of them cause a type of growth called a papilloma. Papillomas aren't cancerous, they're what we refer to as warts. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease (but can also be passed from skin-to-skin contact) and can be contracted through vaginal, anal and oral sex. Sharing sex toys without using protection, mingling vaginal fluids by rubbing or scissoring, and fingering or fisting your partner and then touching your own genitals without washing or using clean gloves each time are all ways HPV can be passed between women.

Doctors believe that women must have been infected by HPV before they develop cervical cancer. Certain types of HPV are called "high-risk" because they are often the cause of cancer of the cervix. These types include HPV 16, HPV 18, HPV 31, HPV 33, and HPV 45, as well as some others. About two-thirds of all cervical cancers are caused by HPV 16 and 18.

Many women become infected with HPV, its one of the most common STDs. But very few will ever develop cervical cancer. In 90% of cases the body's immune system fights off the virus, and the infection goes away without any treatment. For reasons that aren't well understood yet, the infection persists in some women and can cause cervical cancer. Although there is currently no cure for HPV infection, there are ways to treat the warts and abnormal cell growth that HPV causes.

For most women, HPV remains largely asymptomatic, and the same is true for cervical cancer until it has progressed. That's why it's so important to get routine Pap smear screenings. The Pap test can detect any abnormal cell growth or changes in cervical cells that cancer-causing HPV can cause. To learn more about genital HPV infection, its symptoms, how to prevent it, or get tested and/or treated, visit The Center for Disease Control's website.

Vaccines have been developed to help prevent infection with some types of HPV. Right now, there's an FDA approved vaccine in the United States called Gardasil, which protects against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18. More HPV vaccines are being developed and tested. To learn more about Gardasil, click here.

Although its necessary to have had HPV for cervical cancer to develop, doctors believe that other factors must come into play for cancer to develop. Most women don't develop cervical cancer solely because of high-risk HPV infection alone. Some of these other known factors include:

Smoking
Women who smoke are about twice as likely as non-smokers to get cervical cancer, and some studies suggest that lesbians and queer women smoke at significantly higher rates than heterosexual women. Smoking exposes the body to cancer-causing chemicals that affect more than the lungs. These substances are absorbed by the lungs and enter the bloodstream, and are carried throughout the body. Tobacco by-products have been found in the cervical mucus of women who smoke. Researchers believe that these substances damage the DNA of cervix cells and may contribute to the development of cervical cancer.

Chlamydia infection
Chlamydia is a relatively common kind of bacterial infection that is spread during sex. It can be passed between women through exposure to an infected woman's vaginal fluids - by sharing sex toys without cleaning them properly or changing the condom, by fingering or touching her vagina and then touching your own without washing your hands or using clean gloves each time, or even by rubbing your vaginas together or scissoring. Some studies suggest that there's a higher risk of cervical cancer in women whose blood test results show past or current chlamydia infection (compared with women with normal test results). Chlamydia is often asymptomatic and a woman would never know she was infected unless she got tested for it, which is why its so important to get tested for STDs as a routine health practice along with other exams. Because of the misconception that lesbians are at low risk for transmitting and contracting STDs to one another through sex, sexually active lesbian and queer women may not get tested for STDs as regularly as they should.

Diet
Certain studies suggest that women with diets low in fruits and vegetables may be at increased risk for cervical cancer, and that overweight women are also more likely to develop this cancer. Some studies indicate that lesbian and queer women tend to have higher BMI's than their hetersexual counterparts, and this may occur for a range of different reasons.

Being uninsured or underinsured
Being under- or uninsured is also a risk factor for cervical cancer. Lesbian and queer women are less likely to have health insurance through their own employer or through a partner, and in turn experience significant barriers when trying to access adequate preventive health care services - including Pap tests. This means they may not get regular Pap test screenings which could lead to later diagnosis of cervical cancer, and in turn result in greater difficulty in treatment.

Family history of cervical cancer
Some evidence suggests that cervical cancer may run in some families. If your mother or sister had cervical cancer, doctors believe that your chances of developing the disease are increased by 2 to 3 times. Some researchers suspect that some instances of this are caused by an inherited condition that makes some women less apt to fight off HPV infection than others. In other cases, women from the same family as a woman already diagnosed may be more likely to share one or more of the other non-genetic risk factors described above.

The most important thing is to take care of yourself. Get preventive screenings and STD tests regularly as a part of your normal health care routine. Remain in tune with your body, be alert to changes or signals, and talk to a doctor or health care provider if you do suspect that something is wrong.