Cervical Cancer
Stage 1 - the cancer is just in the neck of the womb
Remember - if you have had an abnormal smear and your doctor has said you have CIN, this is not the right page for you. Cervical cancer is not the same as an abnormal smear. Look at our section on screening for more about what cervical smear results mean.
What is staging?
Your doctor will use tests to help stage your cancer. The stage of a cancer tells the doctor how far it has spread. It is important because treatment is often decided according to the stage of a cancer. Doctors use different systems to stage cancers. The system usually used for cervical cancer simply numbers the different stages from 0 to 4.
This stage is very similar to having abnormal cells in the cervix. But the cells are actually cancer cells rather than just slightly abnormal.
Stage 1
This stage is often divided into two
Stage 1a
In both these stages the cancer has started to grow into the deeper tissues of the cervix. These days, stage 1A and 1B are both divided into two more smaller groups
Stage 1A1 and stage 1A2
Stage 1B1 and stage 1B2
In stage 1a the growth is so small it can only be seen with a microscope (or colposcope). Stage 1A1 means the cancer has grown less than 3 millimetres (about an eighth of an inch) into the tissues of the cervix. And it is less than 7mm wide (about a quarter of an inch). Stage 1A2 means the cancer has grown between 3 and 5 mm into the cervical tissues (up to a fifth of an inch). But it is still less than 7mm wide
In stage 1b the cancerous areas are larger, but the cancer is still only in the tissues of the cervix and has not usually spread. It can usually be seen without a microscope, but not always. In stage 1B1 the cancer is no larger than 4 centimetres (about 1.6 inches). .
Stage 1 cervical cancer is generally treated with surgery or radiotherapy.
CIN 1 - one third of the thickness of the lining (skin-like cells) covering the cervix has abnormal cells
TREATMENT
Cryotherapy
This is also an out patient treatment. The doctor uses a cold probe to freeze away the abnormal cells. You lie on a couch, with your legs in stirrups. The doctor will put a speculum into your vagina to hold it open. Then the doctor will use the probe to destroy the abnormal cells. You shouldn't be able to feel the probe on the cervix, but you might get a period type pain while you are being treated.