In 2004, 10,520 women in the U.S. are expected to get cervical cancer, and about 3,900 are expected to die from it. Worldwide, 450,000 cases are diagnosed each year, 200,000 women die from it.

Invasive cervical cancer occurs most often in women over the age of 40.

Precancerous changes of the cervix usually do not cause pain. In fact, they generally do not cause any symptoms and are not detected unless a woman has a pelvic exam and a Pap test. 

Catching cervical cancer early is critical. More than half the deaths from this type of cancer occur in women who were not adequately screened.

Between 1955 and 1992, the number of deaths from cervical cancer declined by 74%, largely due to the advent of the Pap smear.

The five-year survival rate for early invasive cancer of the cervix is 91%. The overall 5-year survival rate for all stages combined is about 70%. For pre-invasive cervical cancer, the 5-year survival rate is nearly 100%.