Treatments for stage 3 cervical cancer

The following are treatment options for stage 3 cervical cancer. Your healthcare team will suggest treatments based on your needs and work with you to develop a treatment plan.

Chemoradiation

Chemoradiation is a main treatment for stage 3 cervical cancer. Chemotherapy is given during the same time period as radiation therapy to make the radiation therapy more effective.

Cisplatin or cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (Adrucil, 5-FU) is the chemotherapy that is used. If cisplatin is used, it is usually given one time each week during the radiation therapy schedule. If cisplatin plus 5-FU is used, it is usually given every 4 weeks during radiation therapy.

Brachytherapy (a type of internal radiation therapy) is usually given during and after external radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy

You may be offered radiation therapy for stage 3 cervical cancer. Women who have radiation therapy will have both external radiation therapy and brachytherapy. In most cases radiation therapy is given with chemotherapy (chemoradiation), but in some cases it may be used alone as the main treatment for stage 3 cervical cancer.

Clinical trials

Talk to your doctor about clinical trials open to women with cervical cancer in Canada. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, find and treat cancer. Find out more about clinical trials.