Confirmed Cervical Cancer Grade 2a2

Hi NicNak79 and welcome to our group.

It’s very good news that your mri shows the cancer hasn’t spread. Treatment will depend on the results of the petscan, but typically at this stage it might be a hysterectomy followed by chemoradiation or chemoradiation without the hysterectomy. It would not be usual to have chemoradiation followed by a hysterectomy. The petscan should show if there’s anything that hasn’t shown up on an mri, so it’s normal to wait for all of the results to be in before your team decides on the final plan. 

It’s tough when you’re first diagnosed and scary thinking about what might lie ahead-I’m sure many of us have felt the same. We have lots of experience of different treatments in the group-some ladies have had a hysterectomy, and some have had chemoradiation. Some have had both. So there will be plenty of support and advice for you in the group.

I was diagnosed at stage 2b in 2018, so a hysterectomy wasn’t possible at that stage and I had chemotherapy and radiation together. I hope that might give you hope that treatment can be very successful. 

Once you know what treatment you are having please let us know, and those of us who have been through it can give you advice based on our experiences. We will all be happy to answer your questions, and offer you support through this.

I hope you won’t have too long to wait for your petscan results so you can get on with dealing with this. I found things were much easier when I had a treatment plan and had something to focus on.

Sarah xx

Thanks so much for your reply Sarah! It’s greatly appreciated and very reassuring. 

I’ve been so calm on the outside, trying to stay strong for those around me, but inside I’ve been a mess, convincing myself of the worst case scenarios. 

I need to educate myself more on what the grades mean. 

I hope you’re doing well after your treatment? 

Thanks again, 

Nic

Hi NicNak79 

The stage of the cancer will depend on the size, where it is, and if it has spread. Stages are numbered 1-4. The grade refers to how the cells look under a microscope on a scale of 1 to 3, with 1 being the closest looking to normal cells, and 3 being the most abnormal looking compared to normal cells.

So your stage is 2a, and your cells are graded as 2. Things can change if the petscan gives more information, but just focus on what you know for now rather than thinking ahead-one day at a time is a good way to deal with all of this! 

This result gives you a very good chance of being cured-your team will be treating you with curative intent, and that’s very good news even though things seem scary at the moment. Please don’t be thinking of worst case scenario-try to hold onto the fact that you CAN get through this and recover.

And please don’t think you always have to be strong because you don’t. You’ve just had a cancer diagnosis, and that’s enough to rock anyone’s world-it did for me!  Cry if you need to, rage and vent-whatever you need because this is about you. 

I am doing ok thank you-I finished my treatment on Christmas Eve way back in 2018, and although I did have a recurrence it was successfully treated by surgery. My case is by no means typical, however, and I am fine now.

Just hang in there, and try to keep a positive mindset as, believe me, that will really help you.

Sarah xx

Hello, 

I just noticed your post and thought I'd step in and offer some support..

I was diagnosed with stage 2b in September after noticing a strange sensation inside in August. 

I was given a pet scan and mri and my treatment plan was 5 rounds of chemo (cisplatin)  25 rounds external radiation and 3 rounds of brachytherapy,  which i just started yesterday. 

So I had the chemo every Monday, that took up about 4 or 5 hours of the day but the chemo itself only took an hour. I haven't had any hair loss or sickness but I did ha e nausea which they gave me tablets for. I was given steroids to take for 3 days after the chemo which gave me an energy boost but by Friday when the steroids stopped I was very tired, down and depressed.  I did go to the doctor about this who gave me a mild anti depressant which was supposed to help with sleep but made me very groggy the next day so I couldn't take them. The reason I needed something is because since treatment i wake up at 4am every single day, it was driving me crackers but I've gotten used to it now, I had no choice but to just embrace it. 

The radiotherapy was fairly easy , I had my last one on Friday. I was in the hospital each day Monday to Friday for 5 weeks for an hour or so. You get used to the routine very quickly. Most people I've met suffer terribly from diarrhoea with this treatment but I've gone the other way which is tough going. But they will give you whatever you need to help with it . You may get redness from the radiation and they will give to cream to help with this . 

I don't know what hospital you're going to, I went to clatterbridge and the staff are absolutely amazing and you will be well taken care of. 

I was absolutely terrified in the beginning and did both but cry, but once you get halfway through you should be ok . 

If you have any questions please ask and I will do my best do help.

Lots of love and good luck to you xxx 

Hi NicNak79

I was diagnosed stage 2A1 cc so fairly similar to yours; the main difference being that 2A1 measures less than 4cm and stage 2A2 is more than 4cm.  My tumour was actually 3.8cm so not far off being a 2A2.  The cells were grade 2 i.e. moderate or intermediate.

I had a radical hysterectomy followed by chemo-radiotherapy.  This was back in 2017 and I'm still here (no evidence of disease) to tell the story.

Emotionally the hardest bit for me was where you are now.  We get through it all because we have to - step by step and day by day......  Virtual hugs x