Final answer:
Cervical cancer typically progresses through stages starting with an HPV infection. It is usually asymptomatic at the early stage but symptoms like abnormal vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain may occur as the disease progresses. Treatment is less likely to be successful at later stages.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cervical cancer typically progresses through several stages, starting with the initial infection by the human papillomavirus (HPV). In most cases, infected cells heal on their own, but in some cases, the virus spreads and becomes an invasive cancer. At the early stage of cervical cancer, there are usually no symptoms. However, as the disease progresses, symptoms such as abnormal vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, or pain during sexual intercourse may occur. Unfortunately, by the time symptoms are present, the cancer has typically reached a stage where treatment is less likely to be successful.