Cervical Cancer Treatment Options

Cervical Cancer Treatment Options

Like so many other organs in the body, the cervix can develop cancer. Unlike the others, it is the second-most prone to develop them, next to breast cancer. Cervical cancer doesn't develop quickly. In fact, it can develop very slowly cervical cancer  that the individual doesn't even know it is there until they go for a screening or a physical exam. Since this is very prone to females, it is critical that we talk about different cervical cancer treatment options.

The most accepted way the medical industry treats cervical cancer is through hysterectomy. It is the surgical procedure to remove the uterus. If the cancer is already in the advanced stages, removal of the lymph nodes may prove to be a necessity. This type of treatment is most female’s worst nightmare as it removes their capability to give birth.

Fortunately, there are other, more gentle ways to treat cervical cancer, and keep the maternal capabilities intact. And for those women that want to stay fertile, there are a few cervical cancer treatment options they may opt to choose.

One of the more established processes is the LEEP or loop electrosurgical excision procedure. The benefits include it being on the inexpensive side, a highly successful rate of treatment, doesn't require major surgery, and uses only local anesthesia and can be done in the doctor's office.

Another procedure is the cone biopsy. This surgical process includes removing only the cone-shaped samples from the mucous membrane, and then radiation therapy is applied.

If the cone biopsy doesn't work positively, the next step will be to do trachelectomy. This procedure involves the surgeon trying to remove only area that is cancerous while maintaining the integrity of the uterus and the ovaries. Though, this can only be done if the cervical cancer hasn't scattered to the other regions of the uterus. One disadvantage with this is that there are only a few qualified specialists that are expert enough to perform this complicated and intricate process.

There are also more traditional options:

Radiation Therapy - This is done by applying an external beam to the pelvis. It can even be done internally through a procedure called brachytherapy.

Chemotherapy - This is the most popular and most widely used procedure across all kinds of cancer.

The most important thing to remember when looking for various cervical cancer treatment options is that there is always a possibility that the ability to have children in the future will be compromised.