Abnormal Cells found during my smear test, can anyone help?

[Tiggly]

Hi,
I am scared out of my mind. I got the letter yesterday so I have to wait until tomorrow before I can phone for the colposcopy appointment. Has anyone else been through this? How quickly does the colposcopy appointment come through?
tia
tigglyx

I had abnormal cells following a smear back in 2002, I think it took about 6 months for me to have mine removed as it was a small hospital and they did the operations once a month and I was always on my period! Most of my cells had stayed CIN 1 during this time although they said some were CIN 3. I never had any symptoms though ever. I have had a smear every year since (except last year when I was pregnant) and they have been fine ever since, and hopefully will stay that way! I have been told I have 10 years of yearly smears and then I go back to every 3 years.

I agree with QueenEagle about my first period after the procedure. Unluckily for me mine was about a week after my procedure.

bluebump - Sorry but that doesn't make sense. You can't have "most cells CIN I but some CIN III", since the CIN levels are not about what individual cells look like but where in the tissue the abnormal cells have penetrated.

Well that's how they presented it to me that some areas had stayed at CIN 1 as I they had when I had been diagnosed and some areas had advanced to CIN 3. Maybe i've understood it wrong then.

Hereis an explanation of CIN system of grading dysplasia.

If it is CIN III in some areas, that means you have CIN III.

That is CIN I = less than 1/3 of depth, CIN II = under 2/3 depth, and CIN III = over 2/3 depth of surface lining of cervix, possibly up to full depth.

It doesn't count no of cells and say 1/3 of all cells, 2/3 of all cells, etc are abnormal. CIN system grades the depth of the tissue that abnormalities have reached.

I'm sure it will be fine

Was going to respond to each worrier individually but beer has been consumed and DH is shouting for me to come to bed.

So I'll just reiterate what some others have said - pre-cancerous cells are not cancer. I had CIN 3 in 2003 - straightforward treatment and all my smears (once a year for five years - except when pregnant - and now back to once every three) have been clear of any abnormality.

It's understandable you're concerned, but please don't worry too much.

Hallo
Just wanted to say that I'll post an explanation of the grading of CIN tomorrow (on iPod at present).
The term 'carcinoma in situ' is an old one and not now used for the reasons above - it is referring to a ore-cancerous lesion.
The cervix can have patches of abnormal areas so you can get an area of CIN1 next to an area that looks more abnormal - say CIN2 or 3. Think of a patchwork quilt.

What does the grading of CIN mean?
Imagine looking at your skin at 90 degree angle, so a bit like a rockface where you can see all the layers of sand, gravel etc. At the bottom is the basement membrane which is what separates the skin or epithelium from the underlying connective tissue.
The cells in the cervical skin respond to the influence of hormones such as ostrogen, so they start off as basal cells and mature into cells which are much bigger and have more cytoplasm. They look a bit like a fried egg actually.
Now abnormal cells don't listen to the hormones, and the more abnormal they get, the less they listen and the more they look like the basal cell and don't 'behave'.
The grading is based on how mature the cells appear, so the full thickness of epithelium has abnormal cells in CIN, the grading is determined by how much of it is maturing in the usual way. So in CIN1, a 1/3 has not matured, but 2/3s has. This is the equivalent to mild dyskaryosis in smear test.
CIN2 - 2/3 has not matured and CIN3 the full thickness has not matured. This is still pre-cancer and is very very treatable.
I hope that is useful - when I'm at work I'll look out some more links, it's much easier to explain with a picture!

I am glad i have found this thread, have been very worried, can anyone shed any light on my situation.

I had smear result CIN3, have colposcopy next thurs, BUT have just discovered am about 5 weeks pregnant - Does anyone know what they will do ?? Will it be safe to be left until after baby ???

I have phoned colposcopy and they say come to the appointment.

Worried, worried, worried about the whole thing !!!

Have dd2 with cancer (brain) cant be ill !!!

lydle - You will still have the colposcopy, I would think, where doctor smear vinegar on your cervix (no, really ) and look at it. He will then cut off little bits (like nail clippings) to be sent off to biopsy. This doesn't hurt at all.

After the biopsy, depending on exact diagnosis (it might be CIN II, or CIN III may be confirmed), your doctor will have a chat with you.

It is a hard decision, but one you should be prepared to take. I don't think you can have a chunk of your cervix cut out while pregnant. On the other hand, if you leave it untreated, pregnancy hormones will make the precancer grow/develop at a higher rate than normal, so the advice might be to terminate the pregnancy and treat the cervix.

Lydle - Not posted on here before but just wanted to say I was in exactly the same position as you 2 years ago (except 3 mths pregnant - took 3 mnths for my results to come through and was a big shock as I had presumed I was ok).

Basically I went for the colposcopy and then the consultant asked me to come back a couple of times throughout my pregnancy just to keep an eye on what was happening (I had CIN3 cells too). I did have a biopsy at some point too which came back ok. I was then booked in to have the treatment after I had my baby.

The good news was that the cells were removed through the process of giving birth!! I therefore didn't have to have treatment. I have to admit I was a bit unsure how this all worked but since giving birth last February I have had a number of smears and all have come back clear!! (Just got my last results this week and am mighty relieved as looking to start trying for baby 2!)

Try not to worry too much. I only knew I had CIN3 cells cos I peeked at the paperwork when the consultant popped out of the room! If I hadn't of looked I wouldn't have known the grade! Anyhow the consultant never seemed unduly concerned or worried about things.(unlike me!)

Also at my last smear test (3 wks ago) I had a chat with the nurse who explained to me what the CIN3 meant. She said to try not to worry as these are pre-cancerous cells and it can take years to develop into something serious.

I hope this helps. I suspect they will probably just keep an eye on you throughout your pregnancy and treat the cells once you have had your baby.

Thanks Bellarella,

That is reassuring to hear.

Just phoned calposcopy nurse and she said something similar.

She is gathering my notes etc and going to see if she can find calposcopy doc and ask him to ring me to chat.

My GP phoned me and told me personally that is was CIN3. Not sure if it differs from area to area, but the fact he was phoning at all was enough to scare me !!!!

Not sure when i will hear from doc, but want to just ask a few questions !

Thanks again !

whatsthestory - I don't really know.

One consideration might be that pregnancy hormones could distort biopsy results (after LEEP operations), so doctor might be reluctant to do it while OP is pregnant.

I'm saying this because I had a large mole getting significantly larger when pregnant, and I was told that there is no use taking it out when pregnant and even when breastfeeding, because it would probably look cancerous even though it might not be.

Bellarella,

I love the fact that your baby was like some kind exfoliator on the way out

Lydle3 - I know it's easy for me to say (type) but please don't worry too much. The calposcopy doc will have come across this many times before (abnormal cells when the woman is pregnant). Bellarella's words are very reassuring.

I hope DD2 is doing well.

Please let us know how you get on.

Hi Lydle3

Glad you got to speak to someone! I received the letter about needing a calposcopy on a Saturday. I had no-one to ring and ask questions to so was in a bit of a state. They also enclosed a blooming cervical cancer leaflet which only caused me yet more panic! So spent the whole weekend in tears.

I'm sure the doctor will be able to give you the reassurance you need! Goodluck and let us know what they say.

(As for my little boy removing the cells - I still can't get my head around it! But am very grateful to him for doing it! Least he could do after putting me through a 36hr labour!! Bless him!)

Well done, Bellarella's DS!

hi

i had cin3 twice

first time was about12years ago, had abornal smears and was bleeding during sex had a colposcopy and found cells so they lasered them

then gave me 6mthly checks - so i had 6 to a normal persons 1 (yet friends still moaned about having 1 smear)[hmmm]

all was fine then had another abonormal smear, another colposcoy and this time they did a cone biopsy and laser treatment

again reg checks every 6mths, then yearly , then 3 yrs and all back to normal now - tho the nhs do keep a beady eye on me

been clear for about 8 years (i think)

Still waiting for my results which I'm hoping is a good thing as they usually rush them out if they're at all dodgy

I had CINII/III and LEEP in 2002.

Have since then carried three babies to term and experienced no fertility problems.

Am due a smear test but am having trouble sourcing someone to do it out here.