As any form of cancer begins to advance, the treatment options often become more limited. Stage III cervical cancer is no different. When the cancer reaches this stage of progression, the abnormal cells metastasize from the cervix into the vagina, the tissue surrounding the uterus and possibly enlarge to the point where the ureters that run from the bladder to the kidney are suffering a blockage. In some cases, the cancer has even spread into the pelvic wall and neighboring lymph nodes. To treat this stage of cervical cancer, you'll usually use a combination of therapies for the best results.
Chemoradiation Therapy
With Stage III cervical cancer, treatment often entails a procedure commonly known as chemoradiation therapy, which is a combination of radiation therapies and chemotherapy to treat and kill the disease. Depending on the case, it begins with either internal or external radiation. When internal radiation therapy is chosen, a radiation device, like a pellet, wire or catheter, is inserted into the tumor itself or near the abnormal tissue. What this form of therapy serves to do, especially when used in combination with external radiation and then chemotherapy, is shrink the size of the tumor through the use of ionizing energy.
After the administration of internal radiation therapy, you'll frequently move to a form of therapy known as external beam radiation. In this mode of treatment, an external beam of ionizing energy, such as X-rays, is emitted above the affected area. As the beam permeates the skin, it penetrates any remaining abnormal cells, further shrinking the tumor and killing the cancer. This course of therapy is normally done in consecutive sessions over a period of weeks and months.
As you go through both forms of radiation therapy, you'll typically begin a course of chemotherapy. Cisplatin is usually the chemo drug of choice, but your doctor may use another type of cancer medication like fluorouracil to treat your specific condition. What these types of drugs serve to do is actually alter the genetic structure of the cancer cells. When this occurs, these abnormal cells not only cease to divide, but also become much more susceptible to both forms of radiation therapy. This can make the tumors much easier to kill.
Clinical Trials
Besides chemoradiation therapy, clinical trials are really the only other option for this stage of cervical cancer. Earlier stages respond well to hysterectomies and other forms of treatment, but these are usually not an option when the cancer has progressed to this point. With clinical trials, new and different combinations of drugs and radiotherapies are available, and you may respond favorably to this form of treatment.
Tags: cervical cancer, radiation therapy, abnormal cells, this stage, both forms, both forms radiation, chemoradiation therapy