Cervical cancer
The terms 1 year survival and 5 year survival don't mean that you will only live for 1 or 5 years.
The NHS, other health organisations, and researchers collect information. They record what happens to people with cancer in the years after their diagnosis. 5 years is a common time point to measure survival. But some people live much longer than this.
5 year survival is the number of people who have not died from their cancer within 5 years after diagnosis.
The stage of a cancer tells you about its size and whether it has spread. Your outlook (prognosis) depends on the stage of your cancer at diagnosis.
Read more about the stages of cervical cancer
There are no UK-wide statistics available for cervical cancer survival by stage.
Survival statistics are available for each stage of cervical cancer in England. These figures are for people diagnosed between 2013 and 2017. These statistics are non-age-standardised which means they don't take into account the age of the people with cervical cancer.
Around 95 out of 100 people (around 95%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
Almost 70 out of 100 people (almost 70%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
More than 40 out of 100 people (more than 40%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
Around 15 out of 100 people (around 15%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after being diagnosed.
Read more about the stages of cervical cancer
The UK survival statistics come from England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have a similar population and health care system. So we can apply these survival statistics to the whole of the UK.
Generally for women with cervical cancer in the UK:
around 85 out of every 100 (around 85%) survive their cancer for 1 year or more
around 70 out of every 100 (around 70%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more
around 65 out of every 100 (around 65%) survive their cancer for 10 years or more
Your outlook depends on the stage of the cancer when it was diagnosed. This means how big it is and whether it has spread.
The type of cancer and grade of the cancer cells can also affect your survival. Grade means how abnormal the cells look under the microscope.
Your general health and fitness also affect survival. The fitter you are, the better you may be able to cope with your cancer and treatment.
For more in-depth information about survival and cervical cancer, go to our Cancer Statistics section.
Last reviewed: 21 Sept 2023
Next review due: 21 Sept 2026
Your treatment depends on several factors. These include what type of cervical cancer you have, how big it is, whether it has spread (the stage) and the grade. It also depends on your general health.
There is support available during and after treatment to help you cope. This includes support from your clinical nurse specialist, cancer charities, community services, and family and friends.
Cervical cancer is when abnormal cells in the lining of the cervix grow uncontrollably and eventually form a growth (tumour).
Coping with cancer can be difficult. There is help and support available. Find out about the emotional, physical and practical effects of cancer and how to manage them.
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