Hello Mmfxx

I just wanted to let you know that our nurse team is now out of the office until Tuesday morning but they will reply as soon as they're able to after the bank holiday weekend. 

Best wishes, 
Jenn
Cancer Chat moderator 

Thanks for letting me know 

Hello there and thanks for posting

I am sorry to hear you have been left with more questions than answers since your colposcopy visit and appreciate this must have left you a little unsure.

I think the first thing to say is that the cervical screening programme is all about the prevention of cancer by picking up abnormality at an early stage where it can be monitored or treated until everything returns to normal.

Some women are unfortunate in that they will experience several abnormal screenings, requiring more frequent screenings and follow ups than others and whilst this can be unsettling the important thing is to attend these so you can be best managed.

Abnormal cells in the cervix are mainly caused by high risk strains of HPV, and that is the reason the screening programme now checks for high risk HPV as the primary or first test.  All abnormal cervical screening positive for HPV will be high risk strains as these are the one's responsible for cell changes that can be problematic.

The samples positive for high risk HPV are then looked at under a microscope to check for abnormal cells ( cells that appear differently to normal cells usually found in the cervix). This is then reported as dyskaryosis (meaning abnormal cells) mild, moderate or severe depending on the amount and how differently they appear to normal cells.

Anyone who has HPV and dyskaryosis are sent to colposcopy where a closer examination of the cervix can take place and biopsies taken as needed to determine the type of abnormality. They stain the cervix with aceto acid that turns the cervix white, this helps to show up the areas of abnormality that may need biopsies taken from. Moderate aceto white refers to this but as far as I am aware moderate doesn't necessarily correlate to CIN2, so it is a matter of waiting and seeing what the results come back as to show if treatment is needed.

This will usually come back as CIN Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia 1,2 or 3 depending on the area depth of the abnormality but these are still abnormal cells not cancer, sometimes referred to as pre- cancerous cells.

It is rare for cancer to be diagnosed through the cervical screening programme if women attend for regular screening and any needed follow up and treatment, on the odd occasion when this does happen it is often caught at an early stage where it can be successfully treated.

Waiting for results can be an anxious time so try and keep yourself busy and your mind on other things.

Take care

Naomi