More than 11,000 American women develop cervical cancer each
year. However, cervical cancer is a treatable condition and
there is a good chance of cure if the cancer is found and
treated in the early stages. This article discusses the
diagnosis and treatment of women with early stage cervical
cancer. A separate article discusses the treatment of early
stage cervical cancer in women who want to become pregnant in
the future. (See "Patient information: Fertility preservation in
women with early stage cervical cancer (Beyond the Basics)".)
The uterus (womb) opens into the vagina through the cervix
(figure 1). Squamous cells make up the outer layer of the
cervix. Squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix is the name for
cancer that affects these cells. The cervix also includes
glandular (also called columnar) cells, which line the opening
of the cervix and the canal that leads into the uterus (the
endocervical canal). These cells can also become cancerous; when
they do, they are called adenocarcinomas of the cervix.