Why Choose Fox Chase? »Success Stories »Cervical Cancer

Dysplasia - Preinvasive Cervical Cancer

da Vinci® Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomy

Just like almost every other woman, Traci Thompson had a Pap smear during her annual gynecologic exam. But unlike almost every other woman, hers came back abnormal. Further testing revealed that Traci, 38, had cervical dysplasia - which is considered precancerous and may progress to cervical cancer.

Traci's doctor unsuccessfully tried to remove the precancerous cells herself. She recommended that Traci make an appointment with Mark Morgan, MD, an oncologic surgeon at Fox Chase Cancer Center who specializes in minimally invasive hysterectomies (the 2nd most common surgical procedure among women).

After determining that Traci, mother of 3, was not planning to have more children, Dr. Morgan offered her the option of total abdominal hysterectomy, leaving her ovaries in place, using the da Vinci® robot.

"Hands down, Dr. Morgan is the reason I chose Fox Chase."

"When he explained the benefits of robotic surgery, it was an easy decision. I wanted Dr. Morgan to perform my hysterectomy using the robot. He is a phenomenal doctor and his bedside manner put me at ease. I could tell he really cared about me," said Traci. "I knew I would have an easier time recovering and minimal scarring. Plus, I only had to stay in the hospital for one night!"

With her children to care for, Traci needed to be back to her old self as quickly as possible. She recalled, "I never had major surgery before. The recovery was amazing. I felt very little, if any, discomfort - not enough to warrant pain medication. I was moving around by the weekend. The only limitation was being unable to lift my 3-year-old daughter."

"Before and after the surgery, everyone was nice and helpful. You could tell they had a lot of experience caring for patients after surgery like mine," shared Traci. "Even though I didn't officially have cancer, I was relieved knowing that I was being operated on in a hospital that specializes in cancer. Their staff knew what to look for and if there were any sign of cancer, they'd be the first to catch it."

"Fox Chase provided me with lots of information."

"Fox Chase provided me with lots of information about cancer, even though I was pre-cancerous. I believe they treated me with the same compassion as every other patient."

Traci had no reservations about going to Fox Chase. She believes, "They are trained in cancer - and have the experience to make you feel comfortable."

"I didn't miss a day of work."

Traci works for herself in the property management field and could not afford to miss work. "With my quick recovery, I didn't miss a day of work. At times, I actually had to remind myself to slow down because I just had major surgery."

In less than 6 weeks post surgery, Traci was able to care for her kids, drive, shop and even go to the gym. "I feel great and no longer worry about developing cervical cancer. That's a relief!"

Learn more about cervical cancer treatment at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

Learn more about da Vinci® robotic-assisted surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center.