Causes, screening, and treatments: getting a clearer picture.
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Medically reviewed by
Prof. Éric Lambaudie
Updated on
August 6, 2026
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Have you been offered surgery?
Have you been offered surgery?
Surgery is never trivial. A medical specialist will analyze your file to confirm the recommendation or explore other therapeutic options.
Is there an alternative to surgery?
Is there an alternative to surgery?
A surgeon specializing in your condition will re-evaluate your file to confirm if surgery is necessary or to identify less invasive solutions.
Have you been presented with several treatment options?
Have you been presented with several treatment options?
Have you been presented with several treatment options?
An expert physician will analyze your medical records and history to help you choose the most appropriate strategy for your situation, whether it be medical treatment, surgery, or monitoring.
Torn between two treatments?
Torn between two treatments?
A specialist will explain exactly what each option entails, including effectiveness, side effects, and daily impact, so you can make your decision with confidence.
Still unsure about your diagnosis?
Still unsure about your diagnosis?
Still unsure about your diagnosis?
A specialist doctor will analyze your complete file (tests, imaging, medical history) to provide you with a reasoned diagnosis and guide your care.
Have you just received a diagnosis?
Have you just received a diagnosis?
Have you just received a diagnosis?
Have your medical file reviewed by a specialist in your condition. You will receive an additional opinion in less than 7 days, helping you move forward with clarity.
Is your condition rare or complex?
Is your condition rare or complex?
Diagdoor gives you access to a doctor who specializes in your condition to confirm your treatment plan, no matter where you live.
When facing cancer or a serious illness, every decision counts.
When facing cancer or a serious illness, every decision counts.
A doctor at an expert center will review your file to confirm your care plan, clarify the available options, and help you make decisions with confidence.
Have you received a diagnosis or been offered a treatment plan?
Have you received a diagnosis or been offered a treatment plan?
Have you received a diagnosis or been offered a treatment plan?
Submit your file in just a few minutes and get an expert opinion in under 7 days.
Have you received a diagnosis or been offered a treatment plan?
Submit your file in just a few minutes and get an expert opinion in under 7 days.
What is a medical second opinion?
What is a medical second opinion?
Following a diagnosis or a proposed treatment plan, a medical specialist can analyze your file and provide an additional perspective.
Your health insurance may cover your second opinion.
Your health insurance may cover your second opinion.
Many partner health insurance providers cover the Diagdoor service with no upfront costs. Check your eligibility as soon as you create your account.
Are you looking for a second opinion for a loved one?
Are you looking for a second opinion for a loved one?
The process is entirely online. Upload your available medical documents, and our team will take care of the rest.
How does a second opinion work on Diagdoor?
How does a second opinion work on Diagdoor?
Upload your medical documents online; our team will review your file within 48 hours, and an expert will provide their opinion in less than 7 days. Simple, secure, 100% online.
Not sure if your case is eligible?
Not sure if your case is eligible?
Our medical team can guide you before you submit your request. Describe your situation, and we will help you determine if Diagdoor can be of assistance.
Need the opinion of a
[spec]
Need the opinion of a
[spec]
Upload your file to Diagdoor. A
[spec]
specialist
on your condition
analyzes it and provides a reasoned opinion in less than 7 days.
Cervical cancer affects thousands of women in France every year, sometimes detected during a routine exam and sometimes revealed by symptoms. It develops slowly, starting from a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, making it one of the few cancers where screening truly changes the outcome. From an abnormal result to the treatment decision, every step of the journey deserves to be understood.
Key points
- HPV (human papillomavirus) is responsible for over 90% of cervical cancers: it is a very common, sexually transmitted virus that is spontaneously cleared by the immune system in most cases.
- Thanks to organized screening (smear tests and high-risk HPV tests) and vaccination, this cancer is preventable in nearly 90% of cases.
- When it is diagnosed, effective treatments exist: surgery for early stages, and chemoradiotherapy for more advanced stages.
- Between diagnosis and the start of treatment, there is a window of time to ask the right questions and ensure that the proposed strategy aligns with your personal situation.
A cancer that stems from a viral infection and progresses slowly
The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. It should not be confused with the body of the uterus: endometrial cancer is a distinct disease. Cervical cancer develops from cells located at the junction of two types of mucous membranes, an area particularly sensitive to HPV infection. When this virus persists, it can lead to progressive cellular changes, known as precancerous lesions or CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia), which can progress to invasive cancer over a period of 10 to 15 years.
There are two main histological types:
- Squamous cell carcinoma : accounting for about 70 to 80% of cases, it develops from the cells on the surface of the cervix
- Adenocarcinoma : it affects the glandular cells of the cervical canal and represents an increasing proportion of diagnoses
These two types are not treated in the same way, which makes the precision of the histological diagnosis crucial for choosing the right therapy.
3,159
new cases diagnosed in France in 2023
90%
of cervical cancers are preventable through screening and vaccination
40%
of patients diagnosed are under 50 years old
Signs are often absent at first, then become increasingly visible
Cervical cancer is frequently asymptomatic in the early stages: this is precisely what makes screening essential, even in the absence of discomfort. When signs do appear, the most characteristic are abnormal vaginal bleeding (after intercourse, between periods, or after menopause), as well as unusual vaginal discharge. These symptoms may have benign causes, but they warrant a gynecological consultation to identify the source.
Screening and vaccination: two levers for a preventable cancer
France has a national organized screening program: a Pap smear between the ages of 25 and 29, followed by a high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) test every 5 years between 30 and 65. HPV vaccination is recommended for girls and boys between 11 and 14, with catch-up vaccination available up to age 19. An abnormal result does not automatically mean cancer is present. A colposcopy (examination of the cervix with magnification) accompanied by a biopsy helps determine the nature of the abnormalities and guides the next steps in care.
Treatment adapted to the stage of the disease
For early stages, surgery is the gold standard: conization, trachelectomy (which preserves the uterine body for women wishing to become pregnant), or hysterectomy, depending on the extent of the disease. For locally advanced stages, concurrent chemoradiotherapy combined with brachytherapy is the standard treatment. The choice between these two strategies is based on specific criteria (tumor size, extension beyond the cervix, lymph node assessment results) and is determined by a multidisciplinary team (RCP) after a complete review of the file.
A second opinion before major decisions
Between a confirmed diagnosis and the start of treatment, there is a window to ensure that all options have been examined in light of your specific situation. A Diagdoor second opinion is based on a comprehensive review of the medical file (biopsies, imaging, multidisciplinary team reports) by a gynecological surgeon specializing in gynecological oncology. It does not call into question the quality of care received; rather, it provides additional insight to help you move forward with greater clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cervical cancer?
It is a cancer that develops from the cells of the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. In over 90% of cases, it is caused by a persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
How do you get cervical cancer?
HPV is transmitted sexually and affects the vast majority of sexually active people at least once in their lifetime. In most cases, the body clears the virus on its own; it is its persistence that can lead to precancerous lesions and, eventually, cancer.
Is cervical cancer serious?
When detected at an early stage, this cancer can be treated effectively with surgery or radiation/chemotherapy. Its severity depends on the stage at the time of diagnosis, which makes regular screening crucial.
What is the first sign of cervical cancer?
In the early stages, this cancer is often asymptomatic. When symptoms do appear, the most common is abnormal vaginal bleeding: after intercourse, between periods, or after menopause.
Can cervical cancer affect young women?
Yes: about 40% of patients diagnosed are under 50, and this cancer can affect women of childbearing age. Therefore, fertility preservation is a factor that must be considered in certain cases.
Need the opinion of a
surgical oncologist
Upload your file to Diagdoor. A
surgical oncologist
specialist
of cervical cancer
analyzes it and provides a reasoned opinion in less than 7 days.
Sources
- French National Health Insurance (Ameli.fr), Understanding cervical cancer, 2024
- French National Health Insurance (Ameli.fr), Organized cervical cancer screening, 2024
- National Cancer Institute (INCa), Cervical cancer, 2025
- National Cancer Institute (INCa), Cancer Overview in France 2025, 2026
- Santé Publique France / BEH, Cervical cancer prevention in France: current status, 2025
- Gustave Roussy, Cervical cancer, 2024
Further Reading
Why get a second opinion?
Understand the situations in which a second opinion can help you confirm a diagnosis or guide your treatment plan.
How does it work?
Understand the situations in which a second opinion can help you confirm a diagnosis or guide your treatment plan.
Did you know?
Have you been offered surgery?
Have you been offered surgery?
Surgery is never trivial. A medical specialist will analyze your file to confirm the recommendation or explore other therapeutic options.
Is there an alternative to surgery?
Is there an alternative to surgery?
A surgeon specializing in your condition will re-evaluate your file to confirm if surgery is necessary or to identify less invasive solutions.
Have you been presented with several treatment options?
Have you been presented with several treatment options?
Have you been presented with several treatment options?
An expert physician will analyze your medical records and history to help you choose the most appropriate strategy for your situation, whether it be medical treatment, surgery, or monitoring.
Torn between two treatments?
Torn between two treatments?
A specialist will explain exactly what each option entails, including effectiveness, side effects, and daily impact, so you can make your decision with confidence.
Still unsure about your diagnosis?
Still unsure about your diagnosis?
Still unsure about your diagnosis?
A specialist doctor will analyze your complete file (tests, imaging, medical history) to provide you with a reasoned diagnosis and guide your care.
Have you just received a diagnosis?
Have you just received a diagnosis?
Have you just received a diagnosis?
Have your medical file reviewed by a specialist in your condition. You will receive an additional opinion in less than 7 days, helping you move forward with clarity.
Is your condition rare or complex?
Is your condition rare or complex?
Diagdoor gives you access to a doctor who specializes in your condition to confirm your treatment plan, no matter where you live.
When facing cancer or a serious illness, every decision counts.
When facing cancer or a serious illness, every decision counts.
A doctor at an expert center will review your file to confirm your care plan, clarify the available options, and help you make decisions with confidence.
Have you received a diagnosis or been offered a treatment plan?
Have you received a diagnosis or been offered a treatment plan?
Have you received a diagnosis or been offered a treatment plan?
Submit your file in just a few minutes and get an expert opinion in under 7 days.
Have you received a diagnosis or been offered a treatment plan?
Submit your file in just a few minutes and get an expert opinion in under 7 days.
What is a medical second opinion?
What is a medical second opinion?
Following a diagnosis or a proposed treatment plan, a medical specialist can analyze your file and provide an additional perspective.
Your health insurance may cover your second opinion.
Your health insurance may cover your second opinion.
Many partner health insurance providers cover the Diagdoor service with no upfront costs. Check your eligibility as soon as you create your account.
Are you looking for a second opinion for a loved one?
Are you looking for a second opinion for a loved one?
The process is entirely online. Upload your available medical documents, and our team will take care of the rest.
How does a second opinion work on Diagdoor?
How does a second opinion work on Diagdoor?
Upload your medical documents online; our team will review your file within 48 hours, and an expert will provide their opinion in less than 7 days. Simple, secure, 100% online.
Not sure if your case is eligible?
Not sure if your case is eligible?
Our medical team can guide you before you submit your request. Describe your situation, and we will help you determine if Diagdoor can be of assistance.
Need the opinion of a
surgical oncologist
Need the opinion of a
surgical oncologist
Upload your file to Diagdoor. A
surgical oncologist
specialist
of cervical cancer
analyzes it and provides a reasoned opinion in less than 7 days.
