Cervical cancer

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Cervical biopsy	Cervical cancer	Cervical cancer	Cervical neoplasia
The Pap smear

Many factors influence the outcome of cervical cancer. These include: 

• The type of cancer
• The stage of the disease
• The age and general physical condition of the woman

Pre-cancer conditions are completely curable when followed up and treated properly. The chance of being alive in 5 years (5-year survival rate) for cancer that has spread to the inside of the cervix walls but not outside the cervix area is 92%.

However, the 5-year survival rate falls steadily as the cancer spreads into other areas.

• Some types of cervical cancer do not respond well to treatment.
• The cancer may come back (recur) after treatment.
• Women who have treatment to save the uterus have a high risk of the cancer coming back (recurrence). 
• Surgery and radiation can cause problems with sexual, bowel, and bladder function.

Call your health care provider if you:

• Are a sexually active woman who has not had a Pap smear in the past year
• Are at least 20 years old and have never had a pelvic examination and Pap smear
• Think your mother may have taken DES when she was pregnant with you
• Have not had regular Pap smears (ask your health care provider how often you should have one performed)

Review Date: 06/09/2006
Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.