Cervical cancer is a condition wherein cancer occurs in the cells of the cervix, an organ located at the lower part of the uterus, which connects to the vagina. Sexually transmitted infections such as HPV or various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) are a prime causal factor for most cervical cancer cases.

Typically, a woman’s immune system prevents HPV from doing any harm. But, in many cases, the infection survives for years in the uterus and gradually causes genetic mutation in the cells, ultimately resulting in cancer. The risk of developing cervical cancer can be reduced by periodic cervical cancer screening. The condition can also be prevented by receiving a vaccine that protects against HPV infection.

The process of treatment for cervical cancer depends on its symptoms and stages:

1. Stages

Based on the severity of symptoms, cervical cancer is categorized into different stages. These are:

• Stage I: In this stage, the symptoms of cancer are confined only to the cervix.
• Stage II: In stage II, cancer present in the cervix will start spreading to the upper portion of the vagina.
• Stage III: In this stage, cancer will travel to the lower portion of the vagina and also impact the pelvic sidewall internally.
• Stage IV: In stage IV cancer. the growth will spread exponentially and affect most of the nearby organs such as the bladder or rectum. Furthermore, it will also move to other parts of the body such as bones, liver, lungs, etc.

2. Treatment
Cervical cancer treatment is dependent on various factors such as the overall health condition of the patient, the severity of the symptoms, and the stage of the disease. In addition to this, it depends on the patient’s willingness to undergo a particular treatment procedure. Various treatment methods for cervical cancer include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of the three as required.

• Surgery
  In stage I or the early stages of cervical cancer, surgery is the primary mode of treatment. In this stage, the infected uterus is removed to prevent the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. This process is known as hysterectomy. Hysterectomy-based treatment can cure the recurrence of cervical cancer. However, the removal of the uterus prevents any future chances of pregnancy.
• Radiation
  Radiation therapy is the second most common procedure among cervical cancer treatment methods. In this procedure, high-powered energy beams like protons or X-rays are used to destroy the cancer cells. Based on the condition of the patient and the progression of cancer, radiation therapy is sometimes combined with chemotherapy. In certain cases, it is prescribed before surgery to reduce or shrink the cancerous tumor for a smoother operation. Sometimes it is also used to destroy the remaining cancer cells post-surgery.
• It is to be noted that there will be menopausal disturbances due to the side-effects of radiation therapy.
• Chemotherapy
  Chemotherapy is the most common procedure to treat any type of cancerous development. In chemotherapy, medication is injected via the veins to destroy the cancer cells.
• Follow-up care
  In all types of cervical cancer treatments, post-completion of the procedure, doctors usually recommend regular follow-up checkups. This helps to prevent any recurrence of the symptoms.