How is womb cancer diagnosed and treated? |
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How is cervical cancer diagnosed?
Generally, a cervical cancer diagnosis begins with an abnormal smear (though most women who have an abnormal smear do not have cancer).
Your doctor will then likely want you to undergo a colposcopy, a procedure that allows them to look at the surface of your cervix and biopsy any abnormal areas.
Or you may have a cone biopsy, a minor operation where the doctor cuts a cone of tissue from your cervix to be tested for cancerous cells.
There may be other tests involved in determining your diagnosis, including an MRI, a CT or PET-CT scan, blood tests or a chest X-ray.
What is the treatment for cervical cancer?
Treatment for cervical cancer can vary significantly depending on how early it was caught, and whether or not it has spread.
Caught very early, a cone biopsy may be enough. In many cases, though, further surgery is recommended – often a hysterectomy – in addition to radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of the two.
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