I've seen them mentioned and I've searched online, but can't find what they are. Can someone enlighten me? Thanks.

Hi,

I haven't heard of skip cells. Could it be squamous cells?

Lisa

I don't know. My diagnosis has only mentioned glandular cells; squamous cells haven't been mentioned. The only thing I can think of is that the cells don't grow right next to another lesion, they "skip cells" and grow somewhere else without leaving a trail of atypical cells. But I am only guessing.

Someone (I can't remember) said that sometimes there are "skip cells" . We were discussing my cervical adenocarcinoma diagnosis (1a1).

It might have been the conversation with me. Skip lesions are are non-contiguous lesions, so there is the possibility of lesions beyond clear margins. It is a very rare occurrence of all types of adenocarcinomas, not just cervical.

I've been thinking about your situation. I have two questions. 1) Have you had consistently negative yearly paps since age 18, no unusual symptoms, and the HPV test was the only thing that alerted your doctor to the possibility that something was amiss? 2) Or, did you ever have an abnormal pap, even just once or twice?

The former situation is very rare and very unfortunate, and here, you may even want to examine your past path reports because they will (or should) note whether they are "satisfactory." What you want to see on the report is something along the lines of "satisfactory: endocervical and transformation zone cells present." (Because this is where most precancers show up: this loose rule applies to both squamous and glandular cells.) Consequently, unsatisfactory paps tell you very little because the sampling of cells is incorrect and/or inadequate.

The latter suggests the slight possibility of suboptimal follow-up, because an abnormal pap ALWAYS requires further examination, in that a negative colposcopy following the pap doesn't rule out all problems--an ECC as well as a vaginoscopy ought be performed also.

I don't mean to suggest in any way that anyone in your health care management dropped the ball, but rather to stress the importance of getting complete and accurate information. What's more important than your health, right? And since both the gyn and the pathologists are only human, just like the rest of us, don't you want to have as much information as possible?

Keep asking questions and build your physical and mental immune systems as strong as you can.

Yes, it was you, Brieaukirsch! I've been reading so many things I forgot who said it.

Your first sitution is the case. Since I was 18 (or 20 - whenever I started having Paps), I've never been told my paps had anything wrong with them. It was "see you next year." The HPV results (just 3.5 months ago) was the only clue that something was wrong. And honestly, if I hadn't freaked out at that pathology report, I'd have waited 3 months and had another pap and/or colposcopy. I'm glad (in a weird sort of way) that I freaked out so I could have the colpo and ECC.

I never saw a pathology report (until I got the ok pap, positive for high risk HPV) until January. I'm learning to ask for those, then decipher them later.

I have not had a vaginoscope. I've only had a thin-prep pap (or the like), colposcopy, ecc, and cone biopsy. And now, I'm looking at a "simple hysterectomy" (cervix and uterus only).

I have an ever growing list of questions for my doctor. My task for tomorrow is to call insurance and find out about second opinions and find out about referrals to gyn/oncs. From what I can tell, there are only about 4-5 gyn/oncs in my city. I'm considering going to my parent's city (where there are a dozen or so). . . but that is just a wild-consideration right now.


Keep asking questions and build your physical and mental immune systems as strong as you can.

Thank you so much for answering all of my questions. :angel: I am trying to prepare my mind for so many options. I hate being caught unaware - well, any more than I already have!

ACK, as I was proofreading my reply, you reminded me of *another* thread I need to start . . . about building the immune system!

Pickle Eyes,

Skipped cells: For a perspective there are specialized cells that are able to conduct and form a controlling pathway for electrical impulses that provide an electrical stimulus that activate the enery to contract heart chambers followed a relaxation phase.

Using a domino analogy, around 400 million myocardial cells that make up the ventricles contract in less than one third of a second. Each cell along the pathway charge (repolarize) and then depolarize (discharge) causing the next cell along the pathway to discharge, charge, etc.

With the domino analogy, the domino falls flat and doesn't pass on continued energy along the pathway. Or it may fall sideways and activate a different row dominos. For the heart, electrical impulse doesn't make cell to cell communication (synopsis...skipped cell) and/or energize a different pathway and can cause a disordered signal.

For good conduction requires an appropriate level of electrolytes in the blood, as well as no physical interference such as myocardio hypertrophy, cell necrosis, etc.

Outside of electrical impulses (heart) that may skip a cell, I have no idea how that would relate to cancer unless the necrosis of cells interfere with the passage of electrical impulses in the area of interest?! I'm not sure we are on the same wave length :)

Outside of electrical impulses (heart) that may skip a cell, I have no idea how that would relate to cancer unless the necrosis of cells interfere with the passage of electrical impulses in the area of interest?! I'm not sure we are on the same wave length :)

Thanks Max50 for the reply. I'm not sure how/if that applies to cancer either. But that was an interesting description! When I searched for "skip cells" on a search engine, it gave me all kinds of replies (from heart, to computer use, etc), but when I put "cancer" with it I didn't get much better responses. Thanks for writing though, Max!