Oncology
Cervical Cancer Treatment
Almost always caused by persistent HPV infection, found by screening long before symptoms — and treated by surgery, chemoradiation or both depending on the stage.
Almost always caused by persistent HPV infection, found by screening long before symptoms — and treated by surgery, chemoradiation or both depending on the stage.
At a glance
- In hospital
- 5 days
- Total stay
- 28 days
- Cost
- Quoted after clinical assessment
Cervical cancer develops when cells of the cervix grow uncontrollably, in most cases after a persistent infection with a high-risk type of the human papillomavirus. That single cause is why screening works so well here: the changes that precede cancer can be found and treated years before a cancer exists.
Symptoms, screening and diagnosis
Bleeding between periods, after intercourse or after menopause is the classic warning sign, along with unusual watery, pink or foul-smelling discharge, pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, and heavier or longer periods. Advanced disease can cause back or leg pain and swelling. Pap smear and HPV testing are the screening tests; colposcopy with a biopsy confirms the diagnosis; and CT, MRI or PET scans establish how far it has spread.
The treatments and how they are chosen
Very early disease may be handled by a cone biopsy, which removes the affected tissue and can preserve fertility. Radical trachelectomy removes the cervix but keeps the uterus, and is offered to selected younger women who want to carry a pregnancy. Hysterectomy removes the uterus and, in a radical version, surrounding tissue and lymph nodes. Beyond the earliest stages the mainstay is chemoradiation — radiotherapy given together with chemotherapy — usually completed with brachytherapy, in which the radiation source is placed inside the cervix itself. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have a role in advanced or recurrent disease, chosen on molecular profiling.
Recovery and what to expect
Recovery depends heavily on which route you take: a minimally invasive procedure heals quickly, while a radical operation or a full course of chemoradiation needs longer and is more demanding. Follow-up examinations continue for years, because catching a recurrence early changes what can be done about it. Emotional support and, where relevant, fertility counselling are part of the care rather than afterthoughts.
The part that prevents it
HPV vaccination, regular Pap and HPV screening, and not smoking are what stop this cancer developing in the first place — worth saying plainly to families travelling with a patient, because sisters and daughters can act on it. If you are being treated and hope to have children afterwards, raise fertility preservation before treatment starts, not after: we will make sure the question reaches your oncologist in writing while the options are still open.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Whether a procedure is right for you is a decision for a qualified clinician who has seen your reports.