Cervical Cancer Health Center
Cervical Cancer - Treatment Overview
Cervical cancer detected in its early stages can be cured with treatment and close follow-up. Treatment choices for cervical cancer may include one or more of the following therapies:
- Surgery to remove the cancer
- Radiation therapy to treat the cancer itself or other organs affected by the cancer
- Chemotherapy to help make the cancer more sensitive to radiation therapy and to treat cancer that has spread (metastasized)
Your quality of life becomes a critical issue when considering treatment options. Be sure to discuss your personal preferences with your oncologist when he or she recommends treatment.
Initial treatment
The choice of treatment and the long-term outcome (prognosis) of cervical cancer depends on the type and stage of cancer. Your age, overall health, quality of life, and desire to be able to have children must also be considered. Treatment choices for cervical cancer may be a single therapy or a combination of therapies, such as:
- Surgery to remove the cancer.
- Cone biopsy to remove the cancer
- Radical trachelectomy to remove the cervix, part of the vagina, and the pelvic lymph nodes (lymph node dissection) but not the uterus
- Simple hysterectomy to remove the uterus and cervix
- Modified radical hysterectomy and lymph node dissection to remove the cancer
- Radiation therapy, which uses high-dose X-rays or implants in the vaginal cavity to kill cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy, which uses medicines to kill cancer cells.
When you have a hysterectomy, your doctor may also remove your fallopian tubes and your ovaries. This is called a salpingo-oophorectomy (say "sal-PING-oh oh-uh-fuh-REK-tuh-mee").
Surgery to remove the uterus and cervix (hysterectomy) may be done through an incision in the belly. For early-stage cervical cancer, laparoscopic surgery may be possible. This is done with several small incisions in the belly for a tiny camera and special instruments.
Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery uses robotic arms that translate the surgeon's hand motions into finer and more precise movements. This surgery requires specially trained doctors.
Chemotherapy may be given at the same time as radiation therapy (chemoradiation). Compared with radiation alone, chemoradiation improves survival. It is usually used as the primary therapy or after a hysterectomy.
Most treatments for cervical cancer cause side effects. Side effects may differ, depending on the type of treatment used and your age and overall health. Your doctor can talk to you about your treatment choices and the side effects associated with each treatment.
- Side effects of chemotherapy may include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, or hair loss.
- Side effects of radiation therapy may include fatigue, skin irritation, or changes in your bowel or urinary habits.
- Side effects of surgery depend on the surgery used to treat the stage of your cancer.
Home treatment measures may help relieve some common side effects of cancer treatment. For more information, see the Home Treatment section of this topic.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
