Removing the cancer through surgery is the most common treatment for uterine cancer. The standard therapy is hysterectomy. It is a major operation and you can't get pregnant after your uterus is removed so you should be very well informed, but surgery is usually the only way to eliminate the cancer.
The doctor will only be sure of the exact stage of your cancer after the surgery because he can have a good look at your organs only when he opens you up! During the operation, the doctor will examine the tissues of your uterus and the surrounding tissues and decide what needs to be removed. More tissues might be collected during the operation from different parts of your body to be further analyzed.
Different types of surgery:
Total Hysterectomy
Surgery to remove the uterus, including the cervix.
If the uterus and cervix is taken out through a large incision(cut) in the abdomen, it is called total abdomen hysterectomy. If it is through a small incision in the abdomen using a laparoscope, it is called a total laparoscopic hysterectomy. If it is removed through a vaginal incision, it is called a vaginal hysterectomy. The disadvantage of vaginal hysterectomy is that it is usually harder for the surgeon to see whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
A laparoscopic hysterectomy is a relatively new technique that has the advantage of shortening the time for recovery after surgery (small incision/cut). Ongoing further studies are being done to determine whether it works as well as the usual operations, so make sure to ask your doctor about this option.
For Abdominal hysterectomy,
Hospital stay: 3 to 7 days
Full recovery: 4 to 6 weeks
For Laproscopic and vaginal hysterectomy,
Hospital stay: 1 to 2 days
Full recovery: 2 to 3 weeks
Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO)
Surgery to remove both the ovaries and fallopian tubes. This procedure is usually done along with hysterectomy because cancer cells often spread to the ovaries very early in the disease.
Radical Hysterectomy
This is a surgical procedure to remove the entire uterus, cervix, parametrium (the tissues next to the uterus) and the upper part (about one inch) of the vagina. The ovaries, fallopian tubes and nearby lymph nodes may also be removed (a BSO). This procedure is used when the cancer has spread to the cervix or parametrium.
Hospital stay: 7 days
Full recovery: 4 to 6 weeks
Even after surgery, your doctor may advice other forms of therapies like chemotherapy and radiation therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells.There are other therapies available if you're not fit for surgery due to various circumstances. You may also want to educate yourself on the latest non-invasive diagnosis method or therapies.
