Understanding Cervical Polyps

Cervical polyps are common, usually harmless growths that develop on the cervix, which is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. While finding any growth can be unsettling, it is important to know that the vast majority of these polyps are benign (not cancer) ^[1][2].

What is a Cervical Polyp?

A cervical polyp is a hyperplastic lesion, which is a small area of overgrown tissue ^[3]. Most of these growths originate from the endocervical canal (the tunnel-like passage through the cervix) ^[3].

Physically, most polyps are pedunculated, meaning they look like a small grape or cherry attached to the cervix by a thin, stalk-like stem ^[3][4]. They are typically small—often less than 1 or 2 centimeters—though they can occasionally grow larger than 4 centimeters ^[3].

Who Gets Them and How Common Are They?

These growths are very common in adults, particularly those in their 40s and 50s ^[3][5]. They are rare in children ^[5].

It is difficult to determine exactly how many people have them in the general population, because many people with polyps have no symptoms. Incidence rates often depend on the specific group being studied. For example, one study of women with high-risk HPV (human papillomavirus) found that about 6.9% of them had cervical polyps ^[6]. However, having a polyp does not mean you are at a higher risk for cervical precancer ^[6].

Understanding the Risk of Cancer

The risk of a cervical polyp being cancerous is very low, but it is not zero. Because studies look at different populations, the exact risk varies depending on your age and symptoms:

• In one large study of nearly 900 women with no symptoms and normal Pap tests, none of the removed polyps were cancerous ^[1].
• In a different group of 299 patients, many of whom were older or menopausal, about 2% of polyps showed premalignant (pre-cancerous) changes, and 0.3% contained malignant cells ^[7].
• Rarely, even a small polyp can harbor serious cells even if a prior Pap test was normal ^[8].

Because of this small risk, many doctors recommend removing polyps if they are causing symptoms or if you have reached menopause, so the tissue can be examined by a pathologist (a doctor who studies tissues under a microscope) ^[7][2].

Managing Abnormal Bleeding

If you are experiencing abnormal bleeding—such as spotting between periods, bleeding after sex, or any bleeding after menopause—your doctor may find a polyp during your exam. While polyps are a common cause of this bleeding, you should never assume the polyp is the only cause ^[7][9].

It is possible to have both a cervical polyp and a separate issue within the uterus, such as endometrial polyps or changes in the uterine lining ^[9][7]. For this reason, doctors may recommend endometrial sampling (taking a small sample of the lining of the uterus) alongside treating the cervical polyp, especially for postmenopausal patients ^[7].

What Happens Next?

If your polyp is small, you have no symptoms, and you have a normal, up-to-date Pap test, your doctor may suggest simply watching it ^[2][1]. However, if the polyp is causing bleeding or looks unusual, it can often be removed quickly during a regular office visit ^[2].

Once removed, the tissue is sent to a laboratory to confirm it is benign, providing a definitive answer that a visual exam alone cannot offer ^[10][2]. Even after a polyp is removed, you should continue with your regular cervical cancer screening schedule as recommended by your care team ^[2].