Routine Pap smears are very effective at detecting abnormal cells, but it is very easy to put off going to the doctor, especially when you aren't ill. There are no symptoms in the early stages of cervical cancer and frequently symptoms don't appear until after the invasive cancer begins to erode tiny blood vessels within the cervix. The absence of symptoms allows the unsuspecting person to postpone a much needed visit to the doctor. If, however, the cancer spreads to other organs before treatment is initiated, the survival rate drops significantly. However, the cervix almost always looks normal in the early stages of the disease.
Pap smear shows abnormal cells, dysplasia, or cervical cancer.
Colposcopy suggests cervical cancer and pinpoints areas of concern. Treatment Options for treatment depend on the extent of disease, the type of cancer , the age and general health of the woman, and the desire for future childbearing. A cone biopsy , which is the removal of a wedge of the cervix for biopsy , is sometimes enough to remove all of the malignant cells of a surface cancer. A hysterectomy is still the choice of many, but for those women with the desire to have children in the future, these alternate methods frequently allow them to do so. Since invasive cervical cancer frequently spreads to the adjacent pelvic lymph nodes, more intense treatment is recommended.