Surgery to remove cancer and surrounding tissue is the most common treatment for gynecologic cancers.
The type of surgery and how much tissue is removed depends on the type of cancer, its stage, and the overall health of the patient. Below are some common surgical procedures performed to treat gynecologic cancers.
Non-Invasive Procedures
Various surgical procedures are used to remove abnormal cells before they become cancerous or to remove cancer itself by inserting instruments through the vagina, as is done during a pap smear.
- Cryosurgery or cryotherapy uses an instrument to freeze and remove abnormal cells on the cervix.
- Laser surgery involves using a beam of light to remove abnormal cells or a surface tumor from the cervix, vagina, or vulva.
- Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) is used to remove abnormal, noncancerous cells or cancer from the cervix. During this procedure electrical current is passed through a thin wire loop, which acts as a knife.
- Conization or cone biopsy involves removing a cone-shaped piece of tissue from the cervix. This procedure may be used both to diagnose and to treat abnormal changes or cancer.
Full Surgical Procedures
- Hysterectomy removes the cervix and the uterus (total hysterectomy) or also removes part of the vagina, nearby ligaments, and tissues (radical hysterectomy). These procedures may be performed using a large abdominal incision (abdominal hysterectomy) or small incisions with minimally invasive laparoscopic or robotic surgery.
- Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy removes both ovaries and both fallopian tubes.
- Pelvic exenteration is used to remove organs to which the cancer has spread, including the lower colon, rectum, and bladder, as well as the cervix, vagina, ovaries, and the adjacent lymph nodes. Other surgeries may be used after this operation to make openings for urine and stool to exit or to make an artificial vagina.
- Radical trachelectomy removes the cervix, part of the vagina, and the lymph nodes. This procedure is an option for some women with small cervical tumors who want to be able to have children in the future.
Learn more about treatments for gynecologic cancer:
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