Specialized Care for Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer develops in the cells of the cervix, the organ that connects the vagina to the uterus. It’s usually caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), although having HPV doesn’t mean that a woman will develop cervical cancer. Most HPV infections go away without treatment.
UT Southwestern’s highly skilled gynecologic oncologists deliver comprehensive, compassionate care to women with cervical cancer. One specialist will oversee the patient’s entire course of treatment and work with the referring obstetrician/gynecologist before returning the patient to regular care when treatment is complete.
Detection and Prevention
Early detection and prevention are two of the best ways we can stop cervical cancer in its tracks. When women with invasive cervical cancer are diagnosed at an early stage, their five-year survival rate is 92%, according to the American Cancer Society.
Doctors check for cervical cancer using a screening method called a Pap smear. Nearly all women age 21 to 65 should be regularly screened with Pap smears, including those who have received the HPV vaccine.
Screenings are vital to detect cervical cancer early because women with this disease often don’t recognize symptoms until later stages. These symptoms can include:
- Bleeding: Bleeding after sex, after menopause, or between periods, or having longer and heavier periods
- Vaginal pain: Particularly during sex (severe pain could mean a more advanced cancer stage)
- Unusual discharge: Pink, watery discharge (often containing blood) or foul-smelling discharge
Women should be screened more often if they have any of the following risk factors:
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure in the womb, applicable to women whose mothers were given DES during pregnancy
- Family history of cervical cancer
- History of sexually transmitted infection, such as chlamydia, HIV, and HPV
- History of tobacco use
- Use of immunosuppression medications to treat conditions such as HIV or immune system disorders, or to prevent organ rejection after transplantation
- Long-term use of birth control pills
- Pregnancy before age 17
If cancer cells are detected, the patient’s Ob/Gyn might collect a small tissue sample, order imaging studies, or conduct a physical exam with an endoscope (a narrow, lighted tube) to learn more about the tumor. Or, he or she might refer the patient directly to a gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern.
An Ob/Gyn also can screen for and diagnose an HPV infection by collecting and examining cervical cells. It’s important to note, however, that HPV testing is not a substitute for regular Pap testing.