Possible endometrial cancer recurrence in incision

AmyMAllen

I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in May 2013 at the age of 38. If I remember correctl, it was stage 1b grade 2, but I'm not sure if the b is part of the stage or grade. Anyway, I had a complete robotic hysterectomy in June of 2013 at MDAnderson. I recovered quickly and had no other problems. However, in the last couple of months I noticed a lump forming under one of my surgical scars. It has grown quickly (golf ball size now) and is at the surface. It has also changed from skin colored to a deep red/purple. I have been reading about port site metastasis and wonder if anyone has experienced anything like this.  the lump is not painful. I have not taken hormones. I have done my follow ups and everything always looks great. My doctor didn't even have me do treatments after my surgery. 

 

Has anyone had any of these same symptomS? If so, what can I expect?  I have scheduled an appointment to get this checked out next week, but I'm a nervous wreck. Thanks!

pinky104

AmyMAllen

I had a painful lump in my belly after my extensive surgery for both UPSC grade IVb (yes, the "b" goes with the grade) and for gallstones (I had both my gallbladder and appendix out at the same time as my cancer surgery.  I started having abdominal pain a few months after surgery, which suddenly got worse after working out on my Pilates machine.  I kept complaining about it, as it hurt when I lifted heavy things.  Finally, at my next appointment with my gyn/onc, I mentioned it to him and he told me "you have a hernia."  It turned out to be an incisional hernia (that is, located in the incision).  My PA at my oncologist (a different doctor closer to home than my gyn/onc), recommended I wait until it got worse to have surgery.  That was bad advice as it continued to bother me.  Finally, I went to see a surgeon, who did day surgery on me and put in a mesh (if you don't have the mesh, it's more likely to come back).  The surgery, which I expected to be a piece of cake compared to my other surgery, wasn't.  I was in a lot of pain, but the pain was more on the opposite side from where the hernia was fixed.  When I asked the nurses about it, they told me that in the laparoscopy, you have gas pumped into you, and that was what was causing the pain.  That night, I struggled to get off the john, I was in such agony from the gas pains.  Eventually, it got better, and I wished I hadn't waited as long as I did to have the surgery. 

I'm wondering if this is what you might have since you mention it's in the incision.  Mine didn't have the skin color changes, but it was probably deeper than yours.  The colors you mention sound like they might be from either an infection or a bruise of some sort.  A lot of hernias do stick out quite a bit, although mine didn't really show.  It could be felt when the doctor pressed down on my belly.  Sometimes, coughing makes a hernia more evident and helps the doctor to diagnose it.  I know you probably had much smaller incisions with the robotic surgery than I did with my major surgery, but it might still be a possibility.  Maybe it's just some kind of cyst, too (maybe a sebaceous cyst?), not cancer. 

Let us know what you find out later this week. I hope it's nothing serious.  Even if it is a hernia, that's better news than having cancer again.  Don't worry until you find out what it is.  I was diagnosed with a paracolic gutter mass a few years after my surgery.  I had to have a CT scan, then a PET scan, then two more CT scans over a period of several months.  In the end, my gyn/onc decided he didn't know exactly what it was, but he was sure it wasn't cancer because it hadn't grown, and cancers always grow.  His nurse told me it could just be a lymph collection from having lymph nodes removed.  All that worry for nothing! Hope yours is, too.  Good luck!  

AmyMAllen

pinky104 said:

AmyMAllen

I had a painful lump in my belly after my extensive surgery for both UPSC grade IVb (yes, the "b" goes with the grade) and for gallstones (I had both my gallbladder and appendix out at the same time as my cancer surgery.  I started having abdominal pain a few months after surgery, which suddenly got worse after working out on my Pilates machine.  I kept complaining about it, as it hurt when I lifted heavy things.  Finally, at my next appointment with my gyn/onc, I mentioned it to him and he told me "you have a hernia."  It turned out to be an incisional hernia (that is, located in the incision).  My PA at my oncologist (a different doctor closer to home than my gyn/onc), recommended I wait until it got worse to have surgery.  That was bad advice as it continued to bother me.  Finally, I went to see a surgeon, who did day surgery on me and put in a mesh (if you don't have the mesh, it's more likely to come back).  The surgery, which I expected to be a piece of cake compared to my other surgery, wasn't.  I was in a lot of pain, but the pain was more on the opposite side from where the hernia was fixed.  When I asked the nurses about it, they told me that in the laparoscopy, you have gas pumped into you, and that was what was causing the pain.  That night, I struggled to get off the john, I was in such agony from the gas pains.  Eventually, it got better, and I wished I hadn't waited as long as I did to have the surgery. 

I'm wondering if this is what you might have since you mention it's in the incision.  Mine didn't have the skin color changes, but it was probably deeper than yours.  The colors you mention sound like they might be from either an infection or a bruise of some sort.  A lot of hernias do stick out quite a bit, although mine didn't really show.  It could be felt when the doctor pressed down on my belly.  Sometimes, coughing makes a hernia more evident and helps the doctor to diagnose it.  I know you probably had much smaller incisions with the robotic surgery than I did with my major surgery, but it might still be a possibility.  Maybe it's just some kind of cyst, too (maybe a sebaceous cyst?), not cancer. 

Let us know what you find out later this week. I hope it's nothing serious.  Even if it is a hernia, that's better news than having cancer again.  Don't worry until you find out what it is.  I was diagnosed with a paracolic gutter mass a few years after my surgery.  I had to have a CT scan, then a PET scan, then two more CT scans over a period of several months.  In the end, my gyn/onc decided he didn't know exactly what it was, but he was sure it wasn't cancer because it hadn't grown, and cancers always grow.  His nurse told me it could just be a lymph collection from having lymph nodes removed.  All that worry for nothing! Hope yours is, too.  Good luck!  

Thank you Pinky. 
 
I will

Thank you Pinky. 

 

I will ill definitely update when I know more. The first time I went through this was actually a pretty good experience considering. I had fabulous doctors, a quick recovery, and absolutely no post surgery problems. Even menopause wasn't bad. I'm sure this isn't a big deal either. 

Kvdyson

Good to have it checked asap

Hi Amy, I have not experienced that but wanted to let you know that I'm praying for it to be nothing serious for you. Please try not to worry too much as it zaps the energy you need to continue on your healing journey. Please let us know what the doctor tells you next week. ((Hugs)) Kim

 

AmyMAllen

Kvdyson said:

Good to have it checked asap

Hi Amy, I have not experienced that but wanted to let you know that I'm praying for it to be nothing serious for you. Please try not to worry too much as it zaps the energy you need to continue on your healing journey. Please let us know what the doctor tells you next week. ((Hugs)) Kim

 

Thanks

Thank you Kim. I will update soon. I was able to bump up my appt to tomorrow.