The Stages Of Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is one of the easiest cancers to prevent and to detect in the earliest of stages. Cervical cancer is generally detected in the first stage, or it can even be detected before it becomes cancer, while the cells are just unusual. If you continue to get regular Pap smear tests, then you will always be able to detect cervical cancer in its first stages. Once you have diagnosed with cervical cancer, then the next step is to find your stage. Finding the stage of cervical cancer is important because that will help you and your doctor determine the appropriate treatment for you. Stages are determined by how severe the cancer is and where the cancer has spread. The first stage is Stage 0, or noninvasive cancer. In this stage the cancer area is very small, and the cancer is only on the surface of the cervix. The cancer in this stage is not visible by the naked eye, but the treatment does include surgery. The survival rate for this stage is 96 to 99 percent. The second stage of cancer is Stage I. In this stage the cancer is simply confined within the cervix. In this stage the cancer can be seen without a microscope. The treatment for this stage generally involves chemotherapy or radiation to kill the cancerous cells. The five year survival rate is 80 to 90 percent. The third stage is Stage II. By now the cervical cancer has spread to the cervix and uterus, but not to the pelvic wall or the lower portion of the vagina. For this stage treatment by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are all needed to prevent the cancer from spreading. The five year survival rate is between 65 and 69 percent. Stage III is the fourth stage one may experience with cervical cancer. The cervical cancer is now in the pelvic wall or in the lower portions of the vagina, along with in the cervix and uterus. At this point it generally damages the kidney. Only chemotherapy and radiation are used for treatment against Stage III cervical cancer. The five year survival rate is 40 to 43 percent. The final stage of cancer is Stage IV. This stage is where the cancer has spread to nearby organs, such as the bladder or rectum. This could also mean other parts of the body like lungs, liver, or bones. To treat the cancer doctors will use chemotherapy and radiation, as with other cancers. The five year survival rate is 15 to 20, but this is significant because generally cancer in its worst stage has a much lower survival rate. There is a much higher hope for survival of cervical cancer than many other types of cancer. Not to mention that if you keep up regular with your doctor’s appointments, then you will catch cervical cancer in the earliest of stages, when it’s easiest to cure.
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