Endometrial Cancer dx - Lung nodules CT Scan

MoeKay

LVSI

I was diagnosed with stage 1C, grade 2, endometrial adenocarcinoma in 1999, and one of the risk factors I had for recurrence was extensive LVSI.  I had several other risk factors which you don't appear to have such as outer-third myometrial tumor invasion, lower uterine segment involvement and a fairly large tumor, approximating 4 cm.  I was treated at that time with both internal and external radiation.  Chemotherapy was not standard of care in 1999 for early stage endometrial adenocarcinoma. 

If I were you, I would not only get a second gyn-onc opinion on your treatment plan, I would get a second opinion on your pathology by a gyn-pathologist.  For example, I'm puzzled by the finding regarding your fallopian tubes.  Has someone explained to you the meaning and significance of the statement: "Cancer was not found elswhere other than within the lumens of my fallopian tubes. Stated: detached fragments of endometrial carcinoma within the lumens only"?  After my diagnosis I called the pathologist directly to speak to him about findings on my pathology report.  You might want to touch base with the pathologist who wrote your report as a starting point.  Also, do you know whether your LVSI was extensive or more limited?  If it was not extensive, perhaps that may have also factored into your doctor's no chemotherapy or radiation recommendation (in addition to your young age), but only he can answer that question for you. 

If I were you, I would also see a pulmonologist.  You have more than just a few tiny nodules, which may or may not be of any significance.  You also have a "shadowing in the center of your chest," as well as a constant cough, shortness of breath, and tiredness.  Given these factors, I believe a consult with a pulmonologist is in order.  In 2009, I went to the ER for a chronic cough.  I had troubling findings on a chest CT.  I was misdiagnosed in the ER, and it took me several months to get a correct diagnosis, but eventually I was diagnosed with and treated for eosinophilic pneumonia.  Along the way, I was told that there was a suspicion of metastatic cancer based on the CT findings, which eventually was determined not to be the case.  But while I did not have metastatic cancer to the lung, I had a very serious medical condition that required a lengthy course of treatment. 

Good luck with getting answers to all your questions.  I wish you the best of health.

 

evolo58

MugsBugs said:

Saltycandy13 - Good News!

Congratulations on the good pathology report!  That is awesome.

Earlier this month I took my Dad to the pulmonologist (he has emphysema and fibrosis).  There were some bright white specks on his scan and the doctor asked him ‘Have you been around chickens?’  Dad grew up on a farm and in his early 20s lived in a rooming house that was converted from a chicken coop. Apparently there is a virus that is non-threatening but manifests itself as small scar tissue in the lungs.  I could see them, small bright dots.  The rationale For this story is to show that probably only a pulmonologist would recognize this type of nuance in a scan.  

Histoplasmosis.

Histoplasmosis.

I am going for a lung scan as well before surgery, and I'm pretty darn sure they'll find it. My mother wasn't the cleanest when it came to keeping the coop tidy, and my brother has already been diagnosed with it in the past. 

Charissa

calliegirl said:

Thank you!

for all your responses, advice, support and concern...Yes, I am thinking strongly about getting a second opinion. I truly do not feel comfortable with the path report and my oncologist telling me that LVSI was present

and yes the nodules are way too small to biopsy...i was thinking to get the CT Scan done in March, compare it to Dec 2017 images, and if there are changes see a lung specialist...

it's all so strange...because I try my very very best not to get paranoid or worried with a new pain or discomfort, especially in my pelvic area...but there are some days it's too difficult not too...

Again many thanks ...hugs and strength to you all Cheers! XO

Oh, Calliegirl, we can all

Oh, Calliegirl, we can all relate. It is normal, after a dx, such as ours to immediately assume it's returned, whenever something doesn't feel right. I can't begin to tell you how much my body has changed, in my lower abdomen - mostly in my bladder. It has never been right since the surgery and does odd things. I can't tell you how many times I have been to Urgent Care thinking I have a bladder infection, for them to only tell me everything is normal.  As much as I like to care for myself in a healthy way, I welcome drinking the barium and having my CT scans.  When they come back NED, I seem to be able to rest for the next six months. When they first told me I had the nodules, I too, had shortness of breath.  Not sure if it was because I knew they were there or if there was something truly going on.  However, after I got the second opinion, I no longer thought twice about them.  Again, I will be having my scan in the next few weeks to see if they have grown any in the past six months. Do what you have to, to find peace in this journey.

calliegirl

happy saturday ladies...

Thank you so kindly, for all your advice, words of encouragement...and support..

I am planning on get a second opinion, and in doing so I decided to get a copy of my CT Scan report.

This is what he radiologist reported from the films:

The trachea and central airways are patent. There is a biapical pleuroparenchymal scarring. 2 mm ndule right middle lobe and 3 mm nodule left lower lobe.

No consolidative opacity.

Impression: Two discrete pulmonary nodules measuring up to 3 mm. Continued follow up CT is recommended to exclude metastatic disease.

sigh...

Northwoodsgirl

Lung spots

We can never be too vigilant. I also had a spot found on my lung at the time of my total hysterectomy. Consult with pulmonologist and watch for two years. She determined it was scar tissue probably from having had pneumonia at some point previously. It is so anxiety causing. The doctors often are concerned about the rate of false positives imaging tests can create but they also worry about not doing the imaging procedure and missing cancer. Praying it is just scar tissue.

Lori

TAyers

Hello, 

Hello, 

I am so sorry you had to become a memeber of this site. I had Uterine Papillary Serous Cancer and had surgery, chemo and radiation! 4 years later I was told I had a lung nodule in my middle right lobe. They watched it every 3 months with a scan and once it became a 1 cm they operated on it to take it out and it was UPS! Now a year later after second chemo was done  they have found one in my lower right lobe and will be having that surgically removed! The radiologist who read the scan didn’t catch it nor my oncologist, but my thoracic surgeon did! Be your own advocate and may God go before you! Tami

calliegirl

TAyers said:

Hello, 

Hello, 

I am so sorry you had to become a memeber of this site. I had Uterine Papillary Serous Cancer and had surgery, chemo and radiation! 4 years later I was told I had a lung nodule in my middle right lobe. They watched it every 3 months with a scan and once it became a 1 cm they operated on it to take it out and it was UPS! Now a year later after second chemo was done  they have found one in my lower right lobe and will be having that surgically removed! The radiologist who read the scan didn’t catch it nor my oncologist, but my thoracic surgeon did! Be your own advocate and may God go before you! Tami

Hello Tami

Thank you immensely for responding. Means a lot. As we know well, going through cancer is difficult. So many questions...concerns. I am too sorry that you are also a member of this site.

Do you think I should get a PET scan? I know the nodules are still too small to biopsy.

God bless you! Missy.

ConnieSW

TAyers said:

Hello, 

Hello, 

I am so sorry you had to become a memeber of this site. I had Uterine Papillary Serous Cancer and had surgery, chemo and radiation! 4 years later I was told I had a lung nodule in my middle right lobe. They watched it every 3 months with a scan and once it became a 1 cm they operated on it to take it out and it was UPS! Now a year later after second chemo was done  they have found one in my lower right lobe and will be having that surgically removed! The radiologist who read the scan didn’t catch it nor my oncologist, but my thoracic surgeon did! Be your own advocate and may God go before you! Tami

Tami,

sorry to hear you are dealing with this again. Good luck with the surgery. 

Northwoodsgirl

Calligirl

PET can’t hurt. You know physicians have insurance companies watching the types of imaging physicians do. They actually hire companies that have decision making algorithms that doctors are suppose to follow in terms of what imaging technology to start with and when it is appropriate to do one imaging procedure over another less costly imaging procedure. I never had a PET scan but then I had endometrial uterine cancer. I only had a CT scan once and that was before my hysterectomy. If you want a PET scan tell your oncologist or pulmonologist why you think you should have one. Ask your doctor why they wouldn’ t allow you to have one. Demand a PET scan unless your doctor can give excellent rational why not. It is unconscionable that two other doctors missed the cancer in lung. Believe me their is a variance in physicians abilities to read a wide variety of imaging technology results! 

calliegirl

i agree

PET scan would not hurt...agreed. I am scheduled for a repeat ( 3 month) follow up CT scan on both my lungs and abdominal/pelvis with and without contrast....

What really is getting to me...is the fact I had to call my oncologist's office, and mentioned that I found out only because I logged onto my insurance health record and saw that my CT scan prior to my surgery had showed 2 nodules , 1 located in the lower left lobe and the other middle upper right lobe, along with scarring and thickening in my lungs...

the radiologist who read the report stated a repeart in 3 months and put on the report that the secondary dx is endometrial cancer , follow up required due to rule out metastasis...

i am truly  confused , because my pathology report for endo cancer was Stage 1, Grade 1 , LVS invasion...

Is it possible something was missed? Can cancer spread that quickly? Adenocarcinoma is the tumor dx with...

if I did not call my oncologist office, probably would not even gotten this repeat scan for comparison... I am so confused...

saltycandy13

you need answers! now

I feel for you when you say you are confused.  You need answers and ASAP.  The worrying and anxiety is nothing to them but to us, a big one!  Please see what else you can find out and from a different source if you can.

I don't think cancer can spread that quickly not with the type you have ben diagnosed with.  I had the exact same diagnosis only no mention of lymph nodes.  I wish I could help more.  But I don't understand it either.  You are waaay to young for this.

Karen

TLC1ANGEL2018

evolo58 said:

I would be concerned, but not

I would be concerned, but not worried .... yet. 

Did you have a CT scan before that did NOT show any lung nodules? There are such things as benign lung nodules ... actually, they're pretty common. Here is an article that shows what I mean:

https://www.verywell.com/lung-nodules-symptoms-causes-and-diagnosis-2249304

As the article indicated (and I found out re a few friends' experiences), CT scans "can find find lesions ... but don't give a measure of what is happening in a nodule." 

However, that being written, I would be concerned about an infection or inflammation at the very least; particularly with that shadow. There is all sort of ... stuff ... going around lately. Also, I doubt you're going to be too relaxed for three months knowing there is a chance ... perhaps not a high one, but a chance nonetheless ... that there may be cancer. A second test or second opinion might be good for your peace of mind. At the very least, perhaps the second doctor can explain WHY a watch and wait approach is best.

 

 

Endometrial x 4

 

I was diagnosed in 2004, went through a complete hysterectomy & 5 1/2 weeks external radiation & 3 internal radiation treatments.  I was stage 3 - entering Stage 4.  My cancer returned a year later, and it was attached to my spleen & pancreas.  They removed my spleen, the tail end of my pancreas, and a spot on my stomach.  In 2013, a mass appeared in my abdomen & it was removed and I was on the chemo pill for almost 3 years.  I recently had CT's showing growing nodules in my lungs.  I've gone through blood work with a pulmonary dr & they feel it's reoccurring endometrial.  I'll have a CT again in about 2 weeks to determine the final results & treatment.  I was hoping after 3 times, I was done with Cancer, but I guess the battle continues.

 

NoTimeForCancer

TLC1ANGEL2018 said:

Endometrial x 4

 

I was diagnosed in 2004, went through a complete hysterectomy & 5 1/2 weeks external radiation & 3 internal radiation treatments.  I was stage 3 - entering Stage 4.  My cancer returned a year later, and it was attached to my spleen & pancreas.  They removed my spleen, the tail end of my pancreas, and a spot on my stomach.  In 2013, a mass appeared in my abdomen & it was removed and I was on the chemo pill for almost 3 years.  I recently had CT's showing growing nodules in my lungs.  I've gone through blood work with a pulmonary dr & they feel it's reoccurring endometrial.  I'll have a CT again in about 2 weeks to determine the final results & treatment.  I was hoping after 3 times, I was done with Cancer, but I guess the battle continues.

 

TLC, I had a hard time

TLC, I had a hard time finding you post in this thread but was determined to get in there.  I am so sorry to hear that you continue to fight this beast, and hope they can help you find something again to beat it back.  Hugs dear one.

EZLiving66

TLC1ANGEL2018 said:

Endometrial x 4

 

I was diagnosed in 2004, went through a complete hysterectomy & 5 1/2 weeks external radiation & 3 internal radiation treatments.  I was stage 3 - entering Stage 4.  My cancer returned a year later, and it was attached to my spleen & pancreas.  They removed my spleen, the tail end of my pancreas, and a spot on my stomach.  In 2013, a mass appeared in my abdomen & it was removed and I was on the chemo pill for almost 3 years.  I recently had CT's showing growing nodules in my lungs.  I've gone through blood work with a pulmonary dr & they feel it's reoccurring endometrial.  I'll have a CT again in about 2 weeks to determine the final results & treatment.  I was hoping after 3 times, I was done with Cancer, but I guess the battle continues.

 

TLC, maybe start a new post

TLC, maybe start a new post so we can track you and your treatment better?  Sometimes it gets hard to find in a longer thread.  Did you have UPSC as your original diagnosis?  Even though the cancer has come back, you've made it 14 years with a Stage 3/4 diagnosis.  We have had some ladies here who didn't make it with a Stage 1 or 2.  

Please keep us updated on the doctor's findings and your treatment.

Love,

Eldri

Doo57

Hi Callie!  I was just

Hi Callie!  I was just wondering how you are doing now and what you found out about the lung nodules? Hope this finds you well!