In the early stages of cervical cancer, surgery is usually the preferred primary treatment approach. Not all women are candidates for all surgical procedures.
Surgery procedures by stage are:
- Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) and Laser Surgery. Used for pre-invasive cancer including cervical intrapethelial neoplasia (CIN) and stage 0.
- Conization. Used for treating pre-invasive cancer (CIN and stage 0) and invasive cancer stage IA1.
- Cryosurgery. Used for stage 0.
- Total (Simple) Hysterecomy. Used for stage 0, stage IA1.
- Radical Hysterectomy. Used for stage IA2, stage IB1 and 1B2, stage IIA.
- Radical Trachelectomy. Used for select women with stage IA2, stage IB1.
Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure
Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), also called large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ), uses a high frequency electrical current to cut away diseased tissue.
- A local anesthetic is applied to the cervix, and a wire loop is inserted into the vagina.
- A button-sized slice of tissue is removed from the cervix for examination.
- A deeper slice is used to evaluate the endocervical canal.
The procedure is done in one office visit. Extensive and deep sections of damaged tissue can be effectively removed in this visit. Disease can be cured in one treatment. When used for dysplasia, it appears to be as effective as more invasive procedures.
Review Date: 10/21/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.