Hi,
Wanted to share headlines of my story so far in case helpful for someone in a similar position. Appreciate everyone's situation will be unique so the intent of sharing is to give people the confidence to ask for a 2nd opinion, rather than to suggest that what has happened for me would or should be the outcome!
Researching different threads on here when I initially recieved my treatment plan (first team, first suggestion: chemo rad) made me confident that I should ask for a 2nd opinion as there seemed to be people with similar prognostic factors who had done the same and received recommendations for surgery instead.
We therefore found a surgeon that had experience in this area and booked a consultation ASAP and asked to be discussed in their hospital's next MDT. On review of CT and MRI reports, the 2nd team did not agree with chemo/rad as the first option and contacted the 1st team directly, as a result of which both the 1st and 2nd teams are now considering surgerical options (radical trachelectomy) that could help to preserve my ferility and ability to carry a child. (My husband and I married last year and were TTC when I had my smear so fertility preservation has been an objective for us, though being cancer-free is the top priorty). The intial recommendation for chemo/rad was valid based on the presence of LVSI, however the revised recc for surgery has been more in line with what we feel is right for us taking into account quality of life factors and so we feel glad that we went down this route, despite the extra time it will take to begin treatment and the slightly higher risk of recurrence.
I've pasted headlines below and some more detail further at the end of this post. If anyone has any questions or advice please do drop me a note.
Cancer
03.11.20 - Smear test (high grade dyskaryosis (severe), features suggesting invasion. High risk HPV)
25.11.20 - Colposcopy + LLETZ
02.12.20 - Diagnosis: moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma min. stage 1b1 (15mm wide, 6mm deep), LVSI, involves deep margin. CIN 3.
09.12.20 – Rad/chemo recommended. Requested ovarian transposition.
11.12.20 – 2nd opinion sought. Recommended surgery after MDT on 15.12.20 pending further tests inc. PET scan.
16.12.20 – 1st team review: recc. radical trachelectomy pending clear PET scan, noting slightly higher risk of recurrence.
05.01.21 - PET scan due
Fertility preservation
03.12.20 - Consultation
05.12.20 - Pre-IVF/ICSI tests
08.12.20 - Begin random start stimulation
22.12.20 - Egg harvesting due
Detailed update following review meeting with 1st team