About This Booklet
This National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklet (NIH Publication No. 08-2407) is
about cervical cancer.* The disease begins on the
surface of the cervix. If not treated, the cancer invades
more deeply into the cervix. This is called invasive cervical cancer. Every year in the United States, about
11,000 women learn they have invasive cervical
cancer. Most of these women are younger than 55.
This booklet is only about invasive cervical
cancer. It's not about precancer, abnormal cells
found only on the surface of the cervix, or other
cervical changes. These cell changes are treated
differently from invasive cervical cancer.
Instead of this booklet, women with abnormal
cervical cells only on the surface may want to
read the NCI booklet Understanding Cervical
Changes: A Health Guide for Women. It tells
about abnormal cells and describes treatments.
Also, the NCI offers the following materials
about the Pap test and abnormal test results:
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This booklet tells about diagnosis, staging,
treatment, and follow-up care. Learning about medical
care for invasive cervical cancer can help you take an
active part in making choices about your care.
This booklet has lists of questions that you may
want to ask your doctor. Many people find it helpful to
take a list of questions to a doctor visit. To help
remember what your doctor says, you can take notes or
ask whether you may use a tape recorder. You may also
want to have a family member or friend go with you
when you talk with the doctor - to take notes, ask
questions, or just listen.
For the latest information about cervical cancer,
please visit our Web site at
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/cervical. Or, contact our Cancer
Information Service. We can answer your questions
about cancer. We can also send you NCI booklets
and fact sheets. Call 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237) or instant message us through the
LiveHelp service at http://www.cancer.gov/help.
*Words in italics are in the Dictionary. The Dictionary
explains these terms. It also shows how to pronounce them.
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