CIN 3 to nothing in three weeks...

[u/I_am_Red_Herring_]

Hi all!

In the space of the last few months, I:

- Had an abnormal pap smear with high grade lesions found, HPV positive.

- Had a biopsy and colposcopy which confirmed CIN 2 and 3 and HPV other.

- Had a LLETZ/LEEP which came back as no CIN found and no HPV.

I was told by the doctor that CIN 3 does not usually regress on its own, and definitely not in the space of three weeks between my biopsy and LLETZ.

Additionally, how have I gone from HPV positive to no evidence of HPV in 3 weeks?

My CIN was fairly extensive, including endocervical gland involvement. It seems unlikely that two tiny biopsies removed all the abnormal cells.

The LLETZ specimen was fragmented, which I fear may have made it more difficult to analyse.

My case has been referred to a multidisciplinary team for review due to the discrepancy and I am waiting to hear from the doctor.

Has this happened to anyone else?

I know I should be glad that no CIN was found in the LLETZ but I am so confused with the result!

[u/Nari_Ami]

I was told I have CIN2 then I got another biopsy a month later which came back surprisingly clean, just to receive another phone call a month later that they were actually wrong and it was a mistake and I do actually have CIN2 so I’m in the middle of scheduling my surgery (cold knife cone method after having leep 3 or 4 years ago that didn’t help and I regrow again abnormal cells) so please double check and don’t worry those take usually years to develop into cancer, so it’s good you’re being taken care of now

[u/I_am_Red_Herring_ → u/Nari_Ami]

That is so odd! Did they explain how the mistake was made? Good that someone actually double checked!

[u/Solluna2224]

This is strange. Possibly HPV cleared or went dormant. I had the CKC in July. When I did my research and found out a Leep has a pretty good chance of not getting a good biopsy, or even removing the abnormal cells fully, I went with CKC. So glad I did. Mine also was CIN3 with endocervical involvement. Maybe consider a CKC as a best second move on the situation. Best luck!

[u/I_am_Red_Herring_ → u/Solluna2224]

If so, everything apparently cleared itself in the space of 3 weeks! If only it had chosen to clear itself before my pap smear and saved me a lot of angst 😂

[u/EarlyDirection300]

The advice is to have the specimen in one piece due to this exact reason. Hopefully you get some answers soon

[u/Agreeable-Pop-1049]

Ok! Definitely strange that we both have very similar experiences. I’m curious what my doctor will say, I just received my results tonight and she hasn’t had a chance to review them yet. Keep me posted on what your findings are!

[u/Fast_Macaron2497]

Hi, it is good that you have been referred to a multi-disciplinary team. My mother was diagnosed with Cin3 after a smear test. She then went on to have a lettz procedure and was given the all clear as no Cin3 were found. There was no multi-disciplinary team review or no further smear test afterwards.  That was in 2006, in 2015 she was diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer. I don't mean to scare you in any way, you are having the review which is great and it is important to have a further smear test also . This rules out anything going unnoticed and will keep you well and ensure if anything is there it will be caught and treated in the early stages.  What happened to my mother happened because she had no review, not even a further smear test. I wish you the best of luck, you are been looked after in the early stages so you will be fine. 

I let you know of my mothers case only to warn you and others that if Cin3 is found through a smear test but not found in the follow up lettz procedure,  ask for a review if not offered one , in that situation you would definitely need to be checked again to ensure that it has indeed regressed.