Hi everyone,
I had my LLETZ treatment back in September last year. The letter from the hospital didn’t say anything other than a smear would be needed in 6 months time. I assumed all was well so didn’t question it. However, I wondered it was possible to see if CIN II is still present, or would it have disappeared due to LLETZ treatment? If I called the hospital would they be able to tell me that information?
Thank you xx
*Edit - The results letter reads:
"I am writing to you with the result of the examination of the loop diathermy sample. This has confirmed the presence of pre-cancerous changes, as suggested by the smear.
A follow up smear in six months time is recommended and this can be carried out at your GP’s surgery."
Hi Clair
That's what the 6 month follow up will tell you. The only thing really that you would be able to get from the hospital is whether or not they got "clear margins" on the LLETZ, i.e. they managed to remove all of the dodgy cells, plus a bit of healthy tissue around the edges for luck.
Even if they didn't, it doesn't mean that anything will show up at the 6-month smear. The other thing they will test for at the 6 month point is whether there is any evidence of HPV infection, as this can cause further abnormal cells to develop in the future. It seems that the LLETZ procedure in most cases kick-starts the body's immune system into killing off the HPV, as it seems to get rid of it.
I had my 6 month follow up smear in February, and there was no sign of CIN nor of HPV infection. Hopefully you will get the same result!
all the best
