Can cervix cancer kill you?

Question

I have just been told that I have cancer of the cervix and that I need to have surgery! Right before I found out I was engaged to be married but right now everything is at a stand still because of this...How serious of a sitution is this because I am scared to death of having surgery?

Answer 1

I'm a cervical cancer survivor... and am considered fully cured. It will be 10 years in March 07. Surgery saved my life, and it was all I needed.

You definitely have to talk with your own doctor about your stage of diagnosis and what type of surgery you will be having. There is a broad range of severity to this disease, and everyone's case is a little bit different. Thanks to the advances of modern medicine, for most of us these days cervical cancer is fully curable. In many cases it is curable without hysterectomy, radiation or chemo. Your doctor should have performed a preliminary biopsy procedure, called a colposcopy, before scheduling your surgery, to determine what stage you are at and what kind of surgery you need. If he or she is not in a position right now to tell you what stage you are at and describe your exact surgical procedure to you in detail, then they are rushing things too much, and you should get a second opinion. Demand answers.

I know how traumatic it is to be told you have cancer. My heart stopped, and I went home and stared at the wall and cried for three days, almost paralyzed with fear. My mother had just died of cancer a year earlier, so I imagined the worst. Then I started reading everything I could put my hands on and running searches on the internet so I could ask my doctor all the right questions, and he very patiently sat me down with the medical books and explained to me exactly what was going on and what the risks were. From that point forward I was fine.

Knowledge is power, so start arming yourself with information. You can do this.

Answer 2

Yes, she can be completely cured. They can remove the cervix and do chemo/radiation if that is necessary. She is being stupid about this. chemo does kill cancer cells, but she is WAY bigger than a cancer cell and it would take a lot more chemo to kill her than it will to kill a cancer cell. My brother in law had colon cancer and went through chemo and radiation, and he is with us today - 10 years later. She needs to talk to the doctor and make an HONEST assessment of her treatment options and risks. She is being silly.

Answer 3

CARCINOMA OF CERVIX - Yes it is dangerous and can be fatal in advanced cases.Cervical cancer is a malignancy of the cervix. Worldwide, it is the second most common cancer of women. It may present with vaginal bleeding but symptoms may be absent until the cancer is in advanced stages, which has made cervical cancer the focus of intense screening efforts utilizing the Pap smear. Most scientific studies have found that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is responsible for >90% of the cases of cervical cancer. There are 7 most common types of HPV - 16, 18, 31, 33, 42, 52 and 58. Types 16 and 18 being the most common cause of the cancer. Treatment is with surgery (including local excision) in early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in advanced stages of the disease. An effective vaccine for the two most common strains of HPV has recently been licenced.

It depends on the actual condtion of the patient, stage and grade of the disease. The usual treatments for this type is Surgery, Chemo, and Radiation. Your oncologyist will take a sample for biopsy test initially or during surgery from the toumour removed. and when once it comes as positivechmo and radiation will be give. The strenght of the medicine and radiatin will be decied on the stage of the disease.
Early stages (IB1 and IIA less than 4 cm) can be treated with radical hysterectomy with removal of the lymph nodes or radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is given as external beam radiotherapy to the pelvis and brachytherapy (internal radiation). For patients treated with surgery who have high risk features found on pathologic examination, radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy is given in order to reduce the risk of relapse.

Larger early stage tumors (IB2 and IIA more than 4 cm) may be treated with radiation therapy and cisplatin-based chemotherapy, hysterectomy (which then usually requires adjuvant radiation therapy), or cisplatin chemotherapy followed by hysterectomy.

Advanced stage tumors (IIB-IVA) are treated with radiation therapy and cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

On June 15, 2006 Food and Drug Administration has approved
uses combination of two chemotherapy drugs, Hycamtin and cisplatin for women with late-stage (IVB) cervical cancer treatment. Combination treatment has significant risk of neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia side effects. Hycamtin is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline.

The treatments will have very adversr side effects like severe nausia, fatigue, fall of hair, stomoch upset and diarria etc. Patient with little confidence can overcome all and withstand the treatment. Please consult imediately your Oncologyist and take treatment as CANCER IS STILL AN ENIGMA. Best of luck for speedy recovery.

Answer 4

I've listed two good sites with links to others that may help answer your questions. From what I read, if it is in the zero stage, they just need to remove the lesions of the papilloma virus, I think they are also called genital warts. Cervical cancer seems to be a sexually transmitted disease. Early treatment is best. Good luck. One of the sites had quetions to ask your doctor. Take note and get informed.

What are the treatment options for HPV infection?
Although there is currently no medical cure for papillomavirus infection, the lesions and warts these viruses cause can be treated. Methods commonly used to treat lesions include cryosurgery (freezing that destroys tissue), LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure, the removal of tissue using a hot wire loop), and conventional surgery. Similar treatments may be used for external genital warts. In addition, some drugs may be used to treat external genital warts (5). More information about treatment for genital warts can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines Web page at http://www.cdc.gov/STD/treatment/ on the Internet.

Answer 5

Cervical cancer is generally a very slow growing cancer and is easier to treat than other parts of the body. I do know how you feel and that this is a nightmare but surgery is very often very successful. Have faith and be determined to triumph over adversity. You have a groom with whom you are going to enjoy a wonderful life. Try to stay positive. You are in my prayers. Best of luck!

Answer 6

I had it, and here I am! It can kill you if left untreated. Usually it is caused by a virus. Human Papiloma Virus. Lot's a of women have this "HPV" and have no signs of a problem, until that "Pap" test comes back. It is Very important for all you ladies to have a pap done at LEAST every other year.Good Luck,and don't worry, you can still "have that oneymoon!!"

Answer 7

Yes, my aunt died of cervix cancer. Shortly after that my grandma (her mom) also got cervix cancer. She caught it early and I think she was hardly even in the hospital for it. How early you treat it makes a HUGE difference. So make that appointment NOW!

Answer 8

I don't want to scare, and I'm not sure of the statistics, but a friend of mine was diagnosed in September. She had 2 days of radiation, and I believe 2wks of chemotherapy. She's in great shape now. However, she was advised NOT to become pregnant for at least three years as the radiation to the area can harm potential children.

Good luck to you. Keep yor chin up! :)

Answer 9

My mum had cervical cancer and with surgery and chemotherapy she came through the other end. I wish you all the best. If you would like to talk to other women who have the same thing you can at http://www.thecancerforums.com/ there great. Best of luck!! :)

Answer 10

You won't die of having a surgery.

Cancer can cause death if it metastasis to vital organs such as lung.

You should ask your doctor what state you're and what is the prognosis.

If you're at the early stage. Surgery should cure you.