How bad can missed smear test be?

[Redteatowel]

It's 9 months late. I know I need to get it sorted and I will. I could kick myself. Is that extra 9 months enough time for it to have turned into cancer? Trying to prepare for myself for what it might mean.

Is there a reason you are worried you may have cancer? If not just relax, and book it, you can’t change the past and the smear won’t be any worse for having it late, so just book it! My last one was delayed by a year thanks to covid meaning my GP surgery just refused to do them, and I booked it as soon as I could and it was absolutely fine.

Yes I’ve had previous CIN. It’s been left so late because of bereavement, divorce and a house move. Now I’m just so upset that it’s long enough for it all to have gone very wrong.

I think if your last test was done on time and 'normal' that it's very unlikely.
Smears pick up changes to cells that can cause cancer in the future -by which I mean years, even decades in the future.
Have you ever had an abnormal smear?

Sorry cross post.
Can I ask what grade Cin? Did you receive treatment at the time?

@KylieCharlene, I had grade 2. I had LLETZ treatment. I had a clear smear test 6 months later and then was put back onto 3 year smears. It’s the next 3 year one I’ve missed.

I'm sure it'll be fine. Book it asap and try not to worry.
There is no way of knowing and worrying about it won't change the outcome but will make you miserable in the meantime so be positive

I can’t get a test booked for earlier than 1st of March which seems ages away. I will do it. Part of me feels like it’s probably too late in which case I would rather not know. (I know it’s really stupid to think that way).

I was quite late with my last one (I think it was overdue by 9 months as well). I was panicking and kicking myself for not doing it sooner and it was all fine in the end. Can you explain your anxiety to your surgery and ask them to let you know if any slots become available last minute due to cancellation? That’s what I did and it helped.

You can’t change the past, you’ve taken the right action in getting it booked in asap. Try not to worry

I had grade 3 CIN previously and at the appointment for the biopsy they told me there was around a 30% chance that the cells could turn cancerous in around 30 years! I never knew it detected that early.

So if it came back would it be CIN this time round or could it go straight to a late stage cancer?

I'm a lay person but if you were put on a three yearly pathway it is very unlikely anything serious will have happened in 9 months or even 9 years.

I had grade 3 CIN removed. Then a clear one and so went back to the regular 3 yearly smears. Like yours my latest one was nearly a year over due. Iv recently had my results back and they are all clear. Get booked in, your previous CIN cells were removed so it's unlikely you will have late stages of cancer.

Your body doesn't know its 9 months late so, in reality, it makes no difference. You won't be punished by nature for it being 9 months late. The 3 years is arbitrary in the sense that they could have decided they needed to he every 2 or 4 years instead.

Practically, cells could turn cancerous at any stage in that 3 years and you'd not know about it.

Get it booked and don't worry about it.

I'm not suggesting you follow my example, but I had a smear at 21 and haven't had one since for a few reasons. I'm now 47. I haven't once given any consideration to the idea I might have cancer either.

Your 9 month delay is nothing in the grand scheme of things.