Stage 2 UPSC - What is the outlook?

BillVT
BillVT Member Posts: 2 Member
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
My wife was diagnosed last summer with UPSC with clear cell features. She has had a full hysterectomy, including the ovaries, Fallopian tubes, etc. on Aug. 31. At that time she was told that she is Stage 2A. She is nearing the completion of 6 rounds of carboplatin / taxol chemo. The next step is radiation. We have not yet met with the radiation oncologist.

Two questions here:
1. What sort of radiation therapy is generally given for this type and stage of cancer? How often? How long is each session? How many sessions? How bad are the side effects?
2. What is the outlook for survival?

Comments

  • JoAnnDK
    JoAnnDK Member Posts: 275
    #2
    a statistic of one
    Bill, like all of us here, your wife is a statistic of one (I am quoting someone else). Any statistics on survival are old and outdated for this rare kind of cancer.

    Many of us had pelvic radiation for about a month (daily sessions) followed by 3-5 sessions of internal brachytherapy.

    My daily radiation sessions lasted for 10 minutes. The brachytherapy sessions were 7 minutes each (spaced about 3 days apart) but the prep time for each one was about 20 minutes. A couple of weeks prior to starting brachytherapy, I had a simulation session in which all the measurements were done. It was pretty invasive.

    My side effects from the pelvic radiation were nausea, exhaustion, bowel "issues", and more exhaustion. Some people have no side effects. I always say that there has never been a side effect - of anything - that I did not have!
  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #3
    JoAnnDK said:

    a statistic of one
    Bill, like all of us here, your wife is a statistic of one (I am quoting someone else). Any statistics on survival are old and outdated for this rare kind of cancer.

    Many of us had pelvic radiation for about a month (daily sessions) followed by 3-5 sessions of internal brachytherapy.

    My daily radiation sessions lasted for 10 minutes. The brachytherapy sessions were 7 minutes each (spaced about 3 days apart) but the prep time for each one was about 20 minutes. A couple of weeks prior to starting brachytherapy, I had a simulation session in which all the measurements were done. It was pretty invasive.

    My side effects from the pelvic radiation were nausea, exhaustion, bowel "issues", and more exhaustion. Some people have no side effects. I always say that there has never been a side effect - of anything - that I did not have!

    Outlook
    Just want to add that I have a dear friend who had Stage 2 UPSC FIVE years ago. She had chemo and radiation. No recurrence. None. Nada. NED.

    Good luck to your wife. And yes, she is a statistic of one.

    Suzanne
  • fanniemay
    fanniemay Member Posts: 53
    #4
    Double Whammy said:

    Outlook
    Just want to add that I have a dear friend who had Stage 2 UPSC FIVE years ago. She had chemo and radiation. No recurrence. None. Nada. NED.

    Good luck to your wife. And yes, she is a statistic of one.

    Suzanne

    I wonder why some drs.
    I wonder why some drs. recommend chemo and radiation and others just radiation? From doing some research I am going with chemo and radiation. My radiation dr. was fine with that. I am having 4 chemo and 3 internal radiation. From what I have read Stage 1 and 2 are 80% survival rate; at least I hope so. Stay positive and don't let anyone or anything get you down.
  • shortmarge
    shortmarge Member Posts: 291
    #5
    Stage IIA UPSC
    Hi Bill,

    I am a Stage IIA UPSC survivor. I was diagnosed in Oct. 2008. I had four rounds of carbo/taxol and sandwiched in between I had three rounds of brachy therapy. I was scheduled for 6 rounds of chemo but did not tolerate it well and the Oncol and I decided four rounds would be enough.

    She should only be getting brachy therapy (vaginal cuff) since the cancer did not spread outside of the uterus. If she is only getting the brachy, it's a breeze. Only thing is it is embarrassing and you feel a little violated, but it doesnt't hurt.

    Keep the faith, don't read the stats, tell her to eat raw ginger; great stuff for inflammation and upset stomach.

    DANCING WITH NED FOR THREE YEARS AND WILL KEEP ON DANCING!

    Marge
  • BillVT
    BillVT Member Posts: 2 Member
    #6
    fanniemay said:

    I wonder why some drs.
    I wonder why some drs. recommend chemo and radiation and others just radiation? From doing some research I am going with chemo and radiation. My radiation dr. was fine with that. I am having 4 chemo and 3 internal radiation. From what I have read Stage 1 and 2 are 80% survival rate; at least I hope so. Stay positive and don't let anyone or anything get you down.

    Chemo and Radiation
    fanniemay,
    As I understand it, Grade 1 (non-aggressive) Uterine Cancer is usually treated with just radiation if it is stage 1 or 2. But UPSC is a Grade 3 (aggressive) cancer. My wife's gyn/onc says that he treats aggressive cancers aggressively, so that is why both. UPSC is the same type of cancer as is the most common form of Ovarian cancer. The carbo/taxol chemo regimen is what is usually used for Ovarian, and it seems to be pretty standard for UPSC as well.

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