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- Physical Examination
- Most women with cervical cancer will have a normal general physical examination.
- • Careful evaluation of the vulva, urethra and vagina.
- • Lymph nodes in the groin and above the collarbone should be examined to detect any enlargement.
- • Examination of the abdomen to look for an enlarged liver, a mass or excessive abdominal fluid (ascites).
- • A gynecologic pelvic and rectal examination is important to detect disease in the tissue surrounding the cervix
- and vagina and the pelvic lymph nodes.
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- Blood and Other Tests
- • Complete blood count.
- • Liver function chemistries.
- • Kidney function chemistries.
- • The levels of the serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) and the serum carcinoembryonic antigen
- (CEA) in the blood should be measured. SCCA is elevated in 50 percent of all women with cervical cancer.
- CEA is elevated in about 20 percent of all cervical carcinomas. Although CEA and SCCA are not accurate
- enough to use for screening , they are useful to monitor the response to treatment and for follow-up to detect
- recurrent disease.