Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix. The cervix is the lower, narrow opening of the uterus. It leads from your uterus to your vagina. Your cervix looks kind of like a donut if you look at it through your vagina.
Cervical cancer usually takes years to develop. During this time, the cells in the cervix change and grow rapidly. The early changes that happen before it becomes full blown cancer (precancerous) are called “dysplasia” or “cervical intraepithelial neoplasia” (CIN). If these changes are found and treated, cervical cancer can be prevented. If not diagnosed and treated, cervical cancer can spread to other parts of the body and become deadly.
If you have cervical cancer, the doctor will want to find out how far it has spread. This is called staging. You may have heard other people say that their cancer was “stage 1” or “stage 2.” Your doctor will want to find out the stage of your cancer to help decide what type of treatment is best for you.
The stage describes the growth or spread of the cancer through the cervix. It also tells if the cancer has spread to nearby organs or places farther away.
Your cancer can be stage 1, 2, 3, or 4. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, like stage 4, means a more serious cancer that has spread outside the cervix. Be sure to ask the doctor about the cancer stage and what it means for you.
Once there’s a diagnosis of cervical cancer, the next step is to find out how far the cancer may have spread.
Determining the stage may start with a series of imaging tests to look for evidence of cancer. Your doctor can get a better idea of the stage after performing surgery.
Treatment for cervical cancer depends on how far it has spread. Surgical options may include:
- Conization: Removal of the cancerous tissue from the cervix.
- Total hysterectomy: Removal of the cervix and uterus.
- Radical hysterectomy: Removal of the cervix, uterus, part of the vagina, and some surrounding ligaments and tissues. This may also include removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or nearby lymph nodes.
- Modified radical hysterectomy: Removal of the cervix, uterus, upper part of the vagina, some surrounding ligaments and tissues, and possibly nearby lymph nodes.
- Radical trachelectomy: Removal of the cervix, nearby tissue and lymph nodes, and the upper vagina.
- Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: Removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
- Pelvic exenteration: Removal of the bladder, lower colon, rectum, plus the cervix, vagina, ovaries, and nearby lymph nodes. Artificial openings must be made for the flow of urine and stool.
