Conference turris::womannotes-v2

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    MEDICAL notesfile
    410 - cervical cancer success stories?
    
    -Jody

I am not at liberty to say who, but someone in my family had cervical
cancer in the 1970's and is still alive and well.

         Carol

    A friend of mine who had cervical cancer in her 20's just had her
    second baby last year.
    
    --bonnie

    I was diagnosed with cervical cancer when I was pregnant with my
    daughter, she will be 27 in 5 months.                                

    One of our secretaires left Friday.  Two years ago her results came
    back - bad cells - she ignored it.  Couldn't be her!  Three months
    ago, another result urged her to have treatment, she ignored that. 
    Last week she saw her xrays and slides.  She believed.  Monday she had
    a hyster, and we still don't know about her kidney.  The results will
    not be available on whether they *got* it all till late today.
    
    Suddenly the panic is on here, everybody having a smear test.  
    
    ..dale
    

    
    Re: 5    
    
    Oh my word !!  I just got the chills reading that last reply !  I had
    some abnormal bleeding right after intercourse.  It happened once and I
    said " Oh well, I must be starting my period ".  Then it happened again
    and I said " Time for the doctor ".  The doctor told me if I had waited
    another year I would have been in serious, serious trouble !  
    
    I went from disbelief, to why me, to totally pissed off !!!  Then I
    decided that I had to let them do what they have to do to get me well. 
    I never thought in my wildest dreams that this would happen to me.  I
    never even get a cold !!  I have never been in such a scary situation
    in all my life !  The doctor told me that if I did nothing I would have
    a 50 % chance of survival.  That's when it finally hit me !!  I could
    have died !  
    
    I hope that no one ever ignores any abnormality they may have.  Your
    body is tryng to tell you something and you should really listen.  I
    had no idea there was anything bad going on inside me because I had no
    other symptoms.
    
    Well, I'll get off my soap box now and tell the good news !  I went to
    the doctor for my Pap Smear and he said everything looks great !  He
    also said I can stop taking the chemotherapy !  I do have to wait for
    the official results but hopefully they'll come out good too !!
    Please, please don't ignore what your body tells you !  
    
    DJ
    actually have your life threaten
    

    My family has a history of cancer on both sides.  So I guess I wasn't
    too suprised when it happened to me ...
    
    When I was 24 (over 2 years ago) I moved away from New England.
    Once I moved down to the DC area, I began having horrible back pains
    (lower back).  I waited about 2 months, and then I went to the doctor
    when the pain got really awful and walking became difficult.  The
    doctor did a pap smear and guess what?  Class 4 out of 5.  He
    immediately referred me to a great doctor in Northern Virginia,
    and I began cryocauterization treatments.  Yuck.  After lots of
    pain, going flat broke because John Hancock s*cks when it comes
    to paying back, and continuing to work full time at DEC 'cause I
    couldn't afford to go on Long Term, two years later I finally had
    my first "clear" smear.
    
    Every 8 weeks or so I go back for my check-ups, but I'm confident
    that everything's ok ...
    
    BTW, did anyone see thirty*something last night?  Nancy was diagnosed
    with cervical cancer.  It really brought my ordeal back, that's
    for sure!               
    
    Tammi (who's too cheerful to die young!)
    

    I used to work as a radiation therapy tech back in the early 70's. I
    saw many women with cervical cancer and MOST of them were cured - at
    least those who acted promptly when something was noticed. The sad
    part is that many women try to rationalize away the fact that they
    have cancer and avoid treatment till too late.

    On the personal side, my mother had cervical cancer over 40 years
    aog and she's still with us. liesl

    Let me add that this secretary didn't have any of the usual symptoms,
    and because she didn't have any bleeding, decided that the tests were
    wrong!!!
    
    She's still waiting for final results.  Hoping to hear later this
    afternoon.
    
    ...dale
    

    I just count my blessings!!  Durng my recent separation/divorce, I got
    very lack-a-daisey about going to the doctors. If it wasn't for the
    fact that three woman close to me had breasts removed, all within a
    years time, I probably would not have gone for a physical this summer.
    The results ended with an "abnormal" pap smear. Biopsies showed that I
    had what is called cervical displacure (sp?). The doctor told me, that
    if I had let it go for another year or so, it would have been full
    blown cervical cancer. 
    
    I am due for another pap smear the end of January to see if the
    cervical freezing was successful.
    
    I realize my story isn't as dramatic as the others, but it sure was a
    shock to me as my pap smears have always been normal.
    
    Good luck to all of you!!

    Actually, Nancy on thirty-something was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, 
    not cervical.  I was paying pretty close attention as I was just
    diagnosed with endometrial cancer last month.  I had a pretty hard
    time watching the show as I just recently went through  (and am still
    going through) that whole range of emotions from disbelief, fear,
    anger, fear, resignation, fear..........
    
    Diane
    

    I happened to go to the doctor for a checkup in November (no symptoms),
    but since I hadn't had a checkup in over 5 years I decided I should.
    My results came back that I had Class 3 - mild to moderate displacia.
    After several biopsies that showed the condition required day-surgery
    which was to be both a diagnosis and a cure at the same time.  However,
    the pathology reports of the surgery showed it to be moderate to severe
    abnormal cells (displacia) and that it was not contained.  So I am
    scheduled for a hysterectomy in early March.  This is a very difficult
    ordeal to get through as stated in the last reply - you run the gamut
    of emotions.  After a long talk with my doctor yesterday however, I'm
    feeling very confident that this operation will be a 'cure' and that
    will be the end of it.
    
    I would like to point out what caused me to get really angry.  This
    type of cancer is caused by a sexually transmitted virus (HPV) which
    is similar to the herpes and AIDS viruses.  This shocked me because for
    one thing I consider myself conservative and non-promiscuous.  Also, why
    isn't this well-publicized?!?  Is it because it only affects women!!!
    My doctor (a woman) felt that was part of the reason but that it was
    becoming more heard about now.  She was very concerned about the
    increased rate of teenagers who are getting this virus and the
    resulting high number of teenagers getting cervical cancer (even though
    the cure rate is high the cancer seems to grow (spread) at a faster
    rate in young women meaning ruining their chance of having children.
    Upsetting statistics.
    
    Ro
    
    
    

    
    the hpv (human papiloma (sp?) virus) was discussed at length at a
    training session i attended at planned parenthood recently. apparently,
    if it were not for aids, hpv would be considered one of the biggest
    health concerns in the country. there have been cases where a small
    hpv infection has blossomed into full-blown cervical cancer in less
    than a year. my understanding was that the situation is further
    complicated the fact that, like so many viruses, there are different 
    varieties and different people react differently to each, some causing 
    warts, others cancer, others nothing at all. the big thing coming out 
    of the training was that pap smears should be done regularly and the 
    results taken very seriously.
    

re: Human Papilova Virus...

Boy, underreported/emphasized is right.  I just looked it up in my HumSex
textbook, and it doesn't mention anything.  It has one small paragraph
on Genital Warts (which are caused by HPV, though the book doesn't say so)
and it doesn't even mention the link to cancer.

Fortunately, the course was taught by a doctor, and he said he couldn't
emphasize enough to danger of HPV and genital warts, because of their
link to cancer.  

D!

    I would like to point out that the type of cancer I have (endometrial)
    is NOT picked up by a PAP smear!!  The only thing that finds it is
    an endometrial biopsy.....no worse than having the PAP smear.  Point
    is........they don't do it unless you have symptoms (abnormal
    bleeding in my case) or YOU ASK FOR IT TO BE DONE.  Many women's 
    health advocates recommend you DO ask for it as part of you yearly
    checkup after age 40.  I had recently had a PAP smear which came 
    out fine, and would not have known about the cancer had I not had
    a heavy bleeding episode.
    
    -1: I'm scheduled for a hystorectomy also -- Feb 7.  Have been doing
    a lot ofreading concerning natural remedies to ease the surgical
    menopause which is the result.  Be glad to share the info if you
    would like.
    
    Diane
    

    Re: 15
    
       Wow !  It's scary isn't it ??  It's so unbelievable that there's
    something going on inside your body and you don't even know it !! 
    Well, I'm about to report a success case !!  I got the results of my
    Pap Smear and it came back NEGATIVE !  I'm CURED !!  Those are the best
    two words I can think of right now !  Good luck to you with your
    operation, I hope it works out fine !!  And thanks for the tip !!  I
    think I will ask about that test.  I'm wondering if I should ask for it
    now or wait till I'm 40 ??  That seems like a funny question after
    everything I've been through doesn't it ??  It's just that I'm trying
    to not be paranoid about this now.  I find myself thinking, " OK where
    else am I going to it now ??"  And will it stay away from me now ??
    
    Deb
    

    Congratulations to all you survivors.  Don't know if I could handle
    the news so well.
    
    Just a point - a simple hysterectomy should not produce menopause.
    As long as the ovaries remain, they secrete the usual hormones in
    the usual cycle until natural menopause.  If the ovaries are removed,
    (oophorectomy), then menopause results. 

    I certainly second Sandy's congratulations...it is very nice to hear
    from this side and I can't even imagine how wonderful it must've been
    to hear from yours.  
    
    Class act, gyns!
    
    						=maggie