Cervical Cancer

Treatment

Treatment for cervical cancer depends on tumor size and location, disease stage and the patient's age and overall health. Cervix cancer most often treated with one or a combination of treatments: surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy. Cervical cancer is curable by removing or destroying the pre-cancerous tissue. If the cervix cancer in its early stages, a simple hysterectomy or a radical hysterectomy can be performed. But in the most advanced cases, the pelvic extenteration is used. 

Surgery
Surgery is the primary treatment for cancer of the cervix in its early stages. The type of surgery required depends on the stage and site of the cancer. Some common surgical procedures used as part of treatment for cervical cancer are:

Hysterectomy- A surgical procedure to remove the cervix and uterus. If the uterus and cervix are taken out through the vagina, the operation is called a vaginal hysterectomy. If the uterus and cervix are taken out through a large incision (cut) in the abdomen, the operation is called a total abdominal hysterectomy. If the uterus and cervix are taken out through a small incision in the abdomen using laparascopic technology, the operation is called a total laparoscopic hysterectomy. The common side effects are lower abdominal pain and difficulty with urination after the operation. After a hysterectomy, women no longer menstruate and can no longer have children.

Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy- A surgical procedure to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes

Radical hysterectomy- A surgical procedure to remove the uterus, cervix, and part of the vagina. During a radical hysterectomy, the lymph nodes in the pelvic area are usually removed as well. This is called lymph node dissection. (Lymph nodes are small bean-shaped structures that are found throughout the body. In this procedure it is not  necessary to remove the ovaries in a radical hysterectomy, which helps keep the woman's ovaries working.

Pelvic exenteration- A surgical procedure to remove the lower colon, rectum, and bladder. In women, the cervix, vagina, ovaries, and nearby lymph nodes are also removed. Artificial openings (stoma) are made for urine and stool to flow from the body to a collection bag. Plastic surgery may be needed to make an artificial vagina after this operation.

Cryosurgery - This surgery technique uses an instrument to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue, such as carcinoma in situ. This type of treatment is also called cryotherapy. The technique is used to treat pre-invasive cancer of the cervix.

Laser surgery-  A surgical procedure that uses a laser beam (a narrow beam of intense light) as a knife to make bloodless cuts in tissue or to remove a small piece of tissue. 

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP)- A treatment that uses electrical current passed through a thin wire loop as a knife to cutting out the abnormal cells.

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