Cervical Cancer Treatment

Whether you have early-stage or late-stage cervical cancer, your treatment plan will be tailored to your individual needs. Each case is reviewed based on evidence-based data and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines to develop an effective treatment plan.

Our approach to providing individualized care is what makes Winship’s cervical cancer services so unique. In fact, your cervical cancer team is made up of a diverse team of gynecologic oncologists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists and more who are solely dedicated to treating cervical cancer.

The exact course of cervical cancer treatment our patients receive depends on the type and stage of the cancer present. For early-stage cervical cancer, a combination of surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy may be required. Treatment options can include one or a combination of the following:

Surgery

For early-stage cervical cancer, surgery to remove the tumor is often the first step. Winship offers several minimally invasive surgical options:

• Cone Biopsy: used to preserve fertility in women with early-stage cancer or to obtain a sample for further study; a cone-shaped section of tissue is taken from the cervix.
• Trachelectomy: used to preserve fertility in women with early-stage cancer; removes the entire cervix leaving the uterus in place.
• Simple Hysterectomy: removes the uterus and cervix.
• Radical Hysterectomy: removes the uterus, cervix, tissue surrounding the cervix (parametria), and the upper vagina.
• Salpingo-oophorectomy: removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries may also be recommended.
• Lymph Node Dissection: depending on the stage of your cancer, you may also need to have lymph nodes removed from the pelvis.
• Pelvic Exenteration: for recurrent cancer isolated to the pelvis; this is a complex procedure for select patients and requires removal of the same organs as a radical hysterectomy in addition to removal of the bladder, rectum, vagina and possibly colon.

Radiation Therapy

External and internal radiation therapy is used to treat cervical cancers that have spread beyond the cervix or for very large tumors. At Winship, our radiation oncologists are specifically trained to offer this advanced therapy.

Chemotherapy

These cancer-fighting drugs are often used in combination with surgery and radiation. For later-stage cervical cancer, radiation and chemotherapy are sometimes given at the same time through a technique called chemoradiation. During this process, low levels of chemotherapy make the cancer cells more susceptible to radiation.

Immunotherapy

This entails the use of medicines to boost a person’s own immune system to recognize and destroy cancerous cells in the body. These drugs often have fewer side effects than chemotherapy.

Targeted Therapy

Winship's most promising research in treating cervical cancer is in precision medicine and targeted therapies. Precision medicine allows researchers to identify unique characteristics of tumors that make them vulnerable to known drugs so that therapy can be tailored to an individual cancer. In targeted therapies, investigators look for new drugs that more selectively target cancer cells with fewer side effects.

Each person’s treatment plan will be different. Throughout the process, Winship’s team of cervical cancer specialists works to minimize treatment side effects as much as possible.

In addition to providing treatment, patients are also evaluated for clinical trials to see if they would benefit from an innovative option. Because Winship is Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, we pioneer and lead hundreds of clinical trials each year. That means we can offer you access to the latest cervical cancer treatments you can’t get at other cancer centers.

We understand a diagnosis of ovarian cancer is especially difficult for women who still wish to conceive. If fertility is a concern of yours, we’ll work closely with reproductive endocrinologists at Emory Reproductive Center to preserve your ability to conceive without long delays in your cancer treatment.

There are many different aspects besides treatment that need to be addressed with cervical cancer: side effects, rehabilitation and support services to name a few. Winship offers a supportive oncology team of specialized doctors and nurses who can help with the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of living with cancer, including symptom management and counseling. This team of counselors, nurse navigators, dietitians and social service professionals will be with you every step of the way.