Hi Flintoff,

I just wanted to pop on to welcome you to the Cancer Chat community, and to bump your post up to the top so that perhaps someone with a similar experience will be along soon to respond. 

I remember that recently another person on here, Natalie 2222, posted with similar concerns about high grade dyskaryosis. She joined a conversation that had previously been quite active, which you might find helpful: www.cancerresearchuk.org/.../worried-newbie-high-grade-dyskaryosis-result

We have some general information about cervical cancer screening and results on our website. You may also find it helpful to talk to our nurses, who you can call on this free number 0808 800 4040, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Do let us know how you get on; I hope you're able to get the answers you need soon,

Best wishes,

Helen, Cancer Chat Moderator

I had my results for my first smear last week and my coloscopy is on Thursday, what happened after this? Did you have any treatment? I cant stop worrying. 

Hi Flintoff,

I work in a medical laboratory in South Africa in the Cytology Department.  Firstly, don't be worried about your diagnosis.  There are different stages of abnormality (precursers of cancer) of the cervix as displayed on a PAP smear.  The first stage is a Low grade lesion, or CIN 1, managed by regular follow up smears, which may even regress in some cases, thereafter the lesion may progress to a High grade lesion (your diagnosis), which could be CIN II or CIN III (more severe, but still not cancer).  These are treated by performing a colposcopic cone biopsy (removing a portion of the cervix).  If the surgical margins of the tissue are clear of abnormal cells, it means that the lesion had been fully removed/excised, if not, there may still be abnormal cells left in the cervix and a follow up PAP smear will be done to establish if it will be necessary to cut deeper. Your gynaecologist should be able to explain in more detail the cause of the abnormality, which may be the Human Papilloma Virus.

Speak to your gynae and have this treated.......it''s a fairly quick and easy procedure, no need to worry.

Regards

Hello Flintoff,

I am one of the enquiry nurses and have been asked if there is anything I can add to your thread.

Firstly I just want to say that the smear test is designed to pick up abnormalities in the cells on the neck of the womb (cervix). Some of these abnormalities may change further and develop into cancer years into the future. So when detected they are either treated to prevent cancer from developing or, in certain situations monitored as some abnormalities may go back to normal by themselves. Treatment if needed is straightforward and very effective. So please don’t worry overly about this.

Dyskariosis just means there is a cell abnormality, but it isn’t cancer. Dyskariosis is assessed by looking at cells shed from the cervix. Cell abnormalities are classed as borderline, mild, moderate or severe dyskaryosis.  Moderate or severe cell changes are called high grade, but this isn’t cancer, it just needs to be assessed further as treatment may be needed.

The next step will be to have a close examination of the cervix with a colposcopy. This can detect areas of abnormal cells on the cervix and a tissue biopsy can be taken if need be. A biopsy shows the depth of the cell abnormalities within the outside skin covering the cervix. These biopsy results are classified as CIN, which stand for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. CIN can range from 1 to 3.

If you would like to read about it, there is more information about how abnormal cells are treated on our website at this link .

I am guessing that you live in the UK and have been screened in the NHS cervical screening programme in which case there is no option to speak to a gynaecologist as Susan suggested, but you will have the chance to talk to the staff in the colposcopy unit who will be able to explain everything and hopefully put your mind at rest.

There is a common virus called HPV which has a number of different strains/types. Some types of HPV are passed on through sexual contact and can trigger abnormal cervical cell changes if the virus doesn’t clear up. There is more information about HPV here  .

I understand that an abnormal smear result can be unsettling and even alarming, but please try not to worry. If you want to give us a call to talk anything over please do.  We are here from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and our number is 0808 800 4040.

Best wishes,
Julia

Hi Ginagina

Thank you for your enquiry. I am sorry to read you are worried and hope this reply helps.

I am sure you are already aware from the forum thread you have been reading that abnormal cervical cell changes occur usually because of a virus called HPV (human papillomavirus). I am not sure how much you know about HPV but there are more than 100 different strains of HPV. Some are classed as low risk HPV, so you are you can see visible signs of the virus like for example warts. Then there are the high risk strains which have no symptoms, so it is difficult to know who is infected. These are the ones known to cause cervical cell changes.  You may find it useful to read the information about HPV on Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust website.

HPV is a very common virus and is passed on through skin to skin contact, often through sexual contact. When I say sexual contact, this doesn’t necessarily have to be intercourse. So, what I mean by this is genital to genital contact, vaginal, anal intercourse, and oral sex. It’s possible that this virus has laid inactive within your system but has now decided to be active and caused cervical cell changes. It can take between 2-3 years to clear a high risk HPV strain. There is not a cure for HPV and it relies on your own immune system to get rid of it. The treatment they offer is to remove the abnormal area caused by the HPV.

I think for now you need not worry, as abnormal cells are not cancer cells. For something like cervical cancer to develop you have to have had abnormal cell changes for many years without any treatment.  I assume now you will be invited to a colposcopy appointment. This is where they will have more detailed look at your cervix with a large magnifying glass (colposcope). They often use a solution called ascetic acid. This is a weak vinegar like solution that turns abnormal cells white. If you have tested positive to the HPV you may require some form of treatment to remove the abnormal cells. There are several ways in which this can be done but you can read about the different types of treatment used here. NHS choices also explains some of the treatment options. 

I hope this has been helpful. Please do get back to us if you have any more questions or call us on 0808 800 4040. We are here from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.

Best Wishes

Georgina

Hi I have to go to the hospital on the 24th to have a other test done and I am worried about it .as I have not had to go for one befor they sent a letter say it was high and I can't sleep at night as I am that worried about and they is not many people I can talk to about it .

I had a smear in December and rang the doctors for results and was told to come back in 12 months. After Christmas I got a letter to go to our local hospital. I told them they had the wrong person but they said not. The next day I got a letter saying I had severe dyskarosis. So I cried and read for hours each day for the next 4 days. Then after worrying myself ill about it I thought what do I want to do based on everything I had read and my experiences with cancer in my dad. I also took into account I have never had an abnormal test, I don't smoke, I'm fit and healthy and 50.

I decided for the moment I would do nothing. I would have the pelvic scan and given mixed messages another smear. So a full week after the invite I went to hospital to speak to the doctor. I explained the situation and my choice. She listened politely and tried to persuade me to have the colposcopy, not without risks. When it was clear I had decided to wait she said because I was in the high risk group I would get cancer in 10 years time. I was definitely going to get it. 

From everything I had read I knew this was not true. Of all the women who get the high grade there is no way of knowing who may go on and get cancer if left alone. There are risks in all the procedures. A person's choice needs to be well informed and weigh up the pros and cons. I have reported that doctor today. She was inaccurate and scare mongering. Don't be pressurised into things. Do what is right for you. If I thought I was in immediate danger or have cancer I would be looking at my options. At the moment I am going to have the pelvic scan and another smear and take it from there.

Hi Kelly, please can you provide an update? Also can I ask why you didn't want to do the colposcopy? From my understanding it's not a treatment, but more of a further investigation... I'm waiting to receive an appointment for one and your comment has made me nervous! 
 

thank you

Hi Laurenpm and welcome to Cancer Chat.

As Kellyjack hasn't posted on the forum since January there is a chance you may not get an update from them but as you've rightly mentioned, the colposcopy is a test to have a look at the cervix in more detail. 

You can find out more about this procedure just here but if you'd like to have a chat with one of our cancer nurses about this then you can contact them on 0808 800 4040, Monday - Friday between 9a.m - 5p.m.

I hope this helps you feel less nervous and all goes well with your appointment.

Kind regards,

Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator