I'm looking for anyone that may have any similar experience as me, or resources for me to check out about my specific case. Natural remedies are very much welcomed, but I don’t think this site deals too much with the natural side of cancer cures, but I could be wrong.

In December I had an abnormal pap and got the biopsy. It showed high grade dysplasia. I tried to find a naturopath to treat it naturally. The naturopath I chose turned out to be useless and wasted my time. Without wanting to put it off too long I got the LEEP 2 weeks ago. My results came back as micro invasive cancer and they recommended I get a cone biopsy as a treatment/diagnosis. They scheduled this for October 31st.

My questions are these:

1) Has anyone been diagnosed with micro invasive cervical cancer, and what is the technical term for it? Is that the technical term? (I've seen people write stuff about CIN III and don’t know what all the terms stand for)

2) Does anyone know what the likelihood of this stage of cancer to be completely taken out by a cone biopsy? I am only 26 years old and still would like to have children and do not want a hysterectomy. I am finding a lot of information about cone biopsy's eliminating dysplasia but cannot find much about it being a cure for cancer. Has anyone had a similar experience as mine?

3) They scheduled my cone biopsy for October 31st which is 1 1/2 months away. Considering I went from a clean PAP in April of last year to cancer 1 year and 4 months later, does that seem like too long of a time to wait to get the cone biopsy?

4) Does anyone have any natural suggestions at all as to what I can do to make sure this does not spread from now until then? I’m cutting out all sugar from my diet including breads and am taking supplements of vit C, folic acid, indole-3-carbinol and fish oils. I have a very weak immune system (low neutrophil production) which is, in my opinion, the reason this has progress so fast

any help, information, suggestions or refferals would be greatly appreciated! thanks all and i wish you all the best of luck with your specific cases :wave:

I seem to be doing alot of posting, huh? I had the cone biopsy 11 days ago as "treatment" for my carcinoma in situ, CIN III, microinvasive cancer...whatever term du jour, but all the same. It was not successful in removing all of the cells. I still have level II and III in the remaining portion of my cervix (only about 10%) and now need to make some decisions. From everything I have read, and in talking with many people who have had a similar diagnosis, hysterectomy is the normal course at this stage. Your doctor is obviously being conservative as was mine. She is not a big proponent of hysterectomy and understandably so. She was very confident that she could remove all of the diseased tissue with the cone, but unfortunately wrong. Your case may be different and he will remove it all with this procedure. Why pull out a machine gun if a hand gun will do the job?...especially with your desire to have children.

Thanks for posting Sharon. I read your post but again, was not aware that CIN III was the same thing as microinvasive...and carsinoma in situ. why do they make this difficult time even more difficult with all this technical jargon!?:dizzy:

anyone else with this same experience with a cone biopsy? i guess im looking for the ray of light of someine in the same situation coming out clean with just the cone...if that exists

Just google any of the terms...most of the cancer websites can clarify them for you and most state that they are all basically the same thing. I did not mean to scare you...I know several women who were treated successfully with the cone biopsy, some recently, some many, many years ago with no recurrence. I just happen to be unfortunate in that I (a) have a very aggressive strain or (b) have a doctor who underestimated what she was dealing with or (c) had bad pathology during the initial biopsies. In any event, I know what I am dealing with, I have done all that I can right now and if hysterectomy is the next logical step, then I am on board. Better than the alternative. The cone is used very, very often as a treatment method and it would not be if it was not successful!! You are going to be just fine, as am I. We are the lucky ones!!

No, microinvasive isn't the same as carcinoma in situ. CIS is *not* invasive. It is confined to the upper (epithelial) layers of the cervix. Microinvasive cancer has invaded the tissue below it, but only by a few millimeters.

thanks timber, thats what i though. my doctor described it as cancer and all the research ive done is showing that it is different than CIN III and carcinoma in situ since they are not quite at the cancer stage.

as an update, my doctor called today to say that they moved some people around to get me in sooner for my cone biopsy. it is now on September 12th instead of October 31st. im relieved that i will get it over with sooner, but it also makes me nervous that they felt it was important to move other people to get me in quicker.

Timber -

Now I am afraid. I was told that I had CIN III and also carcinoma in situ (depending on who I spoke to) after a round of punch biopsies. I had a cone biopsy done 12 days ago which they said came back with what they term as microinvasive cells and the biopsies of the remaining portion of my cervix still contained the CIN III and CIN II "to the edges". I asked what the difference was and they told me it was all basically the same, but that I did not have cervical cancer by definition. Apparently, it must become invasive to be termed "cervical cancer". Everything I had, although referred to by all of these different terms was contained to the cervix...still is, I guess...and they told me that the terms were interchangeable. Am I being lied to?? Should I worry?? I will be having much follow up and more "treatment" over the course of the next few months, so I guess it really doesn't matter what they call it, as long as they get it out.

For tealdreams...

That still seems like such a long time to wait if they are saying you have cancer. I was scheduled within two weeks of the first biopsy (and only because I needed a Friday or it would have been 8 days) and they only thought I had the carcinoma in situ or CIN III. And apparently, that first pathology was wrong or I have an agressive strain because the cone biopsy came back much worse than what they thought initially. I don't mean to scare you, but that worries me. I can't understand any of these doctors. "You have cancer, so we'll see you in a month!!??" Talk about torture! I am reading story after story of women who are going through much more than they ever needed to and it seems to be because of the doctors. Well, my prayers are with you. The good news is that even if it progresses, it is still very early, so I know you will be fine.... I'm going to check in after the 12th to see how you are doing, so look for me here!!

Sharon

thank you sharon,

the reason they are waiting so long is because i just had my LEEP and they wanted me to heal from that before i got the cone. but even so i think that getting rid of the cancer is more important than letting the LEEP heal.

did you know that doctors are the number two cause of death in america right now? the medical system is crazy and i would be treating this 100% naturally if i didnt have such a weak immune system (benign lukopenia) and am still doing natural treatments, but i figure at this point i need it taken out and then repair everything else that is wrong with my body....start over....

thanks again for your kind and encouraging words sharon. i would call your doctor if i were you and talk to her about all of the terms.

Don't be too afraid. Microinvasive cancer is still highly treatable because it hasn't spread to any surrounding organs.

did you know that doctors are the number two cause of death in america right now?

Where did you hear that? It's not true at all. The top 4 causes of death in the States are heart disease, cancer, stroke and COPD.

sorry, it wasnt the #2 cause...its the #3 cause. my mistake.

Timber, the causes of death that you listed may be the highest killing deseases, but not the highest causes of death. there are many things about the medical system that we, as the general public, are purposfully not made aware of. I recomend you do some deep research into it (and im not talking about research funded by drug companies and the government) and you may see what i mean. if you want a starting point you can go to the link below.

http://www.mercola.com/2000/jul/30/doctors_death.htm

we all have a right to know exactly what our choices are and what is being done to, or injected into our bodies. dont take your doctors word...do research and find out what the best options are for you. our best healing tool is our own minds.

best wishes to everyone here.

I looked at the article and I believe it. We buried my Grandma three weeks ago. She died of ovarian cancer and shouldn't have died so soon. She went to her doctor at the first sign of symptoms...feeling of fullness, fatigue, abdominal pain and was dismissed time and time again. We took her every month because things were getting worse and still he dismissed her...told her to take pepcid and eat more...the poor woman couldn't eat. He did no tests. By the time we got the diagnosis 18 months later (from an ER doctor mind you), she was so weak that any form of treatment was out of the question. I realize that ovarian cancer in the later stages is a death sentence, but had she been diagnosed when all of this started, she may have been able to spend a few more years with us. She died of malnutrition and dehydration, not the cancer. It had only just spread to the stomach and liver, but at 65lbs and the condition she was in...her oncologist couldn't do anything for her. They drained the fluid and put a port in for nourishment, but it was all too little, too late. She was at the point of no return. I believe that her doctor killed her. She was 85 years old, but had you met her you would have never believed it. She didn't look it and she was sooo active. She delivered meals every day to people 20 years younger than she was. Never took a pill or was ever hospitalized prior to this. She was strong and had they caught this, I would have been able to call her tonight. Sucks!! That is what worries me about my doctors. You so want to trust them, but the bottom line is that they are human...and we make mistakes.

No I didn't list the top four disease deaths. I listed the top four causes of death, period. Non-disease deaths are on that list.

I looked at the article you linked and I'm sorry but that's not a trustworthy source. Not everything published on the internet is true. I couldn't find any evidence of this claim in any reputable journals or peer-reviewed studies and I am not inclined to believe a random guy's speculation. I don't deny that medical mistakes cause a huge number of deaths, but I don't believe that it's the third cause of death.

Timber -

Your response seems so tinged with anger. I believe there is more doctor error than we know on a daily basis that leads to many unnecessary deaths. The number one reason I got on line to find some sort of resources in dealing with my situation is because I work with a woman whose daughter died at 34 yrs old of cervical cancer, leaving behind a 4year old daughter and 2 year old son. They treated her twice with cryotherapy for what they said was simply moderate dysplasia and sent her on her way...she died 16 months after the second procedure. Many trips to the doctor and no one ever looked for cancer...even with the history. They treated her for reflux, ulcers, irritable bowel...meanwhile the cancer was ravaging her body. I do not want that to be me. I, too, have two children and a wonderful husband that I am not ready to leave because my doctor doesn't believe in hysterectomy. From level 2 to dead in a little over a year is very scary...and read above about the hell we just lived through with my grandma. I don't know if you have ever held someone as they died, but it is the hardest thing I ever had to do. I think we need to be our own doctors, insist on the best treatment and not put our health in the hands of one human being.

Real quick post...I was dx'd with CIN III 12 years ago, had the cone biopsy and results came back as microinvasive cancer. To this day I have not had a reoccurance of any kind and my paps (every 6months to a year) continue to come back clean.

There is a ray of hope, good luck to you and best wishes!

Hey ladies,

I just wanted to say a few things. First of all, I think it's really easy to get frustrated while we're all dealing with these serious and stressful health matters. I'm so sorry to those of you who have lost loved ones because of a neglectful doctor or inadequate healthcare. It's a difficult thing to know that the welfare of our loved ones and ourselves are seemingly in the hands of strangers (doctors).

I wouldn't say that Timber's response was so tinged with anger...I can't speak for her, but I do know that Timber has done a lot of research when it comes to healthcare. She has been very helpful on these baords...with me and with so many other women. It's difficult to assess a person's tone on these boards. Tealdreams- very simply, information she has gathered happens to conflict with your info. There's SO much information out there...it's difficult to decipher what comes from a good source or a bad one.

I think we all understand that doctors are human. It's crazy, but sometimes I even forget that! I would love it if I could go to the doctor and be confident that they would be certain of the right treatment for me. But they're not Gods.

The only thing I'm sure of at this point is that it's important for me to educate myself as much as possible and be aware of my treatments options; this way, when I see my doctor (and a 2nd doc and 3rd, if need be), I can ask well-educated questions that will give me answers to help me figure out the best way to go.

Tealdreams and Sharon- I think you're both right to believe that doctor error is high, which is all the more reason to educate yourself on your diagnosis and to be your own advocate. If your doc is doing something that makes you feel funny or uncomfortable, or if you feel you're being neglected or a matter isn't being taken seriously enough, voice it! And you have every right to seek a 2nd opinion. Since my initial diagnosis, I have become much more assertive and it was a long-overdue lesson for me to learn.

I think these healthboards or a fantastic avenue for both education and support. We NEED to stay supportive of one another and remember that we're all a little freaked out and stressed.

Take care of yourselves and each other,
Katie

That really is exactly what I was saying...you can’t always trust one opinion. Don’t take your doctor's word (or the word of the article I posted) for true until you do your own research and feel comfortable that you are getting the absolute best care ever.

Timber, we are all going through a hard time and I have found a ray of hope in alternative health care. My doctor is a last resort and if I can help someone else out that is looking for an alternative, then I am happy. If it is not for you that is perfectly fine. Whatever works best for each individual. I would like to, however, bring up the fact that you must be careful of the research that you are doing. Most "reputable" research that is published comes from doctors...which are funded by drug companies. Its disturbing when you know how much drug companies buy and manipulate research...I know this from many inside sources that are being "wined and dined" by drug companies as we speak. They don’t want us well, they make too much money off of us being sick. Again, I'm not here to preach, but to inform people that are looking for anything else they can turn to.

Sharon, I feel for you and it must have been horrible to watch your grandmother suffer. Don’t let your doctor tell you what is right for you. I can feel you strong positive energy and you will be just fine. We all will be.

I am reading a book right now and am trying some natural therapies before my surgery. I will keep anyone who is interested posted as to the outcome.

and also, thank you DOS1973 for the hope you have given me. its good to hear a success story that i can strive toward! :)

Hi, just had to agree with ktbee, Timber has been VERY helpful to me and lots of others on this board. Just wanted to say thanks, and I really regard your opinions highly. x

I am in no way saying anything negative about timber. please dont think that. She has helped a lot of people through a lot of hard times and i think that is fantastic that people can come to a place like this and get the support they desparatly need.

people disagree. if we all argeed about everything then the world would be a very boring place. i happen to have a different opinion than timber on one thing. that doesnt mean i think less of her as a person.

Sorry, have joined this discussion a bit late, but wanted to share some of my experience and information with you....



My questions are these:

1) Has anyone been diagnosed with micro invasive cervical cancer, and what is the technical term for it? Is that the technical term? (I've seen people write stuff about CIN III and don’t know what all the terms stand for)

I was diagnosed with microinvasive cervical cancer. I had to search out the information myself as to what this term really means. Depending on the size of invasion, you are either a stage 1a1 or stage 1a2. Stage 1a1 is less than 3mm depth. A microinvasion [I]IS[I] cancer, however if it is a stage 1a1, with clear margins, it has been caught early enough to treat conservatively in order to preserve fertility. Microinvasion by definition means the invasion is small enough that it can only be seen with a microscope. Anything that can be seen with the visible eye is automatically stage 1b1 or higher.

2) Does anyone know what the likelihood of this stage of cancer to be completely taken out by a cone biopsy? I am only 26 years old and still would like to have children and do not want a hysterectomy. I am finding a lot of information about cone biopsy's eliminating dysplasia but cannot find much about it being a cure for cancer. Has anyone had a similar experience as mine?

There is a great likelihood that all the invasion will be removed by the cone biopsy. Do you have your path reports? Do you know the depth of your invasion? Other things to look for in the path report are margin status, and evidence of lymph vascular space involvement. A cold knife cone is typically used as a treatment for microinvasive cancer for women who desire to preserve their fertility. I think there was a later poster who shared her experience about never having a recurrence following a cold knife cone. That is wonderful! I had a LEEP which removed my cancer completely and was told I was "cured". I chose to proceed with a hysterectomy due to being finished having children and my own personal circumstances. That said, I had to fight to get one, so that tells you how some doctors have lots of confidence in the LEEP and cone biopsies being a cure for this.

3) They scheduled my cone biopsy for October 31st which is 1 1/2 months away. Considering I went from a clean PAP in April of last year to cancer 1 year and 4 months later, does that seem like too long of a time to wait to get the cone biopsy?

Do you know what your margin status was? I am assuming maybe your margins were involved if they want to do another cone...the LEEP cauterization effect certainly can take care of any residual cells present. I am glad they finally got you scheduled earlier for the cone, it eliminates that worrisome waiting times and you will feel much better once it is done.




For anyone who is going through this stuff, I highly recommend you get copies of your pathology reports and question your doctors about what specifically is happening with your body. Personally I hate the term microinvasion. I wish docs would give us the correct terminology and staging as outlined by FIGO.

I hope this helps a bit. Good luck at your appointment in September :)

Karen

Thanks so much Karen! I am in the process of getting my path reports now, but am having to sign release forms, which i think it silly. They are my pathology reports, i should have a right to see them when i request them! *sigh* but I am glad that you told me what to look for in the reports. The only thing i didnt fully understand was "lymph vascular space involvment". what exactly does that mean?

I believe it is stage 1a1, but again I wont be certain until I receive the Path reports. Im going in for a my pre-surgery poking and proding on Tuesday so should be able to get a lot of information then.

Thanks again Karen:)

Hi tealdreams,

sorry I should have explained that a little more. Basically the lymph vascular space involvement identifies whether or not there is a risk the tumor has spread. The best case scenario is "no evidence of lymph vascular space involvement" meaning the likelihood of spread is extremely minimal. If there was evidence of this, then they would do likely biopsy lymph nodes in the area to check for any sinister cells.

With stage 1a1 it is highly unlikely for this to occur. Like in the tenths or hundredths of one percent I think, so unless it shows up the possibility of lymph vasc involvement, they would not do any further tests (as was in my case).

stage 1a1 has a very very high cure rate, which is great news, isn't it?

Sorry you are having a hard time getting your reports. I had one doc tell me that she didn't believe in patients having copies of their reports as it meant the patient did not trust her! Umm, she's not MY doctor. I finally saw an oncologist at my provincial cancer agency. I had to sign a release form, and I can request a copy of my file at any time (which I have just done, I expect it in the mail today). Good for you for requesting those reports!

Good luck on Tuesday. Feel free to ask me questions anytime :)