Once it is determined that you have cervical cancer, your doctor should explain the treatment options available to you and recommend the most appropriate option for you. Treatment for cancer of the cervix depends on such factors as the stage of the cancer, the size of the tumor, and the patient's age, overall health, and desire to have children in the future. The following are standard treatments based upon the stage of the cancer.

• Stage 0 Cervical Cancer

  Stage 0 cervical cancer is sometimes called carcinoma in situ.

  Treatment may be one of the following:

  1. Conization
  2. Laser surgery
  3. Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP)
  4. Cryosurgery
  5. Surgery
  
  

• Stage I Cervical Cancer

  Treatment may be one of the following depending on how deep the tumor cells have invaded into the normal tissue:

  For stage IA cancer:

  1. Surgery to remove the cancer, uterus, and cervix (total abdominal hysterectomy) The ovaries may also be taken out (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy), but are usually not removed in younger women.
  2. Conization
  3. For tumors with deeper invasion (3-5 millimeters): Surgery to remove the cancer, the uterus and cervix, and part of the vagina (radical hysterectomy) along with the lymph nodes in the pelvic area (lymph node dissection)
  4. Internal radiation therapy

  For stage IB cancer:

  1. Combination of internal radiation therapy and external radiation therapy
  2. Radical hysterectomy (removal of the cancer, the uterus and cervix, and part of the vagina) and lymph node dissection
  3. Radical hysterectomy (removal of the cancer, the uterus and cervix, and part of the vagina) and lymph node dissection followed by radiation therapy plus chemotherapy
  4. Radiation therapy plus chemotherapy
  
  

• Stage II Cervical Cancer

  Treatment may be one of the following

  For stage IIA cancer:

  1. Combination of internal and external radiation therapy
  2. Radical hysterectomy (removal of the cancer, the uterus and cervix, and part of the vagina) and lymph node dissection
  3. Radical hysterectomy (removal of the cancer, the uterus and cervix, and part of the vagina) and lymph node dissection followed by radiation
  4. Radiation therapy plus chemotherapy

  For stage IIB cancer:

  1. Internal and external radiation therapy plus chemotherapy
  
  

• Stage III Cervical Cancer

  Treatment may be one of the following:

  1. internal and external radiation therapy plus chemotherapy
  
  

• Stage IV Cervical Cancer

  Treatment may be one of the following:

  For stage IVA cancer:

  1. Internal and external radiation therapy plus chemotherapy

  For stage IVB cancer:

  1. Radiation therapy to relieve symptoms caused by the cancer
  2. Chemotherapy
  
  

• Recurrent Cervical Cancer

  If the cancer has come back (recurred) in the pelvis, treatment may be one of the following:

  1. Radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy
  2. Chemotherapy to relieve symptoms caused by the cancer

If the cancer has come back outside of the pelvis, a patient may choose to enter a clinical trial of systemic chemotherapy.