|
Managing
Follow-up visits. For the first three years after treatment, you should have follow-up visits every three to six months to ensure that changes in your health are monitored and problems are treated early. Your follow-up visits will include physical exams and pelvic exams and may include urine tests, blood tests, and X-rays. A Pap test may also be done to look for cancer cells in the vagina. If the cancer does not return within three to five years, visits can be scheduled less often.
|
|  |
|
Menopause. Some cervical cancer treatments cause immediate menopause. If your uterus and ovaries have been removed or you have had radiation therapy, the estrogen levels in your body will decrease sharply, which is a characteristic of menopause. The lack of estrogen can cause osteoporosis (brittle, thin bones) and menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and insomnia. Several medicines and other treatments are available for preventing or treating osteoporosis and menopausal symptoms, so talk with your doctor about your options.
Fertility. Before you begin a treatment plan for cervical cancer, your doctor will discuss your fertility options. Depending on your age and the type of treatment you have, you may not be able to have children. Women who have undergone a hysterectomy or radiation for cervical cancer are infertile, meaning they will not be able to become pregnant. Your doctor may discuss "ovarian transposition" which is sometimes successful at protecting ovaries from radiation therapy. It involves surgically moving the ovaries away from the radiation area to minimize exposure. However, there is no guarantee that ovarian function can be preserved with this procedure.
This section includes information on:
Sexuality
Treatment and relationships
Treatment and family expectations
Spiritual well-being
End-of-life issues
|
