Cancer in para aortic lymph node after cervical cancer

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CyndiBear
CyndiBear Member Posts: 4
in Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine) #1
I'm 37 and I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in July 2010. In November 2010 I completed 30 radiation treatments, 6 cisplatin chemo treatments and 5 Brachytherapy treatments. My first ct scan after treatments was in Dec. 2010 which looked great. In April 2011 my next scan showed a enlarged lymph node in my stomach area on the left side of my back bone. I had to redo the ct scan in June to make sure it wasn't a wrong reading but the lymph node was still enlarged and had gotten a little bigger. Monday I had a needle biopsy done to remove some fluid from the node to test for cancer and it just came back today that it is indeed cancer in my para aortic lymph node.
I'm been doing some research online but everything says something different. I'm looking for any info. about the best way to treat this. My doctors are discussing what treatments I need but in the meantime I'm going insane. Help please!!!

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  • beckyracn
    beckyracn CSN Member Posts: 322
    #2
    If you didn't receive
    If you didn't receive radiation to your abdomen yet, this may be an option. Chemo will definitely be a choice. Wish I had more to share with you...mine had already spread to aortic and ileac nodes in abdomen by the time it was found. Hope they come up with a good doable treatment plan for you.
  • femtech
    femtech Member Posts: 4
    #3
    I just had an Exploratory
    I just had an Exploratory Laparotomy to remove one of my para aortic lymph nodes for recurrent cervical cancer. I am 34 and in general good health otherwise. I would ask your oncologist about the possibility of this proceedure to assess if any further organ involvement exists.

    After I heal for about 4 weeks I start another round of chemotherapy and targeted radiation. (One of the reasons I had the surgery was so my oncologist could place clips indicating exactly where she wanted the radiation to hit.)

    Just for some background: in 2009 I was initially diagnosed and went through chemo and radiation. This new area was not in the radiation field so it can be treated with more radiation.

    I think you and I would be great support for each other so definitely keep in touch! Let me know what the drs say.
  • CyndiBear
    CyndiBear Member Posts: 4
    #4
    Thanks for your replies. I
    Thanks for your replies. I have to meet with my radiation doctor Monday and chemo doctor Tuesday. I have a feeling they are going to want to do both treatments again. This time it will be higher up than my last radiation treatments and I was already told it will cause more sickness than last time.
  • CyndiBear
    CyndiBear Member Posts: 4
    #5
    CyndiBear said:

    Thanks for your replies. I
    Thanks for your replies. I have to meet with my radiation doctor Monday and chemo doctor Tuesday. I have a feeling they are going to want to do both treatments again. This time it will be higher up than my last radiation treatments and I was already told it will cause more sickness than last time.

    I just seen my radiation and
    I just seen my radiation and chemo doctors and both want to do another round of each. They said the lypmh node was very tiny so they don't want to put me through the surgery to move it. My radiation doctor seemed hopeful that the treatments would take care of it. This time I'll be getting carboplatin and taxotere and I was told I would more than likely loose my hair and this is very upsetting to me. It only thinned with my last chemo treatments. What type of chemo did you have?
    I'll be doing 6 weeks of radiation first and then the chemo after that but they want to put my port in now. I don't understand why I should have to have the port put in and wear it for 6 to 7 weeks before it's needed.
  • femtech
    femtech Member Posts: 4
    #6
    CyndiBear said:

    I just seen my radiation and
    I just seen my radiation and chemo doctors and both want to do another round of each. They said the lypmh node was very tiny so they don't want to put me through the surgery to move it. My radiation doctor seemed hopeful that the treatments would take care of it. This time I'll be getting carboplatin and taxotere and I was told I would more than likely loose my hair and this is very upsetting to me. It only thinned with my last chemo treatments. What type of chemo did you have?
    I'll be doing 6 weeks of radiation first and then the chemo after that but they want to put my port in now. I don't understand why I should have to have the port put in and wear it for 6 to 7 weeks before it's needed.

    Not sure yet
    I'm not sure yet aside from my surgery what will be done. I know I'm going through chemo and radiation again. Maybe I'll get carboplatin and taxotere too? My hair only thinned on cisplatin in my first treatment as well. I hope you don't get too tied up in losing your hair. I know its disconcerting but it grows back. I try to see it as a minor inconvenience in the long term plan of surviving. I also got my port put back in last week and they won't be using it for several weeks. I think they do it early because they want it to heal properly.
  • CyndiBear
    CyndiBear Member Posts: 4
    #7
    femtech said:

    Not sure yet
    I'm not sure yet aside from my surgery what will be done. I know I'm going through chemo and radiation again. Maybe I'll get carboplatin and taxotere too? My hair only thinned on cisplatin in my first treatment as well. I hope you don't get too tied up in losing your hair. I know its disconcerting but it grows back. I try to see it as a minor inconvenience in the long term plan of surviving. I also got my port put back in last week and they won't be using it for several weeks. I think they do it early because they want it to heal properly.

    I'm trying not to let it
    I'm trying not to let it bother me about loosing my hair but that has to be devastating. At least it will be through the winter so I can hide in the house. I know it will grow back and the most important thing right now is kicking this cancers butt. We can do it!!!
    They put up my appointment to get the port to Sept. 20th. So I don't have to worry about that for awhile. Is it painful to have put in?
  • femtech
    femtech Member Posts: 4
    #8
    CyndiBear said:

    I'm trying not to let it
    I'm trying not to let it bother me about loosing my hair but that has to be devastating. At least it will be through the winter so I can hide in the house. I know it will grow back and the most important thing right now is kicking this cancers butt. We can do it!!!
    They put up my appointment to get the port to Sept. 20th. So I don't have to worry about that for awhile. Is it painful to have put in?

    My interventional Radiology
    My interventional Radiology group at the hospital put in my port. They put me on twilight sedation, which means you are awake, but you can't feel a thing. The actual placement of the port is not painful, but it will be painful later (its not too bad tho.) There will be swelling and brusing and things will feel kinda tight for a week or two. After that you don't feel a thing - it truly becomes a part of you.
  • catcon49
    catcon49 CSN Member Posts: 398
    #9
    Catcon49

    I know this is an older thread. But my daughter is now going through this same senerio cc  returned just a few months after rads and chemoin peri aortic lymph node. I’m wondering if any of you are still on this site I’d love to hear how you are all doing now

  • catcon49
    catcon49 CSN Member Posts: 398
    #10
    Are any of you still on this

    Are any of you still on this site. My daughter is going through this all now and I’d love to hear if you are doing well

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