When symptoms do occur, the most common is abnormal vaginal bleeding. Bleeding may begin after sexual intercourse, douching or a pelvic exam. Menstrual bleeding may be heavier and longer lasting. In early stages, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma are generally treated with radical surgery and radiation therapy. For more advanced carcinomas, radiation therapy, alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy, is a common treatment.
Surgery often is recommended for younger women because it allows the ovaries to still function.
Radiation therapy, either external beam therapy or the insertion of radioactive substances into the cervix or tumor, may be used depending on the stage of the disease. Chemotherapy sometimes is used for those with high risk of recurrent disease or particularly large cancers. Most people with cancer want to learn as much as possible about their disease and treatment options. Often it helps to make a list of questions to ask the doctor.