The treatments for cervical cancer vary according to the severity and stage of the cancer. If detected in its early stages, treatment is more minimal and less invasive than it is for cancer that has progressed and penetrated deeper into the walls of the cervix. Knowing the symptoms of cervical cancer and receiving annual exams are two means of preventing this disease from going beyond the more easily treated stages.
Symptoms of Cervical Cancer
When cervical cancer is in its early stages, there are often no symptoms present, making the need for annual pelvic exams and Pap tests so important. Symptoms you may experience once the disease begins to progress into more severe stages include vaginal bleeding between menstrual cycles or after intercourse, pelvic pain during or after intercourse, or the appearance of a bloody vaginal discharge that has a watery consistency and foul odor. The Mayo Clinic recommends making an appointment with your gynecologist if you experience any of the above symptoms.
Surgery
Surgery is used for both noninvasive and invasive cervical cancer. Noninvasive is any cancer located and confined outside of the cervix, while invasive cervical cancer has penetrated the inner layer of the cervical wall.
The most common noninvasive surgeries include cryosurgery, which freezes the cancerous cells using liquid nitrogen; laser surgery, a procedure that vaporizes or burns the cancer cells using high energy laser beams, and loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), which passes an electric current through a wire loop to cut away the cancerous tissue from the opening of the cervix.
A hysterectomy might also be recommended, and can be either simple or radical, depending on the stage. If detected early enough, a simple hysterectomy may be all that's needed. During this, the uterus and cervix are removed. Once the cancer has penetrated deeper into the cervix, however, a radical hysterectomy is required. This involves the removal of the uterus, cervix, surrounding lymph nodes and part of the vagina.
Radiation
In cases of invasive cervical cancer, radiation therapy is typically used in conjunction with surgery to ensure the destruction of any stray cancer cells, thus decreasing the odds of recurrence. For cervical cancer, external or internal radiation may be utilized.
External beam delivers low doses of radiation via a machine placed outside of the body. The process is similar to undergoing X-rays and sessions typically last for a period of 6 to 7 weeks. The most common side effects associated with external beam include nausea, diarrhea and skin that appears to be sunburned at the site of administration.
Internal beam delivers high doses of radiation directly into the tumor or nearby areas via plastic tubes containing radioactive seeds, or through thin needles that are placed directly into the tumor. This type of therapy lasts approximately 7 to 10 days, and is administered on an outpatient basis. The radioactive material is inserted and removed the same day. The most common side effects include pelvic discomfort and painful intercourse.
Chemotherapy
In cases when external radiation is used, a chemotherapy drug by the name of cisplatin is generally given as well, according to the Mayo Clinic. Chemotherapy may also be used when radiation is not, or a variety of other chemotherapy drugs may be used to help destroy cancer cells that have spread throughout the body.
Chemotherapy drugs are typically administered through an intravenous line or taken as an oral tablet. Because of the means of administration, the drug travels through your bloodstream, destroying not only the cancer cells, but your healthy cells as well. This results in temporary, yet unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue and hair loss.
