Cervical cancer diagnosis

The main tests you will have to check if you have cervical cancer are:

• colposcopy
• biopsy

If you have symptoms

If your GP is concerned by your symptoms they will refer you to a gynaecologist (female reproductive system specialist).

What to expect at a gynaecology appointment

Your gynaecologist will ask about your symptoms and examine you.

They may:

• check your cervix, uterus and ovaries by inserting their fingers in your vagina
• do a pelvic ultrasound by putting an ultrasound probe in your vagina to check your uterus and ovaries
• take a small sample of cervical tissue (cervical biopsy)
• take a small sample from the lining of your womb (endometrial biopsy)
• order blood tests to check how your hormones are working
• take a swab to look for vaginal infection (high vaginal swab)
• take a swab from your cervix to look for infection (endocervical swab)
• take a sample of your pee to check for infection

Colposcopy

You may be referred for a test called a colposcopy.

In a colposcopy, a specialist doctor or nurse (colposcopist) checks if cells in your cervix are abnormal.

When you might need colposcopy

If abnormal cells are found

In most cases, abnormal cells do not mean you have cervical cancer. But sometimes there's a risk they could turn into cervical cancer if not treated.

Abnormal cell changes are often not harmful. They sometimes go away on their own or can be treated at colposcopy. The treatment stops precancerous cells from developing into cancer.

Some women have an early cancer detected and treated at colposcopy.

Biopsy

Your doctor or nurse may take a small sample of tissue from your cervix. This will be sent to a lab to be examined. This is called a biopsy. The biopsy result will diagnose if you have cancer or not.

Further tests for cancer

Most colposcopy or biopsy results are normal.

They may show abnormal cells in the cervix - but most are not cancer.

In some cases, they may suggest you have cervical cancer. If they do, you will have more tests. This is to see if you have cancer.

If you have cervical cancer, your doctor will do tests to check if the cancer has spread.

These tests will help them to decide on a treatment plan for you.

The tests may include:

• blood tests
• a pelvic examination - to check your womb, vagina, rectum and bladder for cancer while you're under general anaesthetic (unconscious)
• a computerised tomography (CT) scan - to help check for cancerous tumours and show if cancerous cells have spread
• an MRI scan - to check if the cancer has spread
• a positron emission tomography (PET) scan - often done with a CT scan - to see if the cancer has spread or if you're responding to treatment

Staging for cervical cancer

Staging is a way to measure how far the cancer has spread. It usually happens after you have all your test results.

The higher the stage number, the more the cancer has spread.

Stage 0

No cancerous cells in the cervix. But there are abnormal cells that could develop into cancer in the future. This is called pre-cancer or carcinoma in situ.

If you have abnormal cells

Stage 1

The cancer is only inside the cervix.

Stage 2

The cancer has spread outside the cervix into the tissue around it. But it has not reached the tissues lining the pelvis (pelvic wall) or the lower part of the vagina.

Stage 3

The cancer has spread into the lower section of the vagina or pelvic wall.

Stage 4

The cancer has spread into the bowel, bladder or other organs.