Cancer of the Cervix
Alternate Names : Cervical Cancer, Cervical Tumor, Cervical Carcinoma
What are the treatments for the disease?
If cancer of the cervix is diagnosed early, the cancer may be removed
surgically. Options for surgical removal include the following:
cone biopsy, a
procedure in which a portion of the center of the cervix is removed. This
procedure is also used to diagnose the cancer. During the diagnostic cold cone
biopsy, the cancer is often completely removed.
hysterectomy, or surgical removal of the uterus and cervixCancer is more likely to come back in a woman treated with cone biopsy. If the cancer has invaded deeper layers of the cervix and has spread to the
uterus, more extensive treatment may be involved, such as the following:
modified radical hysterectomy. During this type of surgery, the uterus,
cervix, upper vagina, and surrounding tissue are removed. Depending on the
extent of the cancer and a woman's age, the ovaries may be left in place.
radiation therapy, which is sometimes used before or after surgery
to shrink the tumor cells further
radiation therapy
and chemotherapy
together. Sometimes a woman isn't a good candidate for surgery, because of her
age or other medical conditions. In this instance, radiation therapy may be used
alone or with chemotherapy.
biological response
modifiers, BRMs, which are substances that help to help strengthen
the immune system's fight against cancer or infection. Interferon is a BRM that
is sometimes used in treatment of cervical cancer, often in combination with
chemotherapy.
What are the side effects of the treatments?
Possible side effects and complications of hysterectomy are as follows:
inability to control urination
sexual problems
psychological
stress
swelling in the
legs
bleeding that requires a blood
transfusion
allergic reaction to
anesthesia
Chemotherapy and
radiation therapy may cause a wide variety of side effects,
including hair loss,
fatigue, decreased
ability
to fight infections, and
nausea.
Biological
response modifiers such as interferon may cause flu-like symptoms,
including body aches,
nausea, and
fatigue.
What happens after treatment for the disease?
The outcome for a woman with cervical cancer depends on many factors, such as the following:
the woman's overall health
the woman's age when she was first diagnosed
the type and growth of specific cancer cells
how far the disease has spread
the skill of the surgeonAfter treatment, the
chance that a woman will live for 5 more years depends on the stage of the
cancer. Survival rates for the various stages are as follows:
stage 1, 80% to 85%
stage 2, 50% to 65%
stage 3, 30% to 40%
stage 4, less than 12%
How is the disease monitored?
After treatment, a woman will be closely followed for signs that the cancer of
the cervix has come back.
A pelvic exam and Pap smear, if the cervix is intact, will be done every 3
months for at least 2 years and then every 6 months after that.
Because cancer tends to come back at the same spot or spread to the
lungs and liver, chest X-rays and liver function tests are
done once a year.
If a woman has had a hysterectomy, the top of the vagina is cuffed, or
closed. Colposcopy may
be done at follow-up visits to examine the vaginal cuff.
Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported to
the healthcare provider.
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