Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer forms in tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina).
- It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope).
- Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
- There were 11,270 estimated new cases and 4,070 estimated deaths from cervical cancer in the United States in 2009.
Treatment
Women with cervical cancer have many treatment options. The options are:
- surgery
- radiation therapy
- chemotherapy
- or a combination of methods.
The choice of treatment depends mainly on the size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread. The treatment choice may also depend on whether you would like to become pregnant someday.
Surgery
- Surgery is an option for women with Stage I or II cervical cancer.
- The surgeon removes tissue that may contain cancer cells.
- In Radical Trachelectomy:, the surgeon removes the cervix, part of the vagina, and the lymph nodes in the pelvis. This option is for a small number of women with small tumors who want to try to get pregnant later on.
- In Total Hysterectomy, the surgeon removes the cervix and uterus.
- In Radical Hysterectomy, the surgeon removes the cervix, some tissue around the cervix, the uterus, and part of the vagina.
- With either total or radical hysterectomy, the surgeon may remove both fallopian tubes and ovaries and the lymph nodes near the tumor to see if they contain cancer. If cancer cells have reached the lymph nodes, it means the disease may have spread to other parts of the body.
Radiation Therapy
- Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is an option for women with any stage of cervical cancer.
- Women with early stage cervical cancer may choose radiation therapy instead of surgery.
- It also may be used after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that remain in the area.
- Women with cancer that extends beyond the cervix may have radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Doctors use two types of radiation therapy to treat cervical cancer. Some women receive both types:
- External radiation Therapy: A large machine directs radiation at your pelvis or other tissues where the cancer has spread. The treatment is given in our cancer treatment center. You may receive external radiation 5 days a week for several weeks. Each treatment takes only a few minutes.
- Internal Radiation Therapy: A thin tube is placed inside the uterus and vagina. A radioactive substance is loaded into the tube. The treatment sessions last a few minutes, and you can go home afterward. Once the treatment is completed, no radioactivity is left in your body. Internal radiation may be repeated two or more times over several weeks.
Chemotherapy
For the treatment of cervical cancer, chemotherapy is usually combined with radiation therapy. For cancer that has spread to distant organs, chemotherapy alone may be used.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs for cervical cancer are usually given through a vein (intravenous). You may receive chemotherapy in a clinic, at the doctor's office, or at home. Some women need to stay in the hospital during treatment.
For further information about cervical cancer, please visit the NCI Web site at to learn about cervical cancer symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and questions to ask the doctor.
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