HPV Infections after CC and treatment

Hi,

I had a trachelectomy in January following a 1B2 squamous cell cervical cancer diagnosis. I'm thankfully recovering well and aside from significant fertility challenges (male factor), am feeling okay about things. Like most people in a similar situation, I do have an ongoing worry re: recurrence if if there are any lingering cancer cells that the surgery didn't get / it spread and we didn't realise - but I know we are managing that as best as we can through the regular scans and examinations.

The thing that's been keeping me awake and I'm struggling to find much information on is what happens if I have a new or ongoing HPV infection. In that case, surely there is a risk that a 'new' cancer could form if my body can't clear that infection? I feel like having had CC I'm surely more at risk of this - my body obviously didn't succeed in clearing an HPV infection previously (hence the tumour!) and my immune system is not as strong as it used to be with all that it's been through lately (surgery, IVF, stress). So I worry that there is a chance this could all happen again at any time, and potentially in a new area that's harder to detect/treat?

Not sure if others have recieved any guidance on this - Iogically I think if it was a significant risk then oncologists would be talking more about it, so probably nothing to get too worried about, but would really appreciate any words of wisdom! 

Thanks x

 

I am also wondering about the same thing feel like there is not enough information out there. It's a warranted concern. But when I have asked my consultants I haven't had anything solid from them. 

My next appointment isn’t until end August but will be raising it then - will let you know what I’m told

Follow up - my doctor was happy to give us Gardasil 9 (think this has to be paid for dependent on age) to help put our minds at ease. He explained that it could only work for new HPV infections i.e. would not work against anything already in the body, but if we wanted it for peace of mind then there was no issue with it. Unfortunately my 6 month scan wasn’t clear so we haven’t actually gone ahead with this but worth asking your doctor if you’re in a similar position to where we were and think it might help.