Surgery is often the main treatment for early cancer of the cervix.

Usually any operation involves a hysterectomy (removal of the womb and cervix). The ovaries may safely be left but in older women who have had the menopause the operation normally includes taking away the ovaries as well. The operation also usually involves removal of the lymph nodes (lymph glands) around the cervix and womb, because sometimes they contain seedlings of cancer which have spread from the cervix. This is not very common but is more likely if the cancer has penetrated deeply into the tissues of the cervix.

Usually scans will be done before a hysterectomy is performed to try and determine if there is any spread beyond the cervix and to see whether or not the lymph nodes appear normal. However the scans will not pick up any tiny cancer cells that may be in the lymph nodes and removing some of them is often the most accurate way of finding out if the cancer has begun to spread. This helps the doctors to accurately stage the cancer and determine if any other treatment, such as radiotherapy, is needed after the surgery.

The results of surgery for early cancer of the cervix are usually very good, with a high chance of cure. Results may be better in hospitals which have a specialist team dedicated to the management of gynaecological cancers and recent guidelines have recommended that all women with cancer of the cervix are treated by such teams.