What is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer is a disease most commonly diagnosed in women between the ages of 30-50. It is a serious diagnosis that requires prompt and urgent attention. The treatment of cervical cancer is complex and should be managed by a gynae-oncologist who will work closely with a multi-disciplinary team.
To help you better understand your treatment, here are a few important points we have put together for you:
Understanding Your Options
The two pillars of curative treatment in cervical cancer are surgery and radiotherapy. International guidelines recommend:
- Surgery in early-stage cancers.
- Radiation therapy in later stages.
In general:
- Surgery is used to treat early cervical cancers from stages 1-2A.
- Radiation treatment is used for locally advanced cancers, i.e. Stages 2B-4A.
Sometimes radiotherapy and chemotherapy may still need to be added on after surgery in high-risk, early-stage cases. Low-dose chemotherapy is usually combined with radiation in locally advanced cancers to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy.
Is Chemotherapy and Surgery an Option in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer?
Some surgeons still recommend surgery in locally advanced cervical cancers. They may offer chemotherapy pre-operatively to shrink the tumor, followed by surgery. However, such recommendations are based on outdated practices and lack a strong scientific basis.
Recent studies have compared surgery and chemotherapy with the standard radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment:
- One study showed no difference in outcomes between the two groups. However, more than one-third of patients in the surgery group still required radiotherapy and chemotherapy afterward, exposing them to the side effects of all three treatments.
- A second study found that patients who received the standard radiotherapy treatment had better survival rates than those who underwent experimental surgery, with 5-year disease-free survival rates of 77% for radiotherapy vs. 69% for surgery.
Based on these studies, radiotherapy and chemotherapy remain the standard of care in locally advanced cervical cancer as they provide the best outcomes. This is reflected in all major international guidelines for cervical cancer treatment.
What are the Common Symptoms of Cervical Cancer?
Early Stages of Cancer
Unfortunately, early-stage cervical cancer usually does not produce any signs or symptoms.
Later Stages of Cancer
Signs and symptoms of more advanced cervical cancer include:
- Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods, or after menopause
- Watery, bloody vaginal discharge that may be heavy and have a foul odor
- Pelvic pain or pain during intercourse
Disclaimer: The content for this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your oncologist with any questions regarding a medical condition. Do not disregard medical advice or delay seeking it based on information from this site.