how quickly can cervical cancer develop?

[vannah]

after an abnormal smear?
I had a borderline smear a year ago, but got pregnant and was unable to have the recommended repeat within 6 months.

I know that the doctors keep trying to convince me that it can take 10 years but I dont believe much of what they say..

Ive had my baby a few weeks ago, had a smear test done privately last week but the buggers are taking forever getting the results back to me which is making me fear the worst.

I was told that last years abnormal smear looked like it could have been caused by the hpv virus.

very worried and crying

any advice?
thanks

Hi Vannah -

Please please try not to worry! An abnormal smear is actually surprisingly common, and it does not even mean that you are on the 'path' towards cervical cancer, and even if you were it really does take a long time to develop.

4 years ago I had an abnormal smear at a routine smear test (4 years since my previous normal one - I had gone an extra year compared to normal NHS practice before getting a result because of getting unreadable tests). I was referred to hospital for another smear and a colposocopy (where they look at your cervix more closely with a camera and something that can only be described as a dollop of vinegar to stain the abnormal cells!) by a specialist examiner.

I have been on checks since then with the same two procedures - mostly every 6 months but once there was 12 months between. There has barely been any change since then - nothing to alarm them. I have also had a biopsy once (where they took a small sample of tissue) as an extra check which came back clear.

So I think I am about 4 years ahead of you in terms of where you are now (first abnormal smear) and there has barely been any change - cervical abnormalities are really slow developing, plus an abnormal smear does not even mean you are on a path to cervical cancer anyway (other things can cause it). There are at least two treatment steps they can try to stop it between where I am now and actually having cervical cancer, and my abnormal cells may not develop further anyway.

On the HPV, most abnormal smears are in patients with HPV, but that is largely because HPV is so prevalent in sexually active women. HPV is known as a precursor of cervical cancer in that most women who get cervical cancer have it, but most women with HPV do not get cervical cancer IYSWIM.

So please please don't worry. Let me know if you want any more info on what my hospital have been doing for me etc. It's fairly routine - they do this clinic several times a week and there are always a tonne of women waiting, and that is just one hospital.

PS Congratulations on the arrival of your baby! I'm having my first in 10 weeks so am very excited

it takes years if it ever occurs at all.

I had CIN II (moderate to severe changes in cells) .. had a colcospocy and a small op to remove them .. was told by my consultant that at my stage it could take 10 - 20 years to develop into pre-cancer cells

I know it is almost impossible to stop worrying but please do

remember 1 in 9 tests show changes .. a borderline change or CIN I will not tend to have treatment they will just re-test and the majority will have cleared up themselves

and Congratulations

I had severe dyskariosis a few years ago and had surgery for it. I remember reading up about it then and the statistics were 40% of women with stage 5 or severe cervical changes would develop cancer in the next 10 -15 years if it was left untreated.

Even if your results are abnormal you have the procedures and it's gone, thats the point of the screening process. Some women never have their smears and thats when its risky.

I missed one of my repeats due to pregnancy just over a year ago and I am about to have another one on wednesday after having a borderline one six months ago. The results normally take six weeks. I have had a borderline one before that was normal six months later.

You are doing everything right by having the screening that stops people from developing actual cancer. Try not to worry, these abnormal results are very common and borderline changes could simply be a menstrual problem and if not, it will be dealt with.

Congrats on your new baby and I hope you are reassured soon.

sorry, 40% may develop, not would

did you have a vaginal delivery?

because that alone will often slough off the abnormal cells on the cervix.

thanks so much everyone
yes expat i had a vaginal delivery...
feeling a bit better reading your replies, but still anxious to get results from the clinic that assured me results in 48 hours...

good luck vannah - will be thinking of you

finally got the result it was a borderline - but he said Id still need a coloscopy as the last borderline was a year ago and it should have gone back to normal by now. He told me to ask my gp to refer me to a gyno.

thanks for all reassuring me yesterday.
holdayqueen will contact you.

vannah - but take note of all the positive stuff people have posted here - thinking of you xxx

Hi vannah. Yes it's very common. I had an abnormal smear and had to have twop colposcopys and a diathermic laser loop to have all the little bugger-cells removed. Because mine were so bad (grade 4) I have to have repeat smears once a year for 10 years. I have had two children and have not been able to have smears for both of those and it's all been perfectly fine.

Please do not worry. Your Doctors are right. It can take that long for it to develop depending on the 'grading' or 'level' of the cells they found in the first place. They go from grade 1 = not much to worry about to Grade 5 = very serious / cancerous.

Good luck with the colposcopy. Once that's been done, you'll have to go back in a couple of times for them to check up and make sure they've got them all and then you'll be on a yearly smear for a bit before they put you back onto 3 yearly smears.

xxx

hi vannah - my email is [email protected] if you want to contact me (although have been having a few email problems this week so may take me a little while to receive it)