Should I get a hysterectomy if I have precancerous cells?

If the precancerous disease is more extensive or involves adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), and the woman has completed childbearing, a total hysterectomy may be recommended. During a total hysterectomy, the entire uterus (including the cervix) is removed.

Should I consider a hysterectomy if I have HPV?

Unfortunately, once you have been infected with HPV, there is no treatment that can cure it or eliminate the virus from your system. A hysterectomy removes the cervix, which means that the risk of developing cervical cancer because of persistent HPV infection will essentially be eliminated.

How serious are precancerous cervical cells?

Precancerous conditions of the cervix are changes to cervical cells that make them more likely to develop into cancer. These conditions are not yet cancer. But if they aren't treated, there is a chance that these abnormal changes may become cervical cancer.

What are signs that you need a hysterectomy?

Can precancerous cells come back after hysterectomy?

If these cancerous cells continue to spread, you can still develop cervical cancer even after the cervix is removed. In fact, one early study on the topic found that over 18 percent of patients who underwent a total radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer experienced a recurrence of the condition.

Ask Dr K: What is the Difference Between Precancer and Cancer

How do you get rid of precancerous cells in the uterus?

Treatments for precancerous lesions include excision (surgical removal of the abnormal area, also referred to as a cone biopsy or conization, or loop electrosurgical excision procedure [LEEP]), cryosurgery (freezing), and laser (high-energy light). (See "Patient education: Colposcopy (Beyond the Basics)".)

How long can you have precancerous cells on cervix?

In fact, once cells in the cervix begin to undergo abnormal changes, it can take several years for the cells to grow into invasive cervical cancer. Many women experience precancerous changes in the cervix in their 20s and 30s, though the average woman with cervical cancer is diagnosed in her 50s.

Why do doctors not want to do hysterectomy?

In interviews with people seeking hysterectomies, doctors justify their refusal to their patients using a mix of these motherhood assumptions as well as more “medically-sounding” reasons: it's too invasive, too extreme, too risky, etc.

Can a woman just ask for a hysterectomy?

Technically, any woman of legal age can consent to the procedure, but it should be medically justified. It's incredibly unlikely that a doctor will perform a hysterectomy on women ages 18-35 unless it is absolutely necessary for their well-being and no other options will suffice.

What age is too late for hysterectomy?

Hysterectomy is a safe surgical procedure for women of many ages, including those over 60. It is also typically safe for patients 75 and over. The key is that your doctor completes a careful assessment before surgery and follows up with regular monitoring and after-surgery care to ensure the success of the procedure.

What do they do if they find precancerous cells?

Surgical removal of the area may be advised, depending on the patient. Proliferative disease with atypia indicates high-risk lesions (abnormal cells) that are growing faster than normal. Depending on the cumulative risk, a form of medical treatment called antiestrogen therapy or surgery may be recommended.

How long does it take for precancerous cells to grow?

These aren't cancer cells, but cells that may turn cancerous if left untreated for many years. It takes 10-15 years for pre-cancer to progress to cancer. If you already have cancer cells, this would show up as malignancy.

What causes pre cancerous cells in cervix?

Cervical dysplasia is the abnormal growth of cells on the surface of the cervix. Considered a precancerous condition, it is caused by a sexually transmitted infection with a common virus, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

What is the downside of a hysterectomy?

For many women, the biggest drawback to a hysterectomy is loss of fertility. Once you have a hysterectomy, you cannot conceive, and for many women of childbearing age, this is a significant loss. Some women experience a loss of sexual desire, although this problem appears treatable with hormone therapy.

Can you still get HPV if you had a hysterectomy?

Cytologic abnormalities and HPV infection are both relatively common in individuals who have undergone hysterectomy. HPV infection of the vagina is found with similar frequency as HPV infection of the cervix and the prevalence of hrHPV is similar between individuals with and without hysterectomy.

Can you carry HPV after hysterectomy?

We conclude that HPV infection can cause vaginal cancer after complete hysterectomy in cases complicated by CIN. Therefore, HPV should be regularly assessed during the postoperative follow-up period.

Are most hysterectomies unnecessary?

Hysterectomy is one treatment for many diseases and conditions. A hysterectomy may save your life if: • you have cancer of the uterus or ovaries, or • your uterus is bleeding fast and it can't be stopped. In most other cases, a hysterectomy is done to improve a woman's life. But, it is not needed to save her life.

What is the safest way to have a hysterectomy?

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says the safest, least invasive and most cost-effective way to remove a uterus for non-cancerous reasons is a vaginal hysterectomy, rather than laparoscopic or open surgery.

Does a woman's personality change after a hysterectomy?

If your ovaries are removed at the time of your hysterectomy your oestrogen production will cease and you will enter the menopause. This sudden change, with no gradual transition, can lead to mood swings, depression, crying spells, insomnia, and irritability in some women.

Is life better after hysterectomy?

In one study, persons with endometriosis, fibroids and abnormal bleeding who had not improved with other treatment options, and who had a hysterectomy, scored higher on quality of life surveys 6 months and 10 years after the hysterectomy.

Should you have a hysterectomy if you have polyps?

You may need additional surgery if a polyp is cancerous. A hysterectomy, a surgery that involves removing your uterus, may be necessary in cases where the polyps contain cancer cells.

Do you lose weight after a hysterectomy?

Can a hysterectomy cause weight loss? Weight loss isn't a side effect of a hysterectomy. Some people experience a few days of nausea following a major surgery. This can be a result of pain or a side effect of the anesthesia.

What does stage 3 precancerous cells mean?

Stage 3. Stage 3 means the cancer has spread from the cervix into the structures around it or into the lymph nodes in the pelvis or abdomen. Treatment is usually a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (chemoradiotherapy).

How can I prevent precancerous cells in my cervix?

Do precancerous cervical cells have symptoms?

Precancerous cervical cell changes usually have no symptoms. The only way to know if there are abnormal cells in the cervix that may develop into cancer is to have a cervical screening test. If symptoms occur, they usually include: vaginal bleeding between periods, after menopause, or during or after sexual intercourse.