Diagnosis and treatment

Also in this section:

• Cancer and its impact on relationships >
• Getting support >
• Other organisations which can help >

‘You wish it was you. If I could have taken it away and had it myself I would have changed that, just purely to protect her and the kids.’

– Kirk, partner

When a woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer it can be an uncertain time. Partners of women affected by cervical cancer have told us that having information about what the women in their lives may be going through, both physically and emotionally, was very useful. The links below will take you to more information on types of treatment and side effects related to cervical cancer and its treatment.

Cervical cancer

You may find the following sections useful to help you understand more about cervical cancer, how it is caused, how it is staged when diagnosed and the possible treatment options:

• Causes of cervical cancer – human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Cervical cancer – staging 
• LLETZ
• Cone biopsy
• Trachelectomy
• Hysterectomy
• Lymphadenectomy
• Radiotherapy/brachytherapy
• Chemotherapy
• Pelvic exenteration
• Laterally extended endopelvic resection (LEER)
• Other drug treatments

“I was able to stay with my partner right up to before the operation. We had to get up early and wait in the waiting area all morning. She wasn’t put up on a ward. I went straight up to the theatre doors. Then I waited at the hospital while the operation took place.”

– Partner, Cervical Cancer Stories Report

Life after diagnosis

Life after cancer can feel different, both for the woman affected and for her partner. Your partner may be facing short- as well as long-term side effects from the treatment she has had. The following links provide more details on the issues your partner may be facing after treatment has finished:

• Moving forward from a cancer diagnosis
• Long-term side effects
• Early menopause and hormone replacement therapy
• Damage to bowel and bladder 
• Changes to the vagina and impact on sex
• Fear of recurrence

You can also find more general information in our cervical cancer section.

You may also want to read more about the experiences of women and their partners going through cervical cancer in our new research report called ‘Cervical cancer stories’. From this work we also created a series of films highlighting the experiences of seven women who took part in the research.

In addition, you may find our online Forum a useful resource, where you can find a wealth of personal information and shared experiences. We have a forum section especially for partners.

How we research and write our information >