1. Basics of Cervical Cancer
Cancerous lesions that forms in the cervical tissue (the organ connecting the vagina and uterus) is called cervical cancer. It is usually a cancer that grows slowly and may not have any symptoms or signs but can be detected by regular Pap tests (a minor screening where cells are taken from the cervix and examined under a microscope). Treatment consists of different types of surgery in the beginning or early stages and more radical surgery with radiation and chemotherapy in more advanced stages of the disease.
2. Early-Stage Cervical Cancer Treatment Options
There are many options for treatment of cervical cancer limited to the layer outside of the cervix. These usually include removal of the abnormal cell areas. Some of the procedures done are conization, where a cone-shaped piece of tissue is removed, laser surgery using a beam of light to destroy the cells, loop electrosurgical excision procedures, which use an electric current to cut the affected area out, and cryosurgery to freeze the area for removal. Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) has the potential to cure early-stage cancers and stop them from coming back, but this option makes it impossible to become pregnant in the future.
3. Surgical Options for Invasive and Persistent Cancer
Invasive cervical cancer is one which invades the deep layer of cells of the cervix and requires a more invasive and intensive type of treatment. In these cases, there are several things to consider prior to making a decision on treatment; these include other health issues the person has, preferences of the patient and stage of cancer. A radical hysterectomy may be advised and is the removal of the cervix, vagina, uterus and lymph nodes and is used to treat invasive types of cancer in the cervix which has no signs of tumor in the pelvis.
4. Radiation Therapy
Radiation treatment uses an external beam or implantation of radioactive devices inside your body near your cervix. This option is safe and effective for early stage cancer but the treatment of choice for advanced cancer is use of the radiation beam that uses high-powered energy to kill cancer cells. Both of these methods of radiation therapy can be used alone or in combination with medication (chemotherapy) with good results.
5. Chemotherapy and Tumor Shrinkage
Chemotherapy is an effective choice for shrinking a tumor and can be used in conjunction with radiation. These types of medicines injected into a vein and work by killing quickly growing cancer cells. Low doses of chemotherapy are often combined with radiation therapy. The various types of side effects of chemotherapy will depend on the drugs being given, but include diarrhea, fatigue, nausea and hair loss.
