A clinical review of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth leading malignancy in females globally after breast, lung, and colorectal cancers, with 600 000 new cases and 350 000 deaths in 2022. In 2025, a projected 13 360 patients will be diagnosed with CC, and 4320 will die in the United States. Most patients are between the ages of 35 and 44 at the time of diagnosis, with Black, Latina, Hispanic, American Indian, and Alaska Native females having a higher incidence of CC than White females. Black females have the highest mortality because of their comorbidities and disparities in socioeconomic status, access to care, and education level. The highest incidence and mortality of CC occur in lower-income countries because of inequalities in accessing cervical screening and treatment modalities. Public health priorities are reducing CC risks, and improving early recognition, and prompt treatment. This article presents the risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic studies, pathology, and nursing management of CC.