Is Cervical Cancer Curable? - Page 3

On the other hand, cervical cancer that has invaded tissues and, especially, when it has metastasized to other areas of the body in late stages of the disease, may not be curable. Your doctor’s goal, in this case, may be to remove or destroy as much of the cancer as possible to help you live longer and feel better. However, new treatments for advanced cervical cancer are being studied and evaluated in clinical trials.

Understanding the cure and remission

If you are treated for cervical cancer, you may experience partial or complete remission of the signs and symptoms of your cancer. If you have a complete remission, all traces of your cancer have disappeared and, if you remain in complete remission for five years or more, your doctor will likely pronounce you cured.

However, while being cured means no traces of your cancer have been found after treatment, it doesn’t mean the cancer will never come back. Some cancer cells can remain in your body for many years after treatment, the National Cancer Institute explains, and may cause a cancer recurrence at some time.

When cancer returns, the odds are the recurrence will develop within the first five years after treatment. But even if you are cancer-free for much longer, there is a chance cancer will come back later. That’s why it is important to follow your doctor’s advice for regular check-ups to test for signs of cancer — so, if it does return, it can be caught early when cervical cancer is most curable.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: More About Cervical Cancer