Chances of Cone Biopsy results being different?

Recently diagnosed with cervical cancer
1

Hello!

I’m one of the newest members... decided to saddle up and join after the past month of sleepless nights worrying, which I gather everyone is familiar with!

To give a little history, I had my first abnormal smear (which was also my first smear ever) in late 2013, one month after becoming pregnant. They did a colposcopy, took 4 biopsies, and to keep this post short, I never fully heard the results. They had mentioned prior that nothing would happen anyways because I was pregnant and they didn’t want to during the pregnancy, so I just took the silence as “no news is good news” and went on my way. Note: there was NO recommendations from my doctor at the time to come in for 6 month/year pap as opposed to the traditional recommendation.

Flash forward to about 4 weeks ago and I had my 3 year follow up (which I was admittedly a little late on). Abnormal pap showed HSIL, colposcopy booked. At this colposcopy they took 3 biopsies, one from the inside of my cervix (Ouch!), and I was told at the appointment to schedule a follow up for 2 weeks out. Had that follow up yesterday, where the doctor explained that I had “high grade, severely precancerous” cells and would need to schedule a cone biopsy under general anesthesia. I didn't ask at the time, but I did call today and the nurse I spoke with confirmed CIN 3 as well as Carcinoma in Situ (still not sure what the difference between the two is).

1. He stressed general anesthesia... could this be because he knows it’ll be a bigger biopsy?

2. Given my history of a bad initial smear/colp almost 4 years prior that clearly went unresolved, is there a chance my colposcopy results could be generous compared to what I might actually be facing?

I don’t have any of the typical symptoms of early CC... I’ve always had intermittent bleeding in between periods since I started having them. The only thing that concerns me is I’ve been having nausea and strange low pelvic area bloating for 4-6 months and I do occasionally bleed after intercourse.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts! It’s hard not to worry... I know everyone here understands, and that alone is so comforting!

2

Hi

a cone biopsy is also considered a top hat. This is were they remove a bigger area then just a lletz so yes that is why he is wanting to do this under GA   

Which is a good thing because you won’t feel a thing or be awake through any of it. They can also hold the cervix a the best angle to do the procedure without causing you any pain. 

The lletz procedures for CIN3 solve the issue in 90% of cases so I would assume that a cone is pretty much the same stats. 

If you are in the 10% that it doesn’t then things move quite quickly from there. 

Try not to panic. Stay level headed and know that even if it is more sinister then CIN3 then you can still be treated. 

good Luck

3

I had a lletz procedure under general. I’d always say you should consider the possibility that a cone biopsy and the lletz are exactly that they are a biopsy some times treatment and curative. My lletz diagnoses a stage a 1b1 with lvsi bulky tumour, the pet scan after that then showed it was actually a stage 2b. My initial colposcopy biopsy’s came back inconclusive. Xx