Undergoing Cervical Cancer Treatments
On getting on to the stage of treatment for cervical cancer, various questions may arise in one’s mind. However, finding answers to them may be difficult because they are unsure of what to expect or what to be aware of. Herein, we discuss a few things one should be aware of when undergoing treatment for cervical cancer:
1. There is no guarantee that cervical cancer will not come back
Those on treatment for cervical cancer may think the road to recovery means they wouldn’t go through this again, which is misinformation. There are chances that one could be affected by the same type of cancer again. This is what is usually referred to as cancer recurrence. There is no way that a doctor can assure anyone on these things because the trigger of cause for a recurrence can include a lot of ways, and doesn’t necessarily have to be that one is rid of cancer for good.
2. One can get another form of cancer despite getting treatment for cervical cancer
Even though one might have gotten cervical cancer and beaten it, there is still a possibility that they are not immune to other types of cancer. Second cancer can crop up due to any variety of reasons and it can or cannot be related to cervical cancer. Some of the common cancer types that have been diagnosed in those with cervical cancer are – lung cancer, mouth or throat cancer, vaginal cancer, anal cancer, vulvar cancer, stomach cancer, uterus cancer, or pancreatic cancer. Certain forms of treatment for cervical cancer can open up these possibilities for second cancer. It is important that one keeps going for a follow up even after remission so that they can keep tabs on the changes in the body.
3. Possibility to have children could possibly depend on the type of cervical cancer treatment
There are some people who are able to get pregnant even after being diagnosed with cervical cancer and how the treatment for cervical cancer has worked in one’s body. In the cases of early stages of cancer, any form of treatment may not greatly impact the reproductive system as much as it would in a later stage of cancer.
4. There is no possibility of hereditary passing on cervical cancer
Cervical cancers, in particular, are not the result of genetic mutation but of the human papillomavirus. A person who has undergone treatment for cervical cancer and remitted of it, borne children, will not pass on cancer a condition to the offspring.
5. Treatment for cervical cancer will impact the patient’s sex drive
One of the primary things that are compromised due to cancer is the libido and as one undergoes the treatment these changes become quite obvious. They not only end up causing pain and vaginal dryness but also can end up causing premature menopause.