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Treatment for Cervical Cancer



Treatments for cervical cancer will depend upon the stage the cancer has reached, the age of the patient, her overall health, and the size and shape of the tumor. If the woman wants to have children in the future, the treatment will be decided accordingly as well.

Treatment during the early stages of cervical cancer aims at removing the precancerous tissue or destroying any early cancerous cells. Procedures include:

• Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP)
• Cryotherapy
• Laser therapy
• In cases where the above treatments have been performed but have not been successful, a hysterectomy may be required. Though this is rarely done if the cancer has not spread
  

If the cancer has advanced, treatments may include:

• Radical hysterectomy to remove the uterus, the surrounding lymph nodes and parts of the vagina.
• Pelvic extenteration where all the organs of the pelvis are removed. This is a very extreme form of surgery and rarely used.
• Radiation therapy - If the cancer has spread away from the pelvis or the cancer has recurred. Radiation therapy can be performed internally or externally.
• Chemotherapy
  

Most treatments for cervical cancer include a combination of the above and will change from case to case.