The Valley Hospital is now open at 4 Valley Health Plaza in Paramus. (You may need to use 650 Winters Avenue for GPS.) All emergency care is now being provided at this location. Emergency care is no longer available at our Ridgewood campus.
Cervical cancer is a type of gynecologic cancer. It occurs when cancerous cells grow on your cervix (the small, muscular organ that connects the vagina and uterus).
If your recent Pap smear found cervical dysplasia (precancerous cells on your cervix) or you’ve already been diagnosed with cervical cancer, Valley can help.
We offer treatments to prevent precancerous cells from becoming cancerous. And our gynecologic cancer team has experience treating even the most advanced cases of cervical cancer, as well as vulvar and vaginal cancers.
We aim to provide the expert medical and surgical care you need — plus the emotional and spiritual support you deserve.
In its earliest stages, cervical cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms. When symptoms appear, they may include:
If cancer spreads beyond the cervix, you may also experience one or more of the following:
Certain factors may increase your risk of developing cervical cancer. These include long-term use of birth control pills and having a family history of cervical cancer.
However, scientists now know that a sexually transmitted infection called human papillomavirus (HPV) causes most cases of cervical cancer.
Not everyone who’s had HPV will get cancer. Often, the immune system fights the infection and clears it from the body.
But for others, having HPV causes cells in some regions of the body — such as the cervix — to change. These changes can eventually cause the cells to become cancerous. This is why Valley recommends the HPV vaccine for all qualified patients.
WATCH: Valley physicians explain the link between HPV and gynecological cancer. They also describe how the HPV vaccine protects against HPV infection (and subsequent HPV-related cancers).
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment for cervical cancer. You may need a combination of treatments.
For this reason, Valley takes a team approach to cervical cancer care. Multiple experts — including gynecologic oncologists, radiation oncologists and gynecologic surgeons — weigh in on the best way to treat you.
Together, they’ll create a treatment plan that addresses your medical needs and personal goals. For example, they’ll consider:
Your treatment plan may include one or more of the following:
Valley also treats cervical dysplasia (precancerous cells on the cervix). For example, we can remove these cells using a minimally invasive technique called loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP).
