What is cervical cancer? Cancer is a disease in which certain body cells don’t function right, divide very fast, and produce too much tissue that forms a tumor. Cervical cancer is cancer in the cervix, the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb). The uterus is the hollow, pear-shaped organ where a baby grows during a woman’s pregnancy. The cervix forms a canal that opens into the vagina (birth canal), which leads to the outside of the body. If the Pap test finds serious changes in the cells of the cervix, the doctor will suggest more powerful tests such as a coloscopy. In this procedure, the doctor uses a tool called a colposcope to see the cells of the vagina and cervix in detail.If there are still some concerns of precancerous cells, the doctor may use the LUMA Cervical Imaging System. The doctor uses this device right after a colposcopy. This system, recently approved by the FDA, shines a light on the cervix and looks at how different areas of the cervix respond to this light. It gives a score to tiny areas of the cervix. It then makes a color map that helps the doctor decide where to further test the tissue with a biopsy. The colors and patterns on the map help the doctor tell between healthy tissue and tissue that might be diseased.Why should I be concerned about cervical cancer? Cervical cancer is a disease that can be very serious. However, it is a disease that you can help prevent. Cervical cancer occurs when normal cells in the cervix change into cancer cells. This normally takes several years to happen, but it can also happen in a very short period of time. The good news is that there are ways to help prevent cervical cancer. By getting regular Pap tests and pelvic exams, your health care provider can find and treat the changing cells before they turn into cancer. CERVICAL CANCER TREATMENTS:Treatment of cervical cancer depends on the size and location of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread, and the person’s overall health. In many cases, a team of doctors will work with the woman to determine the best treatment plan.The most common treatments for cervical cancer are surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The type of treatment used depends on the stage of the disease, the size of the tumor, the woman’s age, her health, and her desire to have children. Women who are pregnant may decide to delay treatment until after the baby is born.Chemoradiation (a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy) is generally used for women with invasive cervical cancer. Radiation therapy alone or surgery is generally used for small tumors. Surgery and radiation therapy are both called local therapies because they affect only the area around the cancer site. Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy because it affects the entire body.SurgerySurgery removes the cancerous tissue. For cervical cancer that has not spread beyond the cervix, these procedures are often used Cryosurgery destroys cancer cells by freezing. Laser surgery destroys cancer cells using a narrow beam of intense light. Conization uses the same procedure as a cone biopsy to remove all of the abnormal tissue. LEEP uses an electrical current passed through a thin wire hook. The hook removes the tissue. A hysterectomy removes the uterus and cervix. If needed, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, the removal of both fallopian tubes and both ovaries, is done at the same time as the hysterectomy. For cervical cancer that has spread beyond the cervix, one of these procedures may be used:Radical hysterectomy removes the cervix, uterus, part of the vagina, and the nearby lymph nodes. Exenteration removes the uterus, vagina, lower colon, rectum, or bladder if cervical cancer has spread to these organs following radiation therapy. Complications or side effects from surgery vary depending on the extent of the procedure. Occasionally, patients experience excessive bleeding, infection, or damage to the urinary and intestinal systems.If extensive surgical procedures have affected sexual function, other surgical procedures can construct an artificial vagina. Because these surgical procedures can affect a woman’s sexual health, women may want to talk with their doctor about their symptoms. The doctor may be able to help reduce the side effects of surgery.ChemotherapyChemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy travels through the bloodstream to tumor cells throughout the body. The goal of chemotherapy can be to destroy cancer remaining after surgery, slow the tumor’s growth, or reduce side effects.Although chemotherapy can be given orally (by mouth), most drugs used to treat cervical cancer are given intravenously (IV). IV chemotherapy is either injected directly into a vein or through a thin tube called a catheter, a tube temporarily put into a large vein to make injections easier.Because chemotherapy affects normal cells as well as cancer cells, many people experience side effects from treatment. Side effects depend on the drug used and the dosage amount. Common side effects include nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, low blood count, bleeding or bruising after minor cuts or injuries, numbness and tingling in the hands or feet, headaches, hair loss, and darkening of the skin and fingernails.Other potential side effects include the inability to become pregnant and premature menopause. Rarely, certain drugs may cause some hearing loss. Others may cause kidney damage. Patients may be given extra fluid intravenously for kidney protection. Side effects usually go away when treatment is completed.Radiation therapyRadiation therapy (radiotherapy) uses high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy may be given alone or before surgery to shrink the tumor. Some women may be treated with a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy.The most common type of radiation treatment is called external-beam radiation therapy, which is radiation given from a machine outside the body. Internal radiation therapy is given by delivering a small amount of radioactive material directly to the tumor.Side effects from radiation therapy depend on the dosage and the area of the body being treated. Common side effects include tiredness, mild skin reactions (such as dry or reddened skin at the site of radiation treatment), loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, urinary discomfort, and diarrhea. Side effects of internal radiation therapy may include abdominal pain and bowel obstruction. Most side effects usually go away after treatment is finished.Sometimes, doctors advise their patients not to have sexual intercourse during radiation therapy. Women may resume normal sexual activity within a few weeks after treatment if they feel ready.For more information about radiation therapy, see the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology’s pamphlet, Radiation Therapy for Gynecologic Cancers.Advanced cervical cancerAdvanced cervical cancer has spread beyond the cervix. Palliative treatment with radiation therapy may be given to relieve pain. Chemotherapy and surgery may be used to treat or remove newly affected areas both within the pelvic area and in other parts of the body. The doctor may also suggest entering a clinical trial.Myspace Layouts
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