Cervical Cancer

Hello -

I was diagnosed with stage 2A cervical cancer 3 years ago.  I had 26 rounds of external and 6 rounds of internal radiation along with chemo.  Due to a bleeding event prior to my diagnosis I was not able to have surgery. I know how scary a diagnosis can be, the treatments,waiting for results,  the recovery.  If anyone would like to ask me questions about my experiences, please do so. Obviously everyone's cancer is different and only doctor can give medical advice,  but sometimes it helps to talk to someone who's been through it.

Prayers to all that are facing this disease.

Laura P.

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  • Hi again Dawn, 

    Sorry for the delay...... not only has all this been going on, but i've relocated too so its all a bit crazy here! 

    The not knowing is making me crazy. 

    I had the MRI and chest x-ray (a week late as it had broken down!) and told yesterday that its clear!? soooo still no grade.

    So now i'm confused. The biopsy says I have cancer. But nothing can be seen. |I| think then they are hoping it's super small. I'm being booked in for a loop under general, and they are going to try to just cut it out. 

    Ive been told if I get clear margins, i'll likely still be offered a hysterectomy as it may come back. 

    Once they test what they have taken out, apparently then they will decide if its going to also include lymph node removal....but again, when I asked...they said the nodes were clear. (however I have read that you cant see nodes properly in a scan anyway!?)

    I'd now like to think that I can avoid radio/chemo. But....I have no idea. Everything is up in the air again, when I was expecting a definate answer. I hate this. 

    If anyone can shed any light on this, I'd be very grateful!

    How are you all getting on?

  • Hi Rachel

    If your cancer cannot be seen on a scan it will be very small, and it may be possible to completely remove it via a lletz. If you get clear margins, why would they do a hysterectomy? It is major surgery which cannot remove the HPV virus which causes the abnormal cells and eventually the cancer. Abnormal cells can return, and having a hysterectomy is no guarantee that they won’t. Also the surgery can make it more difficult to detect any abnormalities in the future. I would consider very carefully whether a hysterectomy is the best way to go if you get clear margins from a lletz. 

    Your cancer may be microscopic, hence not being picked up on scans, so would be highly likely to be something like stage 1a. That would not require chemo and radiotherapy-the lletz could take care of it. .