OBJECTIVES: To compare dynamic changes of the health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with invasive cervical cancer and carcinoma in situ for estimation of potential gain in quality of life from early detection. METHODS:  All patients diagnosed with cervical cancer who visited the cancer clinic at the National Cheng Kung University Hospital from March 2012 to September 2012 were invited to participate in the study. They were classified into 4 groups according to treatment modalities: Carcinoma in situ post conization, invasive cancer treated with operation only, those treated with operation plus chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and those treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy only. The WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality of Life – brief version) questionnaire was used to measure the HRQL. The dynamic changes of HRQL scores were calculated with the kernel smoothing method. A mixed-effect model was constructed to analyze repeated measurements and determine risk factors for impairment of HRQL and different treatment modalities. RESULTS: A total of 507 measurements were collected from 421 patients. In comparison with carcinoma-in-situ patients post conization, patients with invasive cervical cancer who received operation plus chemotherapy or radiotherapy showed consistently lower scores in facets of physical and psychological domains and sexual activities after adjustment for age, education, marital status, co-morbidities and duration after diagnosis. The differences in scores seemed to be reduced temporarily 4-8 years after diagnosis.  CONCLUSIONS: Early detection of cervical cancer may avoid impairment of quality of life in physical, psychological domains, and sexual activities.