Repro cancer?

Published

I know that we can't give medical advice to each other...but, I'm looking for information.

I went to the health dept today to have a gyn doc check me out. I've had menstrual like abd cramps for the past two months (even off my period), a little in between period spotting last month, a feeling that gas or something is coming out of my cervix (I'm not sure how to describe it), and my menstrual flow smells atrocious. The doc found a hard cervix, hard R ovary and severe pain for me when she palpated the cervix, uterus and that R ovary.

In your experiences, what have been the signs and symptoms of cancer in the repro tract (cervical, endometrial, uterine, ovary)?

I found a site on the internet that had a stone-hard cervix as a sign of infiltrating cervical cancer.

I am going to a regular OB/GYN next Monday but boy am I worried.

Thanks.

I disagree with this. If you have HPV, it can remain latent/hidden for many years before it shows. I have had clean paps since I was 18 (thank goodness I still get them!). This year, my pap was abnormal, so I had a colposcopy and cone biopsy which showed Carcinoma in situ and adenocarcinoma in situ for which they recommeded a hyster (for the AIS). I am 26 now and have been with the same person for over six years (met him one year after my first pap). There is no question that either of us are with other people and I have minimal risk factors for HPV anyway...

I only bring this up because continued screening is important...if I did not have annual paps, by the time they found this it could have become invasive cervical cancer - in one year we went from clean to CIS- who knows what another year or two or three could have led to. Now, at least I can take care of the problem before it becomes worse...

Ladies- please get screened, even if you have minimal risk factors...if you have had sex, you should be getting paps at least every 1-3 years...

*OK, off my soap box now*

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_cervical_cancer_8.asp

No, stay on your soapbox! We are learning more and more about HPV every year. Even women with minimal risk should have a Pap smear at least every 3 years until hysterectomy for benign disease /age 65-70 (depending on source). http://www.medicinenet.com/pap_smear/article.htm gives suggested guidelines for pap smears.

I respectfully disagree with this. If you have HPV, it can remain latent/hidden for many years before it shows. I have had clean paps since I was 18 (thank goodness I still get them!). This year, my pap was abnormal, so I had a colposcopy and cone biopsy which showed Carcinoma in situ and adenocarcinoma in situ for which they recommeded a hyster (for the AIS). I am 26 now and have been with the same person for over six years (met him one year after my first pap). There is no question that either of us are with other people and I have minimal risk factors for HPV anyway...

I only bring this up because continued screening is important...if I did not have annual paps, by the time they found this it could have become invasive cervical cancer - in one year we went from clean to CIS- who knows what another year or two or three could have led to. Now, at least I can take care of the problem before it becomes worse...

I realize that this is just one example but it can and does happen...

Ladies- please get screened, even if you have minimal risk factors...if you have had sex, you should be getting paps at least every 1-3 years...

*OK, off my soap box now*

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_cervical_cancer_8.asp

I will totally agree with this as it was one of the leading factors up to me having to have a hysterectomy at 26. There were a lot of other reproductive problems I was faced with as well but it seems that HPV is often very misunderstood.

I respectfully disagree with this. If you have HPV, it can remain latent/hidden for many years before it shows. I have had clean paps since I was 18 (thank goodness I still get them!). This year, my pap was abnormal, so I had a colposcopy and cone biopsy which showed Carcinoma in situ and adenocarcinoma in situ for which they recommeded a hyster (for the AIS). I am 26 now and have been with the same person for over six years (met him one year after my first pap). There is no question that either of us are with other people and I have minimal risk factors for HPV anyway...

I only bring this up because continued screening is important...if I did not have annual paps, by the time they found this it could have become invasive cervical cancer - in one year we went from clean to CIS- who knows what another year or two or three could have led to. Now, at least I can take care of the problem before it becomes worse...

I realize that this is just one example but it can and does happen...

Ladies- please get screened, even if you have minimal risk factors...if you have had sex, you should be getting paps at least every 1-3 years...

*OK, off my soap box now*

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_cervical_cancer_8.asp

Man, that is scary stuff. Thank goodness you were on top of this. Scheduling my yearly exam tomorrow...thanks for the reminder.

Shannon

Specializes in Geriatrics, DD, Peri-op.
If you don't mind me asking, where are you in your cycle? Was your last period different that usual? Almost every woman has had an ovarian cyst (usually without any symptoms) at least once in her life. Sometimes an egg can get stuck and not rupture out of the follicle. Sometimes the corpus luteum stays a cyst after ovulation.

The first day of my last period was 9/05/05. I usually run a 27-29 day total cycle. The difference in my last period was it smelled a little worse than usual and it was 5 days instead of the usual 6-7.

I won't get my pap results back for almost 2 weeks (from last Monday) and that has me worried...but, at least I got it done.

I'll keep ya'll posted.

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
I respectfully disagree with this. If you have HPV, it can remain latent/hidden for many years before it shows. I have had clean paps since I was 18 (thank goodness I still get them!). This year, my pap was abnormal, so I had a colposcopy and cone biopsy which showed Carcinoma in situ and adenocarcinoma in situ for which they recommeded a hyster (for the AIS). I am 26 now and have been with the same person for over six years (met him one year after my first pap). There is no question that either of us are with other people and I have minimal risk factors for HPV anyway...

I only bring this up because continued screening is important...if I did not have annual paps, by the time they found this it could have become invasive cervical cancer - in one year we went from clean to CIS- who knows what another year or two or three could have led to. Now, at least I can take care of the problem before it becomes worse...

I realize that this is just one example but it can and does happen...

Ladies- please get screened, even if you have minimal risk factors...if you have had sex, you should be getting paps at least every 1-3 years...

*OK, off my soap box now*

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_cervical_cancer_8.asp

I don't think I stated my point very well.

I am not advocating skipping Paps.

I just wanted to reassure the OP that if she had a history of 3 or more consecutive negative smears, the likelihood of invasive disease at the time the next exam was due was very low. Not non-existent, as you have demonstrated, but very low.

There are providers who advocate going to an every 3 year testing schedule once a woman has had 3 consecutive negative Pap smears. I don't really see the point in this, as the woman needs a yearly exam anyway for general health assessment, breast and pelvic exam, prescription renewal, etc. Seems kind of silly to omit an inexpensive test when the woman is being exposed to a pelvic exam anyway.

I'm also curious as to what the protocol is for offering HPV testing in addition to Paps. Seems like HPV status would be an important bit of information to have regarding sexually active women. Is it only done when a patient has an abnormal Pap?

Glad you all are well!

Specializes in Cardiac.
I am sure that you are correct in that it was a corpus lutem, wannabe. And, I am most certain it was painful. :uhoh21: They usually resolve around 10-12 weeks, so you are right on about the time frame. :)

You're both right. That corpus luteum cyst is what keeps the pregnancy going until the placenta can make its own progesterone. However, sometimes they can get large and become very painful-sometimes it can fill with blood from the rupture. I can tell you the minute that I ovulate because I feel the egg rupture from the follicle-Oowies.

Specializes in CCU (Coronary Care); Clinical Research.
I don't think I stated my point very well.

I am not advocating skipping Paps.

I just wanted to reassure the OP that if she had a history of 3 or more consecutive negative smears, the likelihood of invasive disease at the time the next exam was due was very low. Not non-existent, as you have demonstrated, but very low.

There are providers who advocate going to an every 3 year testing schedule once a woman has had 3 consecutive negative Pap smears. I don't really see the point in this, as the woman needs a yearly exam anyway for general health assessment, breast and pelvic exam, prescription renewal, etc. Seems kind of silly to omit an inexpensive test when the woman is being exposed to a pelvic exam anyway.

I'm also curious as to what the protocol is for offering HPV testing in addition to Paps. Seems like HPV status would be an important bit of information to have regarding sexually active women. Is it only done when a patient has an abnormal Pap?

Glad you all are well!

I know you weren't advocating for skipping paps...And you are right, most people are probably okay with a low risk of invasive disease...

This is just a really fresh issue for me...

I just wanted to reiterate how important pap are...Pretty much everyone hates having paps done and some think that after three years of clean paps they can just skip them if they are not having sex or are in a single partner relationship. I agree that paps should just be done yearly as a standard- although every one to three years will probably catch most disease before it becomes invasive- for the most part, HPV usually takes a few years to develop into invasive disease (but not always...)

As a side note- my doctor never actually did HPV testing. He basically told me that he just assumes that any cervical dysplasia is realted to HPV- as almost all cases are related to one strain or another. That and treatment doesn't change if there is HPV vs. if there is not (to my knowledge). There are only a few strains of HPV that have a higher tendency to progress to invasive cancer. When I had a reproductive pathologist review the slides she said that there were changes consistent with HPV.

I think that there will be a push to get more about this disease out in the open. I have read that as high as 60-80% of the population has a form of HPV- though most goes unnoticed and the body naturally takes care of it. I hear that there is a vaccine due to come out in the next couple of years.

Until then- take care ladies (and men!)...

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
I know you weren't advocating for skipping paps...And you are right, most people are probably okay with a low risk of invasive disease...

This is just a really fresh issue for me...

I just wanted to reiterate how important pap are...Pretty much everyone hates having paps done and some think that after three years of clean paps they can just skip them if they are not having sex or are in a single partner relationship. I agree that paps should just be done yearly as a standard- although every one to three years will probably catch most disease before it becomes invasive- for the most part, HPV usually takes a few years to develop into invasive disease (but not always...)

As a side note- my doctor never actually did HPV testing. He basically told me that he just assumes that any cervical dysplasia is realted to HPV- as almost all cases are related to one strain or another. That and treatment doesn't change if there is HPV vs. if there is not (to my knowledge). There are only a few strains of HPV that have a higher tendency to progress to invasive cancer. When I had a reproductive pathologist review the slides she said that there were changes consistent with HPV.

I think that there will be a push to get more about this disease out in the open. I have read that as high as 60-80% of the population has a form of HPV- though most goes unnoticed and the body naturally takes care of it. I hear that there is a vaccine due to come out in the next couple of years.

Until then- take care ladies (and men!)...

Thanks for sharing your information. I'm glad you are well.

I understand you eagerness to have a vaccine available. I hope it protects the next generation of young women from what you had to endure.

I had a melanoma 10 years ago, so I'm equally passionate about educating people on that topic. It's not a soapbox, it's caring enough for your fellow wo(men) to want them to avoid the suffering you have endured.

Take care.

+ Join the Discussion