I’ve just been diagnosed with cervical cancer stage 1A2 which has come as a shock. After abnormal smears and a couple of colposcopy biopsies they diagnosed CIN1 but due to inflammation decided a LLETZ treatment would be appropriate. Following this they have now said it is actually cancer that they removed but I need to have 2 lymph nodes removed and another LLETZ to check if it has spread. As it was CIN1 I’m feeling confused and worried that they have now found cancer and worried that they might find more. Waiting on an MRI scan and surgery booked in for November. My consultant said it was a shock pathology report for everyone in the MDT as they thought it was CIN1 not cancer so it’s just made me even more anxious if I’m not the typical case.
Hi Emma989 and welcome to the group
It’s always a shock to find out there is cancer, but stage 1a2 is very small and very early cancer, so the chances are it’s highly unlikely to have spread anywhere, which is a good thing! It’s only millimetres in size, so it’s not even likely to be picked up on the mri, but the doctors are just making sure and checking everything, which is the best thing to do.
I have seen many instances over time where suspected CIN has turned out to be early cancer, so it’s not that unusual really. Only tiny and early cancer would be removed with a LLETZ treatment, so try not to race ahead in your mind thinking something worse will be found. It’s more likely that everything will have been removed, and the further LLETZ is just to make absolutely certain that they have indeed removed everything with clear margins of normal tissue around the cells.
Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on, and feel free to ask any questions in the group or share any worries.
Sarah xx
