Cervical Cancer: The Patient's Playbookby Marvin J. Field A steady hand on your shoulder from diagnosis to recovery-clear steps, plain language, and practical support for every stage of care. About the bookWhen the words "you have cervical cancer" arrive, life splits into before and after. This compassionate, straight-talking guide meets you in that moment. It translates medical jargon, maps the decisions ahead, and shows you how to build a plan that fits your values, family, work, and goals. With checklists, plain-English explanations, and whole-person strategies, it's the book you bring to appointments-and keep open on the kitchen table. Inside, you'll learn how to: Understand cervical cancer in human terms-HPV, staging, imaging, pathology reports, and what those numbers actually change.Assemble a care team (gynecologic oncology, radiation, medical oncology, nursing, social work, pelvic floor PT) that truly coordinates.Compare standard treatments step-by-step-conization, trachelectomy, hysterectomy, external beam radiation, brachytherapy, and concurrent chemotherapy-so you know the "why," not just the "what."Navigate advanced & emerging options (immunotherapy, antibody-drug conjugates, clinical trials) with realistic benefits and trade-offs.Manage side effects day to day-nausea, fatigue, bowel/bladder changes, skin care, pain-without white-knuckling through.Protect your whole life during treatment: nutrition that works on your worst days, movement that preserves strength, mental health, intimacy, and trauma-informed pelvic care.Plan life after treatment-follow-up schedules, late effects, sexual health, lymphedema basics, bone & heart health-so survivorship feels like living, not waiting.Explore fertility, pregnancy, and family-building with clarity: fertility-sparing surgery, egg/embryo freezing, ovarian transposition, gestational carriers, and adoption.Find community and advocate-at home, online, and in your clinic-without spending more of yourself than you intend.What makes this playbook differentPatient-first voice-clear, calm, and practical, never patronizing.Decision support-questions to ask, red-flag symptoms to call about, and ways to time second opinions without losing momentum.Whole-person care-as much about meals, work, intimacy, and sleep as about scans and labs.Who this book is forPatients and survivors; partners, parents, and friends; and clinicians who want language that makes sense in real life. Whether you face a new diagnosis, are in treatment, or rebuilding afterward, this is your go-to map and morale. At a glance-major sectionsForeword - Understanding Cervical Cancer - Building Your Care Team & Plan - Standard Treatments (surgery, radiation, chemo) - Advanced & Emerging Therapies - Whole-Person Care & Life During Treatment - Life After Treatment-Recovery & Survivorship - Fertility, Pregnancy & Family Planning - Community, Advocacy & Hope. Read this if you want: Exact next steps after an abnormal test or a new diagnosis.Plain-English explanations you can share with family.A playbook that respects your agency and your life.