There isn't a simple answer to this question. This is because there are several different types of treatment for cervical cancer. Treatments for cervical cancer may include:

• surgery
• radiotherapy
• chemotherapy.

Choosing the right treatment depends on many factors. These include:

• the stage and grade of the cancer
• your age, health and general fitness

Your feelings are also important. Before any decisions are made about your treatment you should be able to discuss the possible options with your doctor or nurse.

Doctors and nurses who treat cancer are organised into specialised teams of experts called multi-disciplinary teams. There are specific teams to deal with each of the main types of cancer. These teams are in place at hospital throughout the UK. There should be a specialist team at a hospital not too far from where you live.

It is perfectly reasonable to ask your specialist if they have a particular interest in cancer of the cervix and whether they are a member of one of these teams. If you aren't sure about the treatment you are offered you can talk things through with your GP or ask to be referred for a second opinion. Most specialists don't mind when people ask for a second opinion. Often the advice given is the same as that from the first specialist but this can increase your confidence in the treatment plan you have been offered.

There are also some guidelines, in England and Wales, on treatments for cancer of the cervix. These are produced by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE).

From time to time new types of treatment for cancer are discovered. These may be given a lot of publicity in the press or on TV. Often these treatments are so new that they have not yet been fully tested. Testing is vital, to make sure new treatments are safe and to find out if they are better than current treatment. This process takes time so it may be several years before a new treatment becomes widely available.