Colcoscopy questions

Hi again. Nearly six weeks now and my wife called the consultant today to be told that the results still aren't in. Is this a normal wait time at the moment? Can we take any comfort from the time it's taking? Would bad news generally be available quicker than this?

thanks

M

Hi there

They said 4-6 weeks for results I believe? But there are backlogs so some people are waiting longer than that now for biopsies to come back. I don’t think nowadays you can assume anything on the basis of the time it’s taking, but as the indication was CIN1, that will hopefully be the ultimate result, and that’s honestly not a cause for concern.

Sarah xx

Thanks Sarah, we're off abroad for a few days tomorrow so looking forward to chilling out knowing that there won't be anything arriving in the time we're away. I have followed your advice re Dr Google which is good and there have been no symptoms other than the after effects of the biopsy which have now gone completely so we'll stay positive.

I hope that all is well with you .

M

I hope you’ll have a lovely break away, and glad you are staying off Google, There shouldn’t be any symptoms of anything with CIN so hopefully all will be fine. Definitely keeping positive is the way to go.

Sarah xx

If it's low grade, then they will ask you to have smear test yearly, instead of every 3 years to monitor the cells.

Its my first time to have low-grade abnormal cells. I had the colposcopy then they said they'll monitor it every year- yearly smear and colposcopy.

Since the NHS do not do PCR subtype for the HPV, I paid for it. The one  clinic I found did it in person and tested 25 subtypes of HPV.  I was positive with only 3 types (HPV 39, 59, 66).

Prior to this testing, I went to have Gardasil 9 vaccine for 9 subtypes including the HPV16 & 18 , which causes most of cervical cancer in the UK. This was a great decision because The 9 subtypes in the vaccine is not what I have. ( superdrug gives the cheapest Gardasil 9 vaccine - HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58)

There are 150 HPV subtypes, not all cause cancer and around 25 are link to cancer.

Hope that helps.

sarahH21 is right, don't overthink.

Hi Eci

I was surprised to read you saying around 25 strains of hpv are linked to cancer. Are you referring specifically to cervical cancer? Research indicates it’s far fewer than that number, more likely between 12 and 15 high risk hpv strains which are linked to cervical cancer, so I’m interested to see the source for your figure of 25.

The vaccine is most effective when administered prior to a person becoming sexually active but there is evidence to show it could be beneficial after this time, though in the UK would have to be paid for after the age of 25 for women. However as you point out it doesn’t cover all strains, although it does cover 16 and 18 which are the most likely to be the cause of cervical cancer.

However, as with every vaccine it is not a 100% guarantee that you will never get a high risk strain or never develop cervical cancer. I do know ladies for whom this has happened after the vaccine.

It’s high risk strains of hpv which cause  changes, which is what the NHS is testing for, but I’m always a bit baffled by people determined to establish specific strain numbers. If it’s a high risk strain, it has the potential to cause damage, but ultimately that damage is treated in exactly the same way no matter which strain mumber(s) caused it.

I’ve never considered asking what strain(s) of hpv I had as by the time I knew I must have had it (because I had cervical cancer) my focus was on getting better. 

Sarah xx