Cervical Cancer Treatment in India

Cervical Cancer is a form of cancer that starts in the cells of the cervix, the lower, narrow part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. This type of cancer usually develops gradually, often starting with precancerous changes in the cervical cells called dysplasia. If these abnormal cells go unnoticed and untreated, they can eventually lead to cancer.

Types of cervical cancer :

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma This type makes up approximately 90% of cervical cancers and originates from the squamous cells that line the ectocervix.
• Adenocarcinoma This cancer develops from the glandular cells found in the endocervix and accounts for a smaller proportion of cases.
• Mixed Carcinoma This type exhibits traits of both squamous and glandular cells.

Symptoms:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding.
• Pelvic pain.
• Pain during intercourse.

Treatments:

Treatment for cervical cancer depends on several factors, such as the stage of the disease, your age and overall health, and whether you wish to have children in the future. The available treatments for cervical cancer include radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Clinical trials also present another treatment option. These are controlled research studies designed to test new cancer treatments. If you're interested in participating in a clinical trial, discuss it with your oncologist. Some individuals explore alternative treatments, such as dietary changes, herbs, acupuncture, and other methods, to complement their cancer treatment.

• Surgery :
  • Laser Surgery : This type of surgery utilizes a laser beam to kill only the cancer cells.
  • Cryosurgery : This procedure freezes the cancer cells, killing them.
  • Trachelectomy : removal of the cervix and upper portion of your vagina but not the uterus.
  • Pelvic exenteration : The same as a hysterectomy but also includes your bladder, vagina, rectum and part of your colon (depending on where the cancer has spread).
• Chemotherapy Anti-cancer drugs (oral or intravenous) used to kill cancer cells. When the cancer has invaded large areas or when it reappears after treatment, doctors will prescribe larger doses of chemotherapy. Low-dose chemotherapy, given with radiation therapy, significantly increases survival time for more women who have advanced cervical cancer than just treatment with radiotherapy.
• Radiation Therapy : This is a treatment that directly applies the energy beams to your cervix for killing the cancer cells.
  • External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) : EBRT involves high-powered X-rays directed from a machine outside of your body to the site or spot where cancer is.
  • Brachytherapy : TPlaces radiation inside or near the cancer.
• Targeted therapy Targeted drug treatment destroys specific cancer cells without damaging healthy cells. It works by targeting proteins that control how cancer cells grow and spread. As scientists learn more about cancer cells, they’re able to design better-targeted treatments that destroy these proteins.
• Immunotherapy uses medicine to stimulate your immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Cancer cells pretend to be healthy to hide from your immune system. Immunotherapy helps target these signals so the cancer cells can’t trick your body into thinking it’s a healthy cell.