Treatment Options For Cervical Cancer Patients?

Answer 1

Cervical cancer can be treated in a variety of ways. The procedure chosen depends on the advanced state of the malignancy as well as the overall health of the patient. Cervical cancer can be treated with radiation therapy, chemotherapy or one of several surgical options. Patients diagnosed with cervical cancer will need to understand the possible benefits and side effects of each treatment.

Radiation Therapy Treatment

There are two types of radiation therapy treatment for patients suffering from cervical cancer. The first is an external treatment in which a high dose of X-rays or other radiation is projected to the cancer cells from a specialized machine. The second form is internal radiation treatment, involving the introduction of a radioactive substance inside a needle or catheter. The device is placed near the cancer cells growing on the tissues of the cervix.

Chemotherapy Treatments For Cervical Cancer

A physician may recommend either an orally taken drug or an intravenous approach. The drugs find their way to the cancer cells via the bloodstream. Regional chemotherapy may be used on certain patients with cervical cancer. Drugs are injected directly into the cervix tissue. The treatment chosen will depend on the stage of cancerous cell growth.

Surgical Procedures For Cervical Cancer

There are several different surgical procedures available for patients with cervical cancer. Conization involves removing surface tissue from part of the cervix. Sometimes this procedure is done to locate the cancer cells and quantify them. If enough of the cells can be removed from the cervix additional surgery may not be required. Another common surgical procedure is laser surgery, where a narrow laser beam is directed at cancer cells in the cervix. The cells are literally burned away. This procedure is used only when the cancer cells are very close to the surface of the tissue.

If the cancer is in an advanced stage a total hysterectomy may be necessary. The uterus and cervix are removed completely, either through the vagina or a deep incision. A radical hysterectomy may be performed if the tumors are present in other parts of the reproductive system. A radical hysterectomy involves removal of not only the cervix and uterus but also the nearby ligaments and possibly the ovaries and fallopian tubes.

The success rate of these procedures cannot be stated precisely because every case of cervical cancer is unique to some degree. If every cancer cell is not removed there is always the chance of the malignancy returning at a later time.