Q&A of the Week: Can Cervical Polyps Be Cancerous?
R asks: I was recently diagnosed with endocervical polyps. The doctor says they are not cancer, but they will biopsy them anyway. I am scared. Could they be cancer? Also, he is referring me to a specialist to remove them, but that will be 2 months from now. Is that too long to wait?
"Endocervical" means the polyps are in the part of the cervix that forms the internal part of the canal that leads to the uterus.
Cervical polyps are benign growths that VERY rarely have cancer in them - less than 1% of the time. However, they usually take a biopsy when they remove them just to be sure. Unless they are causing problems, like bleeding or infection, they are not usually considered to be an urgent situation. However, if you want to speed things up, it's often the case that you can ask to be contacted in case of cancellations, and make it clear that you would rather not wait if possible. I have found that if they know you are anxious, medical offices will often do what they can to accommodate you.
More Information About Cervical Polyps
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