I had my first cervical cancer in 2002 and had chemo, radiation and surgery at that time. Over the next 2 years I had increasing pain that started in my hip area and went into my back and leg. I was taking a couple of motrin every 4 hours day and night trying to stay ahead of the pain. I was told at the time it was a pinched nerve in my back and was finally sent for an MRI and to a pain clinic for treatment. It turned out to be a very large tumor in my L-3 and in the surrounding area. The crvical cancer had returned in my back. The only thing that controlled the pain was Bextra with morphine for the break through pain until we were able to shrink the tumor. I had topotican and cesplatin over 3 months which shank the tumor by two-thirds, followed by 6 weeks of radiation. I have been pain free for the past 18 months, even though the cancer returned a third time in a new location. To answer your question - yes the extreme pain can be the cancer and I would see a Doctor soon! Form what my Doctor told me the back is not usually where the cevical cancer travels, but it can and mine did.