CURRENT MANAGEMENT IN CERVICAL CANCER

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide. It is curable when diagnosed in early stages. Screening programs with Papanicolaou smear is important for early diagnosis. In the United States 12 900 new cases and 4400 deaths is estimated for 2001. In February 1999, the National Cancer Institute, in the United States, announced that chemoradiation is superior to radiation alone for locally advanced servical cancer. It is demonstrated that Human Papilloma Virus infection is an etiological agent in cervical cancer. Marked advances in Human Papilloma Virus carcinogenesis and molecular biology brought forward new therapeutic approaches such as vaccination and immunotherapy. In this review article, we summarized the current management and new treatment options in cervical cancer.

Keywords: cervical cancer, treatment, chemoradiotherapy