Chemotherapy for cervical cancer
Chemotherapy may be your main treatment. Or it may be given to reduce the risk of cancer coming back after surgery.
What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. These drugs disrupt the way cancer cells grow and divide, but they also affect normal cells.
You may have chemotherapy to treat cervical cancer:
- with radiotherapy as your main treatment – this is called chemoradiation
- after surgery and with radiotherapy (chemoradiation) if there is a high risk of the cancer coming back
- if the cancer comes back after treatment
- if the cancer spreads to other parts of your body.
You may have chemotherapy in the chemotherapy day unit or on the ward. The drugs are usually given into a vein (intravenously).
You will usually have chemotherapy through a small tube (cannula) in your hand or arm.
See also
Chemotherapy drugs for cervical cancer
A number of different drugs may be used to treat cervical cancer. Your doctor will explain to you which drugs are best for you. You may be given one chemotherapy drug or two or more in combination. Drugs that may be used include:
- cisplatin
- 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
- doxorubicin or liposomal doxorubicin
- paclitaxel
- topotecan
- carboplatin
- gemcitabine.
Side effects
Chemotherapy may cause side effects. Many of these can be well controlled with medicines and usually go away when treatment finishes. Your doctor or nurse will tell you more about what to expect. Always tell them about any side effects you have, as there are usually ways they can help.
Contraception
It is not advisable to become pregnant while having chemotherapy, as the drugs may harm the unborn baby. It is important to use effective contraception during your treatment and for some time afterwards. Your doctors can advise you about this.
Sex
Use condoms if you have sex within the first 48 hours after chemotherapy. This is to protect your partner from any of the drug that may be in vaginal fluid.
Small amounts of chemotherapy, or other drugs, can get into your body fluids. This includes fluid made in the vagina. To protect any partners, your cancer doctor may advise that for a few days after certain drugs you use:
- a condom for vaginal sex
- a condom (or a latex barrier such as a dental dam) for oral sex.
See also
About our information
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our cervical cancer information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk
Marth C, et al. on behalf of the ESMO Guidelines Committee. Cervical cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Annals of Oncology. 2017. 28(s4): iv72-iv83. Available at www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(19)42148-0/pdf
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Menopause. Quality standard (QS143). 2017. Available at www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs143
Farthing AJ and Ghaem-Maghami S on behalf of the Rotal Collage of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). Fertility Sparing Treatments in Gynaecological Cancers. 2013. Available at www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/scientific-impact-papers/sip_35.pdf
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Reviewers
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer. It has been approved by Senior Medical Editor, Professor Nick Reed, Consultant Clinical Oncologist.
Our cancer information has been awarded the PIF TICK. Created by the Patient Information Forum, this quality mark shows we meet PIF’s 10 criteria for trustworthy health information.
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