Kaleena said:

Hello Jude:
I just happen to

Hello Jude:

I just happen to come on here and saw your post   I am usually on the uterine board.    Although I cannot answer your question regarding cervical cancer, I can tell you that prior to my diagnosis I did have painful intercourse (which I also didn't mention to my gyne at first), I did have to go to the bathroom constantly - like everytime we stopped somewhere and each and every store I went to, I did have abdominal pains, and really felt that there was something wrong.   I went to doctors over a course of a year with these symptoms even getting a colonoscopy (which only indicated diverticulitis).   I had an internal ultrasound (only showed a deep ovary), and a laparoscopy (showing severe endometriosis - not cancer) and which was determined I needed a complete hysterectomy.   I was told I didn't need a CT scan because they didn't believe I had cancer.    I ended up with Stage 3a, Grade 2 endometrial adenocarcinoma and needed a seocnd surgery for staging.   They would not give me any type of hormones because the doctor says it was what caused my cancer.   (I was 45 at the time of diagnosis).   

My advice to you is to see if once they do your hysterectomy, they will be performing a tissue assay to see if it is reactive to estrogen or progesterin (I am not too familiar with this, but other posters are).   All I know is many women cannot take hormones because of it.   Also, (sorry if I have already mentioned this to you), see if they will be removing your appendix and omentum.   These are places for recurrences.

Further, even though the doctor says it is slow growing, be advised that after you recovery from your surgery and have been NED, when you do go and present symptoms, sometimes many of them are ignored as everyone is different and the doctors just go on statistics.   Have you ever thought about getting a second opinion?   Be your own advocate.

Sorry I could not be of further help to you.  My best to you.

Kathy

Great points you make

Kathy and I did ask him at my follow up Conization appt about the appendix and omentum (bc you pointed that out to me, tx!) & he said he would just take some of the peritoneal tissue which lines the uterus. Then he mentioned the estrogen for symptoms if ovaries are not taken out....he said he was an advocate for conservative surgery and not taking out more then necessary. I'll probably get another opinion. I'll let you know. I forgot to ask him about the tissue assay....sounds like you did not have this done. I get the feeling my doc likes to say as little as possible. my pathplogy report from the Conization made it sound like the lesion was very large and possibly very deep growing but I'm not an expert at those reports.  I found some interesting information and copied/pasted below from DR. Weil's website on uterine cancer treatments. I'm not saying I'm an advocate but just found it interesting and wondering if others used any of these suggestions.  

What therapies does Dr. Weil recommend for uterine cancer?

If you are challenged by cancer, Dr. Weil suggests the following changes to your daily routine:

Mind/body Medicine:

• Use techniques such as guided imagery and meditation, and energy medicine modalities such as therapeutic touch and Reiki, to enhance your treatments of choice.
• Get support. Join a support program for people with cancer. The inspiration and hope you’ll find there is priceless.
• Have faith. Don’t underestimate the role of your spiritual life in the healing process.

Exercise:

• Stay active. Regular exercise is an essential part of staying healthy. Engage in gentle physical activity as often as you can.

Diet:

• Eat generous amounts of vegetables and moderate amounts of fruit. Choose organic whenever possible to minimize exposure to pesticide residues that may put an extra detoxification load on the liver. Consider juicing to easily ingest several servings without feeling too full.
• Drink green tea several times a day. Remember that decaffeinated versions are available and quite delicious.
• Concentrate on omega-3 fatty acids either through foods or supplements. Cold-water fish such as salmon and sardines is the best source; vegetarian sources include walnuts and freshly ground flaxseed.
• Have one to two servings of whole soy foods each day. The simplest soy food to include may be unsweetened soymilk as a beverage or ingredient in a smoothie. Also try edamame (whole green soybeans), canned soybeans, tofu, roasted soy nuts and soy nut butter.
• Since insulin plays a role in a women’s estrogen balance, lower the intake of refined sugar, processed flours and sugary beverages to keep blood sugar under ideal control.
• Limit alcohol consumption. In virtually all studies that have looked at alcohol consumption and risk of cancer, regular consumption is linked with increased cancer risk.
• Avoid harmful radiation, UV light, and carcinogenic chemicals.

Supplements
Dr. Weil often recommends certain species of Asian mushrooms to cancer patients and cancer survivors, either used in the diet or taken as supplements. Maitake (Grifola frondosa), shiitake (Lentinula edodes), and agaricus (Agaricus blazei) are all delicious edible mushrooms that have immune enhancing and anti-cancer effects and can be found at specialty grocery stores. These, along with other well-studied medicinal mushrooms, are also available in supplement form. Dr. Weil also suggests taking a good multivitamin with antioxidants like vitamin C, mixed carotenoids (including lycopene), vitamin E in the form of mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols, the mineral selenium, B-complex vitamins including folic acid and vitamin B-12, coenzyme Q-10, and high dose vitamin D3 (ergocalciferol). Each of these supplements has been linked with reducing cancer risk.

Regarding taking supplements while undergoing cancer treatment, Dr. Weil recommends following the advice of Donald Abrams, M.D., an integrative oncologist at the University of San Francisco and a graduate of the Program in Integrative Medicine’s Associate Fellowship at the University of Arizona. Dr. Abrams says that questions about antioxidants are the most frequent ones he gets. In the absence of strong evidence, he now advises patients as follows:

• For those being treated for a possible cure (meaning that their tumors have been removed and that the goal of chemotherapy or radiation is to destroy any remaining cancer cells): Don't take antioxidant supplements on the day before, the day of, and the day after chemotherapy. Otherwise, it is acceptable to take supplements.
• For patients undergoing radiation therapy: no antioxidant supplements throughout the course of treatment.
• For patients with advanced cancer who are being treated in order to prolong survival and relieve symptoms: it is acceptable to take antioxidant supplements. Because chemotherapy agents differ in their mode of action, it would be helpful to know whether the particular drugs being used work by an oxidative (free-radical-generating) mechanism. Ask the medical oncologist treating you for that information.

Judemo said:

 

 

Cervical cancer roll call

I was hoping to get a cervical cancer roll call going like they have over on the uterine board, so we can discuss dx, stage, grade, treatments, thoughts, support, medical knowledge etc....