Uterine Cancer that Metastasized to Lungs - Update - What questions should I ask?

missbabsonmars
missbabsonmars Member Posts: 29
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
After six chemo. treatments my cancer is "dormant." The CT scan at 3 months showed decreased area of cancer; the CT scan at 6 months is essentially unchanged. PEt scan does not pick up "cancer" even in the area where it is visible on the CT scan. While I have some options, both oncologists are recommending that we go for monitoring with x-rays every month and a CT scan every 3 months.

I plan to continue with the integrative medical therapies I've been practicing and live one day at a time.

I still have several questions, one of which is how we would know if the cancer manifests in some other area of the body, i.e. bone or brain. PET scan? How often? I see Dr. Cen on August 23. What other questions should I be asking?

Also, is there anyone else on this board who is dealing with metastasis from uterine cancer? Please forgive me if I've asked this before (chemo. brain!). This time I will make a note of who you are.

Thank you very much for all of your support!

Babs in Sacramento

Comments

  • mhilda
    mhilda Member Posts: 12
    #2
    Uterine Cancer Metastasized to lungs
    I am dealing with this same issue. I was originally diagnosed in May 2006 and had a hysterectomy. I had the 6 chemo treatments and then radiation treatments with 3 vaginal radiation treatments. In 2009, I had a CT scan that showed small spots on my lungs. They were all too small to biopsy. With a further CT scan, it showed two were growing. A PET scan in December 2009 did not show anything suspicious. Fast forward to June 2011 and a chest x-ray showed a mass on my right lung. I had a CT scan and then a PET scan with a CT scan guided biopsy. This turned out to be the Uterine Cancer and the GYN/ONC got more information on the receptors on the biopsy. He told me it was not curable but it was treatable and that there were three options Magace, Tamoxifen, and Chemo. Since the receptors were negative, I am on Tamoxifen and see him in late September (I have a chest x-ray first) to see if Tamoxifen is slowing the growth of the tumors. There were two places on the lung and the GYN/ONC told me that since there were two places surgery to remove them was not an option.

    Marcia in Tennessee
  • missbabsonmars
    missbabsonmars Member Posts: 29
    #3
    mhilda said:

    Uterine Cancer Metastasized to lungs
    I am dealing with this same issue. I was originally diagnosed in May 2006 and had a hysterectomy. I had the 6 chemo treatments and then radiation treatments with 3 vaginal radiation treatments. In 2009, I had a CT scan that showed small spots on my lungs. They were all too small to biopsy. With a further CT scan, it showed two were growing. A PET scan in December 2009 did not show anything suspicious. Fast forward to June 2011 and a chest x-ray showed a mass on my right lung. I had a CT scan and then a PET scan with a CT scan guided biopsy. This turned out to be the Uterine Cancer and the GYN/ONC got more information on the receptors on the biopsy. He told me it was not curable but it was treatable and that there were three options Magace, Tamoxifen, and Chemo. Since the receptors were negative, I am on Tamoxifen and see him in late September (I have a chest x-ray first) to see if Tamoxifen is slowing the growth of the tumors. There were two places on the lung and the GYN/ONC told me that since there were two places surgery to remove them was not an option.

    Marcia in Tennessee

    Thanks for replying!
    Hi Marcia - I am so happy to meet you! It sounds as if we are in a similar place. I just finished six chemo.treatments of taxol carboplatin. It is difficult at times to know how to move forward and yet stay focused on today. Are you practicing any of the integrated treatments like the anti-cancer diet?

    babs
  • daisy366
    daisy366 Member Posts: 1,458 Member
    #4
    missbabsonmars said:

    Thanks for replying!
    Hi Marcia - I am so happy to meet you! It sounds as if we are in a similar place. I just finished six chemo.treatments of taxol carboplatin. It is difficult at times to know how to move forward and yet stay focused on today. Are you practicing any of the integrated treatments like the anti-cancer diet?

    babs

    mets
    Hi ladies,

    I have had spread of UPSC to distant lymph nodes - no other organs (knock on wood!). However, if I had mets to lungs I would ask my doc to include the brain in future tests.

    I hope both of you have nipped this cancer and hoping for no spread. Mary Ann
  • mhilda
    mhilda Member Posts: 12
    #5
    daisy366 said:

    mets
    Hi ladies,

    I have had spread of UPSC to distant lymph nodes - no other organs (knock on wood!). However, if I had mets to lungs I would ask my doc to include the brain in future tests.

    I hope both of you have nipped this cancer and hoping for no spread. Mary Ann

    Mets
    Babs:
    I am not following any anti-cancer diet at this time. I've been trying to include more fruits, veggies and walking (when the heat is not so oppressive, as it has been this summer). I take a multi-vitamin, vitamin D, calcium, a small amount of vitamin E. I also use Dan Active.

    When I had the PET scan, it was just the torso, and the cancer was just in the right lung. I was wondering about the brain and making sure that the cancer hadn't spread there. Thanks, Mary Ann!
  • daisy366
    daisy366 Member Posts: 1,458 Member
    #6
    mhilda said:

    Mets
    Babs:
    I am not following any anti-cancer diet at this time. I've been trying to include more fruits, veggies and walking (when the heat is not so oppressive, as it has been this summer). I take a multi-vitamin, vitamin D, calcium, a small amount of vitamin E. I also use Dan Active.

    When I had the PET scan, it was just the torso, and the cancer was just in the right lung. I was wondering about the brain and making sure that the cancer hadn't spread there. Thanks, Mary Ann!

    me too, mhilda
    All tests that I've had exclude the brain too. Someone with UPSC had mets to brain and when I asked my doc he said that it would go to lung before the brain.
  • mhilda
    mhilda Member Posts: 12
    #7
    daisy366 said:

    me too, mhilda
    All tests that I've had exclude the brain too. Someone with UPSC had mets to brain and when I asked my doc he said that it would go to lung before the brain.

    Thanks, Daisy 366
    That's good to know! Thanks!!
  • Lisa 00
    Lisa 00 Member Posts: 134 Member
    #8
    daisy366 said:

    me too, mhilda
    All tests that I've had exclude the brain too. Someone with UPSC had mets to brain and when I asked my doc he said that it would go to lung before the brain.

    Patent foramen ovale
    Yes, lots of things get filtered in the lungs before they get over to the arterial side of the circulatory system.

    Unless you have a patent foramen ovale.

    Then things can get directly to the brain by avoiding the filter of the lungs.
  • jmsaussy
    jmsaussy Member Posts: 7
    #9
    mhilda said:

    Uterine Cancer Metastasized to lungs
    I am dealing with this same issue. I was originally diagnosed in May 2006 and had a hysterectomy. I had the 6 chemo treatments and then radiation treatments with 3 vaginal radiation treatments. In 2009, I had a CT scan that showed small spots on my lungs. They were all too small to biopsy. With a further CT scan, it showed two were growing. A PET scan in December 2009 did not show anything suspicious. Fast forward to June 2011 and a chest x-ray showed a mass on my right lung. I had a CT scan and then a PET scan with a CT scan guided biopsy. This turned out to be the Uterine Cancer and the GYN/ONC got more information on the receptors on the biopsy. He told me it was not curable but it was treatable and that there were three options Magace, Tamoxifen, and Chemo. Since the receptors were negative, I am on Tamoxifen and see him in late September (I have a chest x-ray first) to see if Tamoxifen is slowing the growth of the tumors. There were two places on the lung and the GYN/ONC told me that since there were two places surgery to remove them was not an option.

    Marcia in Tennessee

    lung mets from uterine cancer
    I was diagnosed in August 2007 with MMMT uterine cancer (total hysterectomy with whole pelvic and high dose vaginal radiation) then mets to lung in January 2008. I had nodules(very small) in two places (one on left and one on right) and my very aggressive CT surgeon operated and took them out...I had chemo after and have been cancer free since. Not sure why your gyn-onc is saying not resectable...is there more information? What is the cell type? Have you spoken to a thoracic surgeon?

    Jullette
  • mhilda
    mhilda Member Posts: 12
    #10
    jmsaussy said:

    lung mets from uterine cancer
    I was diagnosed in August 2007 with MMMT uterine cancer (total hysterectomy with whole pelvic and high dose vaginal radiation) then mets to lung in January 2008. I had nodules(very small) in two places (one on left and one on right) and my very aggressive CT surgeon operated and took them out...I had chemo after and have been cancer free since. Not sure why your gyn-onc is saying not resectable...is there more information? What is the cell type? Have you spoken to a thoracic surgeon?

    Jullette

    There are actually two masses in the right lung
    My Onc/Gyn told me that if there was one mass, they could remove it, but since there are two places both could not be removed. They got the biopsy from just one of the masses. He told me that the original endometrial cancer was well differentiated and that it was a Grade 2. I know that the cell has negative receptors. I got the impression that they were near each other.

    Marcia
  • Fayard
    Fayard Member Posts: 438 Member
    #11
    How are you Babs?
    How did the appointment go?
    I hope everything is going well for you.

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