Confused about cervical cancer

Steph,
I believe what the Dr is saying is you may have had early stage cervical cancer. A hysterectomy is the normal treatment for that depending on the stage. If they were precancerous, then the hysterectomy treated that as well. To get extra reassurance, I would get an appointment with a gynecologist/oncologist and have him review the pathology from the surgery. I am sure you will be fine as it sounds like it was very very early and cervical cancer in the early stages is one of the most highly curable.

I want know people who have had cervical cancer and talk to them

I was first diagnosed with cervical cancer in March 1999 and had a radical hysteroctomy followed by external radiation. I stayed cancer free for 16 months then I was told I was having a recurrence. In Aug. 2000 I had a pelvic exteneration done and so far still remain cancer free. I am married with 4 children, a granddaughter and a grandson on the way and a couple of rather large dogs to keep my mind busy. I will be glad to talk to anyone who may have questions that I could help with.

momof5 said:

I had a radical hyst 5 1/2 months ago with over 20 lymph nodes being removed. They said that all was clean. I did not have to have any further treatment either. However, I visit for a pap every three months for two years and then every 6 months for 3 more years. It seems so strange not to have to do more, tests or medicine something... It makes me fearful that they are missing something. But I have my faith in my new doctor to see anything unusual. And I pray alot.

I feel the same way about my treatment. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer (both squamous cell and adenocarcinoma) in February had a radical hysterectomy on May 16th. They removed my uterus and 31 lymph nodes. They did find a .2 mm tumor in one of the lymph nodes but it was totally encapsulated, and none of the other lymph nodes had any tumors. The doctors at Mayo Clinic are pretty sure that it was caught while in the first lymph node, so no further treatment is needed except for follow-up CT Scans and MRI's yearly. But it feels so weird to have been so aggressive with the hysterectomy, (I only had a 1 percent chance that the cancer had moved to the lymph nodes) but I just didn't want to take a chance. And now to just be sitting healing and waiting for the next set of scans and results is weird. I am not the sit back and wait kind of person. However, I do recognize that I have been very blessed this far with the results. I had really second guessed myself before having the surgery, a doctor at my local hospital tried to talk me out of it, told me it was crazy to take a 3% chance of complications for a 1% chance of spread. Maybe the cancer in the one lymph node was God's way of saying "you go girl, you were right"