Cervical Cancer - Treatment for Invasive Cervical Cancer

Treatment for Invasive Cervical Cancer

Radiation therapy and surgery are about equally effective as a single option for treating very small cervical cancers in their earliest stages, with survival rates of up to 85 - 90% in appropriate patients. Factors influencing the choice between radiation therapy and surgery in women with invasive cancer include the patient's age and health and the extent of the disease. Both surgery and radiation therapy eliminate the possibility of having children in premenopausal women.

Although treatments for cervical cancer have several potentially severe side effects, they are usually well-tolerated. Women undergoing any of these treatments should feel free to seek support groups and counseling, which can be as important for their outlook as medical therapies.

Surgery

In the early stages of cervical cancer, surgery is often the preferred primary treatment approach since it preserves normal sexual function. Some patients desiring fertility who have early stage I cancer may be candidates for cervical cone biopsy.

Hysterectomy. A hysterectomy attempts to eliminate the cancerous tissue by removing the uterus. There are several variations of this operation, depending on the location of the tumor. In women of childbearing age, the ovaries can usually be left intact. Although a woman who has a hysterectomy but retains her ovaries cannot bear children, she will not go into premature menopause. (Studies indicate that leaving the ovaries intact is safe for most women and does not pose any greater risk for cervical cancer recurrence.)