Screening, assessment and referral to appropriate health professionals is required to meet the identified needs of an individual, their carer and family. In addition to the common issues outlined in the Appendix, specific issues that may arise include: emotional and psychological distress resulting from fear of death/dying, existential concerns, anticipatory grief, communicating wishes to loved…

Rehabilitation may be required at any point of the care pathway from preparing for treatment through to disease-free survival and palliative care. Issues that may need to be addressed include managing cancer-related fatigue, cognitive changes, improving physical endurance, achieving independence in daily tasks, returning to work and ongoing adjustment to disease and its sequelae.

Responsibility for follow-up care should be agreed between the lead clinician, the general practitioner, relevant members of the multidisciplinary team and the woman, with an agreed plan documented that outlines: what medical follow-up is required (surveillance for cancer spread, recurrence or secondary cancers, screening and assessment for medical and psychosocial effects) care plans from other…

The lead clinician should ensure there is adequate discussion with the woman and her carer about the diagnosis and recommended treatment, including the intent of treatment and possible outcomes, likely adverse effects and supportive care options available.

Screening using a validated screening tool, assessment and referral to appropriate health professionals and community-based support services is required to meet the needs of individual women, their families and carers. In addition to the common issues outlined in the Appendix, specific issues that may arise include: treatment-related side effects including loss of fertility, sexual dysfunction…

If a woman presents with symptoms at any age, whether or not she has been vaccinated against HPV, the symptoms should be investigated. In the early stages of cervical cancer, there may be no symptoms at all. If symptoms occur, they commonly include: postcoital bleeding intermenstrual bleeding postmenopausal bleeding dyspareunia unusual or watery vaginal discharge.…

Surgery is typically reserved for women who have small tumours found only within the cervix (early-stage disease and smaller lesions) (NCCN 2017). For women with early-stage disease who do not require fertility-sparing approaches, cone biopsy, simple/extrafascial hysterectomy and radical hysterectomy are options. Radical hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy with bilateral pelvic lymph node assessment is the…

All newly diagnosed women should be discussed in a multidisciplinary team meeting so that a treatment plan can be recommended. The level of discussion may vary depending on both clinical and psychosocial factors. The results of all relevant tests and imaging should be available for the multidisciplinary team discussion. Information about the woman’s concerns, preferences…

Concurrent chemoradiation is generally the primary treatment of choice for managing women with cervical cancer either as a definitive treatment for those with locally advanced disease or for those who are poor surgical candidates (NCCN 2017). Definitive radiation therapy should consist of pelvic external beam radiation (EBRT) and intracavitary brachytherapy (ESMO Guidelines Working Group 2012)…

These are to: nominate a team member to be the lead clinician (the lead clinician may change over time depending on the stage of the care pathway and where care is being provided) nominate a team member to coordinate patient care develop and document an agreed treatment plan at the multidisciplinary team meeting circulate the…