LEEP, Cervical Cancer links

August 21, 2005

Hi Branz, others,

I have recently gone through a NETZ cone biopsy procedure, due to cell

dysplasia.

The doctors in the UK are very good with these things. I had a general

anaesthetic and recovered quite well from the anaesthesia as well as the

procedure. I had minimal pain and bleeding, although the 3 week recovery period

has been a real bummer, especially for doing training for my upcoming walk.

(Happy to organise a walk of sorts Gretchen - but no more of the mega distances

for me unless it is in the mountains and once in a lifetime stuff! Perhaps we

can link with on this one! The long distance just wears me out too much

now, and my muscle fatigue is just not recovering as quickly as it did even a

year ago.)

I understand from my doctor here that the most recent research in the US has

shown that absolutely all cell dysplasia in the cervical area (not endometriosis

which is uterine cell activity) can be traced to sexual activity, 9 in 10 times

to HPV. I was shocked with this statistic, and could not believe it, but he

assures me that there have been trials large and small on this subject. There

is no link at all with CMT, although of course with anaesthetics we need to be

careful. As for endometriosis, I do not think there is a link between sexual

activity and endometriosis, or HPV. However, I understand that with both

dysplasia and endometriosis that one

needs to be very vigilant about ongoing smears, and testing for cell

changes. I also understand that the cell changes do not become cancer until the

cells enter ones bloodstream - so although they may find cancer, they will not

treat for cancer unless it has gone beyond the cervix (kind of like a skin

covering) and into the uterus, merely they will cut out the infected cells and

monitor (think skin cancer type treatment).

That is my two cents worth, anyway. And for what it is worth, I know loads of

people who have both, who have had short recovery periods and very active lives!

Have a great week everyone, and happy end of August,

Donna from London

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