A team of specialists will meet to discuss the best possible treatment for you. This is called a multidisciplinary team (MDT). The treatment you have depends on:

• the stage of the cancer
• the size of the cancer
• your general health
• whether you have been through the menopause
• whether you want to get pregnant in future.

You and your specialist doctor will decide on the right treatment plan for you. Your doctor is an expert in the most effective treatments. But you know most about your own situation and preferences.

Protecting your fertility

Treatments for cervical cancer may affect your fertility and cause an early menopause. An early menopause means having the menopause before the age of 45.

If you want to get pregnant in the future, it is important to talk to your doctors about this. You may be able to have treatment that can protect your fertility. If this is not possible, your doctor can refer you to a fertility specialist. You can talk with the specialist about options such as having egg or embryo storage before treatment.

Types of treatment

You may have more than one of the treatments below. You may also have treatment as part of a clinical trial. Treatments for cervical cancer may include:

• Surgery: aims to remove all the cancer.
• Radiotherapy: uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. This may be used on its own or in combination with chemotherapy.
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy: drugs that target something in or around the cancer cell that is helping it grow and survive.
• Immunotherapy: the immune system protects the body against illness and infection. Immunotherapies are treatments that use the immune system to find and attack cancer cells.

Treating locally advanced cancer

Chemoradiation is the main treatment for locally advanced cancer.

Treating advanced-stage cancer

Chemotherapy, and sometimes a targeted therapy called bevacizumab, may be used if the cancer has spread to distant parts of your body such as the liver or lungs. It may help to shrink and control the cancer and relieve symptoms. This is called palliative treatment.