Cervical Cancer Stages and Treatments
by Lance Winslow
Serious cases of cervical cancer can be successfully treated, although it is
best to catch cervical cancer early. The best way to do this is with regular,
routine and periodic paps tests. In the invasive stage more drastic measures
need to be taken to stop the spread of cancer and even in this case if the
cancer has not moved beyond the cervics there is nearly a 90% rate of survival.
Forty years ago we couldn't say that, so things have come along way. By getting
paps tests abnormal cells are found early and removed or treated very
easily.
There are many ways used to treat later stage cervical cancer. Hysterectomy
surgery in the invasive stages is one of the more popular ways to treat cervical
cancer and is used often inn younger women, because it preserve the ovaries.
Hysterectomy removes the uterus and cervix thus removing the cancer in the
process. Hysterectomies in more serious cases include removing part of the
vagina, cervix, uterus as well as any lumph nodes in the region.
Radical trachelectomy can be another method used to preserve fertility, this
would remove the cervix and lower part of the uterus, but the rest of the uterus
is left for bearing the fetus. Lymph nodes are also removed in the pelvis and
there is further surveillance to see if cancer has spread. Chemotherapy anti
cancer drugs can also be used to enter the patients bloodstream which can
increase the effects of radiation to treat cervical cancer. Radiation treatment
is also possible to shrink the tumors killing the cancer cells. This prevents
the cancer cells from reproducing.
The less serious cases are treated with a simple hysterectomy or radical
trachelectomy, which would first choice in invasive stages. Sometimes in later
stages a combination of any of these will be used. If you have periodic paps
tests you can prevent this level of treatment and even if you have to go through
any of these levels of treatment you most likely will end up a cancer survivor
like Lance Armstrong. So talk with your doctor, stay informed, do your own
research and think on this.
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