The Cervical Cancer Support Center

Every person is unique, but when you face a challenge like cervical cancer, you are never alone.  Countless women have faced exactly the same diagnosis and have survived and thrived. The following guide is designed to help you navigate your journey with the best information and resources that helped other survivors when they faced the same challenge. 

TSC has scoured the Web to assemble links to the very best cervical cancer resources: articles, blogs, forums, and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional, and other challenges you're facing now.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this cervical cancer guide even more helpful to survivors like you.  

Just Found Out

Survivors Say: Best Resources for Cervical Cancer

• MedlinePlus: Cervical Cancer
• National Cancer Institute: Cervical Cancer 
• American Cancer Society: What Is Cervical Cancer?
• National Cervical Cancer Coalition
• Cervicalcancercampaign.org: Understanding Cervical Cancer - A Woman's Guide (PDF)

The Big Picture

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the tissue of the cervix, which connects the uterus and the vagina. It's usually a slow-growing cancer that may have no symptoms. A regular Pap test can detect it. According to the National Coalition for Cervical Cancer, in the U.S. about 10,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and about 3,700 women die annually.

Most cervical cancer is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), which many adults have, though it often has no symptoms:

WebMD.com: Cervical Cancer Topic Overview

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

American Cancer: What Should You Ask Your Doctor About Cervical Cancer?

Your World

Any diagnosis of cancer brings up many emotions - fear, worry, anger, frustration, sadness, and more. It's important to create a support circle around you now and find ways to cope with your diagnosis, as you start on your road to survivorship:

• National Cervical Cancer Coalition: Phone/Email Pals
  
• About.com: Cervical Cancer - Resources and Support
  
• Mayoclinic.com: Cervical Cancer - Coping & Support
  

Sharing the painful news of your diagnosis can be hard, even with your closest loved ones.  This resource can help you know what to say now: 

About.com: Cervical Cancer -Telling Family and Friends

Cervical Cancer Myths

• "Mostly promiscuous women get cervical cancer."
• "Cervical cancer can't be prevented."
• "Older women don't need Pap smears."
• "Cervical cancer only occurs in developing countries."
• About.com: Cervical Cancer - Myths
  

Coming to terms with a diagnosis of cervical cancer is never easy, but many women find that it helps to start working with their health-care team to begin to to plan their treatment. This may help you feel that you're doing something to fight this disease - and indeed, by starting treatment you are beginning your journey toward survivorship. 

Types of Treatment

There are three common types of treatment for cervical cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation:

• National Cancer Institute: Cervical Cancer Treatment Option Overview
• American Cancer Society: Cervical Cancer - Surgery
• American Cancer Society: Cervical Cancer - Chemotherapy
• American Cancer Society: Cervical Cancer - Radiation Therapy

New Therapies

Newer treatments for cervical cancer use your own immune system to fight cancer:

Cancer Treatment Centers of America: Biotherapy / Immunotherapy for Cervical Cancer

Types of Treatment for Different Stages of Cervical Cancer

National Cancer Institute: Cervical Cancer Treatment - Treatment Options by Stage

Possible Treatment Side Effects

• CancerCompass.com: Cervical Cancer Treatment Side Effects
• Mayoclinic.com: Cancer treatment for women - possible sexual side effects    

Creating a Support Crcle

•  Set up your TSC survivor profile.
•  Join support groups of other survivors or start your own.
•  Interact and provide updates on your TSC profile or in the TSC forums.

Financial & Work Matters

The economic burden of cervical cancer can be tremendous:

• Cancer.gov: Fact Sheet -- Financial Assistance
• Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000 (may provide coverage under Medicaid, for qualified women)
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Questions and Answers About Cancer in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 
  

Medication can also be costly; this resource provides information on how you can get help paying for it:

Cancer.About.com - Treatment Help 

Health-care Providers Who Can Help

You'll need to create a medical team of experts to help you beat this disease: 

• Gynecologic oncologist (medical/surgical specialist in women's reproductive-tract cancers)
• Medical oncologist (specialist in chemotherapy)
• Radiation oncologist
  

Resources to Find Health-care Providers

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  
• Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (Women's Cancer Network)
• American Society of Clinical Oncology: Find an Oncologist Database
  

The Emotional Rollercoaster

No one should try to face treatment of cervical cancer on their own - you will be experiencing so many emotions now that you will likely need some time alone, but you should also ask those closest to you to help provide support and a ready ear when you need to talk. These resources can also help now with the feelings you may be experiencing:

• Dailystrength.org: Cervical cancer support group
• National Cervical Cancer Coalition: Phone/Email Pals
  
• About.com: Cervical Cancer - Resources and Support 
• Mayoclinic.com: Cervical Cancer - Coping & Support
  

It can help to read uplifting stories from survivors who've been through what you're going through -- check these out:

National Cervical Cancer Coalition: Community Stories

Books Survivors Recommend

• 100 Questions & Answers Abourt Cervical Cancer (100 Questions & Answers about . . .) by Don S. Dizon
  
• What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about HPV and Abnormal Pap Smears by Joel Palefsky and Jody Handley
  
• What Every Woman Should Know about Cervical Cancer by Nenad Markovic and Olivera Markovic
  
• Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips by Kris Carr and Sheryl Crow
  

What Survivors Wish They’d Known

Dealing with Cervical Cancer: Information and Recommended Links for Co-Survivors

Supporting someone with cervical cancer can be difficult, but your love, compassion, and help will be a tremendous help to them, especially when they've just been diagnosed and are undergoing treatment. Make sure you avoid burn-out by eating a healthy diet; sticking with regular exercise; and getting counseling if you need help. Here are some other tips for coping now:

• National Cervical Cancer Coalition: Caregiver Resources
• Family Caregiver Alliance

You have made it to recovery, and it has no doubt been a long journey to get here. As you move from treatment into survivorship you'll want to do all you can to stay healthy and prevent a recurrence:

Medicinenet.com: Follow-up Care for Cervical Cancer

Getting a regular Pap smear (ask your oncologist how often you need one) is essential to detecting cervical cancer as early as possible, as is reducing your exposure to HPV:

• National Cancer Institute: Cervical Cancer Prevention
• WebMD.com: Cervical Cancer - What Increases Your Risk
  

Stay on top of the latest developments in cervical cancer research:

Cancer.gov: Cervical Snapshot (PDF)

Sometimes, though, cancer does return -- here's what you need to know if you have a recurrence of cervical cancer:

National Cancer Institute: Cervical Cancer Treatment - Recurrent Cervical Cancer

Not every treatment for cervical cancer results in recovery. When you're facing end-of-life and palliative care, there are many options to help you through this very difficult time.

When You're Facing Death

• American Cancer Society: Coping with Grief and Loss
  
• FamilyDoctor.org: Cancer - Palliative Care
  
• MedlinePlus: Hospice Care