Newbie With Questions - Cancer: Cervical & Ovarian Message Board

ooo_sole_ooo · 08-04-2006, 09:50 PM

Hello everyone. I just found this board in my search for information. I recently went in for my yearly well woman exam and ended up getting that dreaded call telling me my pap came back ASCUS with high-risk HPV. This is my third abnormal, all ASCUS, but the first time HPV has been tested. My doctor did not seem concerned at all and said, "it's probably nothing."I was then scheduled for a colposcopy with an ob/gyn wich was performed last Thursday. He performed two biopsies during the procedure. Afterwards he told me that I would need treatment, most likely LEEP, but we would await the pathology reports to find out for sure. Amazingly, my results came back TODAY, a little over 24 hours later! I was shocked, but to be honest the speed scared me a bit. Anyway, now they have decided that I have "low to high grade cervical lesions" which according to them is much worse than my pap first indicated, yet still "not too worrisome." LEEP has been scheduled for the 24th of this month.

I am happy that they only found high-grade lesions. It could have been CIS. However, I am afraid that after LEEP I will find out that, once again, things are worse than they expected. So, my question is this, has anyone gone in for LEEP procedure and ended up with worse results than they had from the previous biopsy? I know from reading boards that this does happen. I am just wondering how likely it is to happen.

Thanks for reading,
*sole*

Timber · 08-05-2006, 08:43 AM

I don't mean to scare you but CIS and high grade dysplasia are the same thing. CIS is 100% treatable though so don't stress.

Everyone who has a LEEP worries that the results might come back worse than expected, and although it's possible, it's not likely. Naturally it'll be on your mind until you know for sure, but try not to panic about it because it's only a slim possibility.

karen32 · 08-05-2006, 04:30 PM

Thank goodness your doctor pursued a colposcopy and now you have an idea of what is going on! I can tell you that the chance of the biopsy missing something more sinister is like 1 or 2%. Even if you go back through this board, you will find maybe three people who have had this happen. When you consider the number of women who have posted on this board, that gives you an idea of how likely it is occur. Even if it is missed on the initial biopsy (as was my situation), you can likely still have conservative treatment and preserve your fertility. In my case, the LEEP removed a 2mm invasion, considered stage 1a1. I had clear margins and my gyn and a second gyn declared me cured. I hope this helps a little.

Karen

ooo_sole_ooo · 08-05-2006, 07:53 PM

Thank you so much for the encouraging words. They are extremely helpful right now. I have a tendancy to expect the worst. . .my luck just isn't that good, lol. Right now I am just doing a lot of praying and educating myself. Hopefully the LEEP procedure will be the last one I have to undergo.

Timber, you said that severe lesions and CIS were the same, but I don't believe so. Everything I have read states taht severe dysplasia or lesions (CIN 3) are not cancer, however carcinoma in situ is definately cervical cancer. Your post scared me and I had to go read more. I still haven't found anything that says severe lesions are the same as CIS. The nurse told me that my biopsy, while worse than my pap had predicted, definately did NOT show cancer.

Timber · 08-05-2006, 10:08 PM

CIN III includes CIS. Carcinoma in situ isn't invasive cancer.