Cervical Cancer - Treatment for Cervical Cancer

Surgery

In the early stages of cervical cancer, surgery is usually the preferred primary treatment approach. Not all women are candidates for all surgical procedures.

Surgery procedures by stage are:

• Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) and Laser Surgery. Used for pre-invasive cancer including cervical intrapethelial neoplasia (CIN) and stage 0.
• Conization. Used for treating pre-invasive cancer (CIN and stage 0) and invasive cancer stage IA1.
• Cryosurgery. Used for stage 0.
• Total (Simple) Hysterecomy. Used for stage 0, stage IA1.
• Radical Hysterectomy. Used for stage IA2, stage IB1 and 1B2, stage IIA.
• Radical Trachelectomy. Used for select women with stage IA2, stage IB1.

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Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), also called large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ), uses a high frequency electrical current to cut away diseased tissue.

• A local anesthetic is applied to the cervix, and a wire loop is inserted into the vagina.
• A button-sized slice of tissue is removed from the cervix for examination.
• A deeper slice is used to evaluate the endocervical canal.

The procedure is done in one office visit. Extensive and deep sections of damaged tissue can be effectively removed in this visit. Disease can be cured in one treatment. When used for dysplasia, it appears to be as effective as more invasive procedures.

Laser Surgery

Laser surgery for cervical cancer uses a laser beam, in place of a knife, to burn off abnormal cells or to remove pieces tissue for biopsy. The laser beam is directed through the vagina.

Conization

Conization is a surgical procedure that removes a cone-shaped piece of tissue from the cervix. Conization uses either a heated wire, like LEEP, or it may involve a scalpel or laser (in which case the procedure is sometimes called “cone knife cone biopsy”). The surgery is performed under general anesthesia in an operating room. With conization, the ability to become pregnant can be preserved in most cases.

Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy attempts to eliminate the cancerous tissue by removing the uterus. In women of childbearing age, the ovaries can usually be left intact. Although a woman who has a hysterectomy but retains her ovaries cannot bear children, she will not go into premature menopause.

Women with cervical cancer usually have either a total (simple) hysterectomy or a radical hysterectomy.