r/CervicalCancer

Hi everyone,

I’m about 2 months post external pelvic radiation for cervical cancer, and I’m still waiting for my brachytherapy.

My partner and I tried having sex because I thought it might help prepare my vagina for the brachytherapy applicator, but I’m having a stinging pain right at the vaginal entrance whenever he tries to insert.

Strangely, I can insert one finger without much pain, but penetration with a penis really stings.

I wasn’t given vaginal dilators, so I wasn’t sure if trying intercourse was the right thing to do.

Has anyone experienced this before external radiation and before brachytherapy? Did the pain improve? Is this a normal part of healing, or should I ask my radiation oncologist to examine me before my brachytherapy?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thank you. ❤️

Hi all,
My mom is undergoing chemoradiation phase after completing her pacli-carbo infusion for 6 weeks. Its her fourth day after cisplatin infusion and she has completed her 4th radiation. After cisplatin, she was on dexamethsone for 2 days and was doing fine but from the third day, she has been just sleeping whole day, she is eating anything because she does not feel hungry. I have somehow managed to give her some fluids throughout the day. She is also having severe leg pain for which I gave ultracet but it did not work. Is this normal to have these side effects?? Because she handled pacli - carbo relatively well, I thought the cisplatin would be much easier but it does not seem like. I am worried. Tomorrow we have our 5th radiation scheduled. The way she is out of energy right now, i am not sure how will I take her to the hospital which is around 1hr far. Has someone faced similar situation? Please let me know if this is normal?

I just had my simple hysterectomy. I was able to get robotic surgery. I’m on day four at home. Healing doing fantastic.

I was diagnosed Dec 2024 with stage 3B SCC, started Interlace protocol. Finished treatment March 2025. 3 month post treatment MRI/CT scans showed no viable tumour but now the follow up CT last month shows enlarged lymph nodes in three places (para aortic, mediastinal, supraclavicular) and some small lung nodules.

Has anyone ever had similar findings and confirmed it was something other than metastasis? Or if you had metastasis, was treatment successful for you? The prognosis of recurrent cervical cancer is pretty dismal. Testing in early treatment showed that the cancer is PD-L1 positive which is good (in Canada, pembro is limited to second line treatment from what I understand. I did not get it with my initial treatment).

I’m a single parent of 3 teens, I’m self-employed so no disability insurance. I worked throughout my initial treatment with some minor modifications. I also just can’t stop thinking about the possibility of not seeing my kids grow up.

I will be meeting with my oncologists on Monday and they’ve ordered a biopsy of the supraclavicular node. They’re going to get treatment scheduled pending the biopsy so there’s no delay if the biopsy confirms metastasis.

Not sure what exactly I’m asking here. I guess I’m just hoping for some kind of hope or stories of positive outcomes with second line treatments, or even any stories of the nodes NOT being malignant. I know that’s not very likely but where would we be without hope?

Hi everyone, I live in Canada and I want to pursue getting a consult with an oncologist outside of NA such as Thailand, China, etc since I hear so many good things about their healthcare system. However, I dont want to travel all the way there without having a virtual consult first. Have any of you gone through this avenue and if so could you please enlighten me as to the path via which you were able to get this consult? Thank you!

Hi everyone,

My name is Hollie and I'm working with a team of researchers from Monash university studying sleep and cancer.

We know that many people continue to experience sleep difficulties after a cancer diagnosis, and that accessing evidence-based sleep support isn't always easy. Our team is exploring whether an AI-powered sleep education tool could help make quality sleep information more accessible.

We're looking for adults who have been diagnosed with cancer (at any stage) to take part.

Participation involves:

• Completing two short online surveys (before and after)
• Using our AI sleep education tool for one week
• Receiving reimbursement for your time after completing the study

If you're interested or would like to learn more, I'd be very grateful for your support. You can find more information about the study here:

https://redcap.helix.monash.edu/surveys/?s=WN7DFTRAEDXYYKN9

I'm also happy to answer any questions via DM or email us at psych.sleepchat@monash.edu

Thanks for considering helping work towards more accessible sleep support 😴

For context, I had the HPV vaccine and clear smears and still ended up with HPV cervical cancer. I did chemo radiation throughout the summer of 2025 and achieved a CR to my primary tumour before brachytherapy in the September. However, during my follow up scan in January 2026, I had something known as skip metastasis which jumped to both lungs and nodes. They restaged me to 4B and I was put in the quad regime. By cycle 3, I’d achieved a CR in my lungs and my nodes were responding, by cycle 6, they looked completely healthy. My oncologist said it was likely gone in my nodes by cycle 3 too but they couldn’t call it.

I’ve now began the two year journey with immunotherapy, my CPS score is 5. My oncologist said it’s still control and quality of life but that people can maintain for years and years, even beyond maintainance and that if it attempts to come by they will treat aggressively.

I’ve been in fight mode for so long that I’m now beginning to relax but I’m petrified it will come back. I keep seeing stories where it’s only worked for 1 year and it’s recurred.

Does anyone have positive stories/experiences where it’s actually stayed gone. It would be nice to hear some positive news - especially for anyone stage 4B or from those who achieved NED.

I need your help and experiences regarding ovarian transposition and radiation treatment. I would appreciate any advice you can give me. Thank you.

P.S. I’m scared. I’ve already undergone three cervical cone surgeries, leading to the decision to have concurrent radiation and chemotherapy, and I am currently waiting to see if I am a candidate for immunotherapy.

My cancer is stage 1B according to my PET scan. It showed activity in the lymph nodes on the left side—though this is only suspected—but they also want to administer radiation to that side as a preventive measure, since the MRI didn't show anything.

It’s me again, UK (39F) with wife (39F) going through cervical cancer. If you remember my last post, my wife had a choice to make on her treatment between surgery and radiation, or chemoradiotherapy. She chose surgery and radiation, and her radical hysterectomy is booked in for 16th July.

I’m busy now futureproofing her recovery and I wanted to ask those who have either supported someone through this or who have gone through this themselves - what things did you do/buy that helped with recovery?

Hi Teal Sisters,

I'm halfway through the induction chemo (carbo/taxol) process of the Interlace protocol- third infusion was yesterday. I don't see a lot of people talking about it so I thought I would give an update. I'm 3C1, 6cm tumor totally confined to the cervix and some suspicious nodes (no pelvic sidewall, bladder etc involvement, so I have that going for me I guess). I am being treated at a major cancer hospital/research facility.

The hair loss is real. I'm going to buzz it short to tomorrow. I've only lost about 1/5th of my hair but I think for me it will be better to have some sort of 'control' over the situation. I am not super looking forward to seeing what my bald head looks like, but there are of course worse things in this life.

The worst days for me have been the 2 days post infusion. I just feel this sense of malaise and impending doom. I think it may be the steroids so I am going to talk to my doctor to see if they can do anything about that because it's making me feel terrible and like I'm at death's door for 2 days.

Very little pelvic pain, discharge has gone back to almost a normal gynecological baseline. No smell at all, normal color and texture, with occasional pink spotting.

The first 2 weeks I saw significant tumor necrosis bits on my TP (GROSS) including a very memorable moment during my first infusion. I went to pee, got up and there were like a million weird black particles in the toilet when I stood up. I just kind of gaped for a moment and flushed. Haven't seen anything quite like that since.

Zero nausea at all. In fact I am HUNGRY. I've had a few days of minor constipation and I am pooping more often apart from that but it's all within the realm of normal and not painful, just more often and less firm. Peeing has been fine too. No significant muscle or bone pain, but I do feel weak and tired a lot of the time. And sadly, getting out of bed is a challenge.

Overall I would say this protocol, so far, is highly tolerable. Some days are just the worst but it also improved a lot of my symptoms overall, like the nasty discharge and overall inflammation, pain, etc. Mostly, I do feel an improvement in overall well-being. My research leads me to believe that the improvements in survival statistics are well worth the trade-off in hair loss, time spent away from work, etc. If you have the ability to, I think that the odds are honestly even better than the clinical trial currently has accounted for.

Has anyone been upstaged from a pet-ct scan?

I am currently waiting for results and I am so scared that it's going to come back that I have cancer everywhere.

Smear test was inconclusive. Repeat smear test the same. Colposcopy found a large ectropion but couldn't see any tumour. Biopsy done but again inconclusive. Sent for a MRI where they found a 4cm tumour and was told I have cancer. Possibility of 1 lymph node involved. I then had a LLetz procedure a day after they told me I had cancer. Then this week I was sent for a pet-ct scan. From the start of it all it will have been 3 months. This is in the UK.

I am so worried that the pet-ct scan will show more. Are MRIs good at picking up other issues and spread to nearby organs? All I was told from the MRI was that the tumor size, that it is possibly breaching the wall and one possible node involved. The tumour is high up in the canal but they are still saying sqarmous cell.

I am worried that more lymph nodes are going to be involved or that it has spread elsewhere. I did however have an emergency C-section almost 6 months ago that got infected after 7 weeks which took weeks to heal. I also found out that I have/had mrsa when I had the LLetz procedure which makes sense as in the last year I have had what presumed to be an infected spider bite at the bottom of my back that took months to heal, a huge boil near my armpit and then 2 more infected bites since then. The whole of my cervix was inflamed probably due to the ectropion.

I feel like every time I go to the hospital I get worse news.

I presume I won't have a meeting until the results from the biopsy and scan are back. Every day means I am spiralling even more and I can't get out of it all.

My best friend was recently diagnosed with stage 3C Cervical Cancer.
She is all the way in South Africa, and I live in the UK. I last saw her in December last year., so not too long ago.

She has a good support network in her two sisters and a close work friend over there, so I appreciate there isn't much I can really do by flying there to be with her at this stage.

I would like to however coordinate with her sister and other friends both in the UK and in SA about putting together care packages for her treatment sessions (apparently they will be like 3 hours each and family or friends won't be allowed in with her).

I'd like to send her some useful things and some fun things.

What things do you think might be useful for someone undergoing chemo treatements? I am not 100% sure on her treatment plan just yet.

What would you have liked to have had with you?

Thanks for any advice you can give. My thoughts are with her and all of you every day, and I am so proud of those of you chosing to fight this.

I'm 31 and was recently diagnosed with HPV-related squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. My MRI and PET-CT showed that the cancer appears to be confined to the cervix with no evidence of lymph node involvement or spread elsewhere. The tumour is about 2.8 cm, and my MDT staged it as FIGO IB2.
My consultant has recommended a radical hysterectomy while preserving my ovaries. I've also met with the fertility team, who have been really supportive.
I'm not originally from the UK, so I'm still trying to understand how treatment decisions are made here and what options are usually considered. While reading some medical papers, I came across studies describing neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by fertility-sparing surgery for selected women with tumours between 2 and 4 cm. I know this isn't considered the standard approach, and I'm not looking to question or change my team's recommendation. I completely trust that they're recommending what they believe is the safest treatment. I'm just trying to understand my situation a bit better and learn whether this approach is ever considered in patients like me.
I was wondering if anyone here has had a similar-sized tumour and was offered fertility-sparing treatment, either in the UK or elsewhere. I'd also really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been treated by the gynaecological oncology team at Liverpool Women's Hospital, as I don't know much about the hospital or the team and would love to hear about other people's experiences.
I know every case is different, and I'm only hoping to learn from other people's experiences rather than ask for medical advice.

I need something to look forward to! Two weeks until I'm done with treatment but man I feel like I could just cry in bed all day. The feeling of sadness is overwhelming today and it just feels like it'll be like this forever! Everyone keeps telling me to be positive and that its all in my head. Idk what's wrong with me today but I just don't feel positive and could use some happy stories and something to look forward to. Feeling like a shit mom too and I'm usually so energetic and cheerful for them. TYIA! This group has been so helpful to feel not so alone in this

Hello,

I wonder if anybody else experienced problems with voice after chemo?
We're trying to single out what exactly causes it.
My wife had 2 rounds of chemo and every time on 2nd day she had her voice going bad. Mild cough and a little bit of fever as well, but these side effects are gone after 2nd day. Today is 4th day after chemo and she almost completely lost the voice. Symptoms don't look like a common cold or flu outside of the voice loss.

This is cisplatin/taxol/avastin/keytruda combo.
One of our doctor suspects it may be olanzapine which is she took before and after chemo but stopped taking it yesterday...

P.S. Blurry vision seems to be another repeating side effect.

For context. I'm in my early 30s. 7 mos post radiation for stage 3C2, just had my follpw up pepvic exam (and pet scan... that's a whole other topic)... and she said there's very little scar tissue (I have been doing a LOT of dialator) and i "have good length".

But when I use the dialator, I can't even get it in 3.5 inches. It just stops against a hard wall. I told her I was worried it was sealed off or something because I can't feel my cervix either.

She told me that's just the end of my vagina now. No major scarring.. that's just stenosis and that's the new length of my vagina.

Like.... 3.5 inches. That's.... that's not gonna work for sex. (And that last .5 inches is painful, mind you)

I'm often torn between accepting the end of my 5 year relationship and a celibate future .... and grieving the loss of this relationship and penatrive sex.

I don't think I'm looking for anything here. I just want to speak to people who understand.

I know not everyone has bad stenosis here.

The Cancer had consumed the upper 1/3 of my vagina, so the radiation was focused there and did a lot of damage.

I know i can regain some length through dialation, but the nurse said centimeters. That's not going to help me any.

Anything past 2 inches has my writhing in pain. Past 3 and I'm crying out.

Further context:

Non-penatrive sex just isn't going to keep my partner happy. Been doing that for 2 years already due to pain and it's not sustainable. Some days I'm ok with letting this go and moving on to a celibate life. Some days, I'm greif-stricken over it.

The women in my family are no help. They all dislike thier husbands and don't want anything to do with sex, so they just tell me I'm lucky not to have to deal with it.

But my partner and i had a really fucking stellar sex life. And sex has always been a huge deal for me in a relationship.

I know there are men who would be fine with non-penatrive sex. But the thought of trying to pursue that lead is so exhausting, I would rather just adopt a celibate life and focus on myself.... and then i crt thinking about that.

It's such a cycle of emotions.

Just.... riding the waves.

That's all.... just... venting i guess

Found out yesterday I have cervical cancer Adenosquamous stage 3c1.

Adeno tumor was only 5.5mm big, and the squamous one was 1.3mm. However there is one lymph node that is affected. Seems so strange that the tumors were so small, and yet managed to breach through to my lymph node that quick.

The fact that I get this almost 1.5 years after my partner getting brain cancer, and my mother getting stage 4 colon cancer is wild. No clue how to deal with it, going from being a caretaker, to being the sick one, helping and guiding my terminally ill loved ones in being a ... caretaker for me? Im caretaking - the caretaking?

At least hopefully it will be treated easily, and that this disease doesnt mentally effect my sick loved ones too harshly - I know mental strain can negatively effect the prognosis of them.

Any good stories out there?

I see so many posts on here from ladies absolutely terrified about the prospect of this treatment (as was I), that i thought I would post about my experience! I totally understand everyone is different, but I genuinely beleive it's not as bad as we can be led to believe.

I was initially diagnosed 1B2 on Dec 23rd, 2025. I was recommended for surgery after scans, but on clinical exam by my surgeon felt spread to the parametrium and I was changed to Stage 2B. She couldn't guarantee clear margins, so I was offered chemo-rad instead. She explained the worst outcome was going in for surgery, then having to have the chemo-rad after - a double whammy!

SO I started the gold standard UK treatment of 25 x External Beam Radiation, concurrent chemotherapy, followed by 3 x brachy therapy.

The first thing to say is that the precision of the machines today is 100 times better than even 10 years ago. I would arrive with an empty bladder, drink 600mls of water, wait an hour then have treatment. They scan you first every time and if things aren't in exactly the right positiom (due to gas or whatever) you will be sent away for a while to come back and be scanned again. This ensures that the beams are targeted exactly to the tumour and really minimises damage to the surroundng area.

I was terrified of bladder / rectum damage, and I was already prone to UTIs and have honesty not had one during or after treatment (I was also drinking a lot more water haha).

I only completed 3 out of 5 chemo treatments due to hearing damage from the platinum (tinnitius) but my doc explained the chemo is to make the radiation more effective - it is not a treatment in itself, and she was happy for me to discontinue this.

The main side effect has been just feeling a little more tired than ususal, and weird taste changes (I hate potatoes now!). It has been nowhere near as bad as I expected. Honestly at first I thought the machine mustn't be working as I felt so little difference!

Brachy was meh, not nice, but the feeing of leaving the hospital with treatment over far outweighed the unpleasantness.

Obviously it helps if you are fit and active to start with, and that you keep moving during treatment, but modern medicine has fast outpaced google results.

I wish I had known how much the treatment had changed in the past 10 years and how much more targeted it is, how many less side effects there are. It would have saved me weeks of worry and dread, and I just hope my story will help someone feel less worried and anxious.

Had my first post treatment CT scan yesterday, MRI next week, and Results the week after! Fingers crossed!

Hey everyone. On June 10th I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. So far we know that it’s adenocarcinoma and my Gyno Oncologist believes that the lesion is 4cm or bigger and growing quickly. I just had an MRI and have a PET scan scheduled for next week.

We were really hoping for just surgery to remove the cancer but now it’s looking like radiation will be the path forward and I’m terrified. I’ve been doing the thing that of course you should never do, which is google, but just reading the potential long term effects is overwhelming. Not to mention the fact that I’m single and now will have to navigate dating after this huge change to my body.

There’s not really a point to this post I guess I’m more airing my fears to anyone who maybe relates.