Serous Carcinoma

sissa60

I was just diagnosed with Endometrial cancer 10 days ago. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Just did a CT scan and results are not in yet. Getting ready for hysterectomy on May 2. I do not know the stage yet. So I am in that scary beginning stage dealing with this emotionally. Just joined to benefit from those who may have faced the same issue. Any insight about what to expect would be appreciated.  

Abbycat2

sissa60, you have come to the right place

---

both for support and answers to your questions. I am sorry to “meet” you under these  circumstances. In my experience, the worse part of this journey was the very beginning, when I had no clue what the cancer grade or stage was and if it had spread. I didn’t have a Cat scan until after my hysterectomy. In hindsight, knowing what I know now, I would have wanted the Cat scan results before surgery and I would have asked for a CA 125 cancer tumor marker blood test. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the CA 125 until a month after my surgery.

I recommend: writing all your questions down and bringing the question list with you to each appointment. Bring someone with you, too, as a second set of ears. Get the important records: biopsy results, surgery report and most important, the pathologist’s report following your surgery and the examination of the removed tissues. That's when you will be told what grade, stage and type of Uterine cancer you have. Will your doctor be removing lymph nodes and doing a pelvic wash? You may want to ask about this. Have you been told what grade the doctor suspects it is? Are you being treated by a gyn oncologist?

I hope all goes well with your surgery.

sissa60

Abbycat2 said:

sissa60, you have come to the right place

---

both for support and answers to your questions. I am sorry to “meet” you under these  circumstances. In my experience, the worse part of this journey was the very beginning, when I had no clue what the cancer grade or stage was and if it had spread. I didn’t have a Cat scan until after my hysterectomy. In hindsight, knowing what I know now, I would have wanted the Cat scan results before surgery and I would have asked for a CA 125 cancer tumor marker blood test. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the CA 125 until a month after my surgery.

I recommend: writing all your questions down and bringing the question list with you to each appointment. Bring someone with you, too, as a second set of ears. Get the important records: biopsy results, surgery report and most important, the pathologist’s report following your surgery and the examination of the removed tissues. That's when you will be told what grade, stage and type of Uterine cancer you have. Will your doctor be removing lymph nodes and doing a pelvic wash? You may want to ask about this. Have you been told what grade the doctor suspects it is? Are you being treated by a gyn oncologist?

I hope all goes well with your surgery.

Thank you, Abbycat2, for your

Thank you, Abbycat2, for your response and insight. I will add these to my questions for the doctor. Take care.

Jairoldi

Welcome

Welcome. My surgery was May 1, 2017. The time before surgery was the hardest for me. It was all much easier to think about once I knew the plan and started working it. Whew, it sure is an emotional roller coaster. I will say, just about 1 year out, that it's better. Once in a while I even forget I have cancer. Abbycat gave you good advice. Write things down or record the conversations if you can. It's hard to remember everything especially when you are scared. Best wishes for a good surgery and recovery.

gbazyl

Good evening...Serous also.

Good evening...Serous also..My hysterectomy was a breeze.   I felt great right after and never took a pain pill.  Lucky to be stage 1....getting ready for chemo and bracky   Honesty I am scared but I feel good and I do believe a positive outlook is a must.

 

Good luck to you!

\

sissa60

Jairoldi said:

Welcome

Welcome. My surgery was May 1, 2017. The time before surgery was the hardest for me. It was all much easier to think about once I knew the plan and started working it. Whew, it sure is an emotional roller coaster. I will say, just about 1 year out, that it's better. Once in a while I even forget I have cancer. Abbycat gave you good advice. Write things down or record the conversations if you can. It's hard to remember everything especially when you are scared. Best wishes for a good surgery and recovery.

I feel like i am not alone.

I feel like i am not alone.

Thank you very much and i will keep in touch.

sissa60

gbazyl said:

Good evening...Serous also.

Good evening...Serous also..My hysterectomy was a breeze.   I felt great right after and never took a pain pill.  Lucky to be stage 1....getting ready for chemo and bracky   Honesty I am scared but I feel good and I do believe a positive outlook is a must.

 

Good luck to you!

\

Good evening Ms gbazy,

Good evening Ms gbazy,

Was yours also serous Carcinoma? Hope mine will be also stage 1.  I am also scared to but all we can do is hope for the best.  I will keep in touch with you as i got more IFo.

Have a great evening.

 

pinky104

sissa60 said:

Good evening Ms gbazy,

Good evening Ms gbazy,

Was yours also serous Carcinoma? Hope mine will be also stage 1.  I am also scared to but all we can do is hope for the best.  I will keep in touch with you as i got more IFo.

Have a great evening.

 

Stage IVb

Mine was also serous carcinoma (UPSC).  I had stage IVb back in 2010 with a recurrence in 2017.  I had some tough surgeries.  Chemo wasn't bad except for the low blood counts it caused.  Everyone is different with their results, so don't automatically assume the worst.

Good luck to you.  Be sure to go out and get a wig or some other head covering as you'll most likely lose your hair less than two weeks after your first chemo, assuming they give you the combination of Carboplatin and Taxol (Paclitaxel) which are the standard drugs for our cancer.  A few people don't mind being bald and don't wear anything on their heads, but most do.

Dmont0703

Hi everyone,

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for posting and sharing. I am 2 weeks post hysterectomy. I was not expecting a cancer diagnosis because I had a D % C in December 2017 with a biopsy of the mass in my uterus that was negative.  I'm pretty angry at the OB/GYN who failed to tell me that there was still a large mass in the uterus that needed to be watched.  Hindsight, I am preaching to all women to insist on a CT scan when they have a uterine mass and to get a referral to an oncology gyn immediately.  At my post op appointment I found out that I am stage IIIc UPSC with 8-% of the pelvic nodes cancerous.  I have my first consult with the oncologist tomorrow.  I'm expecting 6 chemo treatments, 5 weeks of radiation plus brachytherapy.  I'm scared but I intend to kick the cancer's butt!  I am seeing a lot of survivors of this type of cancer.  Any positive thoughts or stories would be greatly appreciated. I intend to share my personal journey as I gol  My daughter got us wrist bands at http://www.fightlikeagirlfoundation.org/

 

gbazyl

sissa60 said:

Good evening Ms gbazy,

Good evening Ms gbazy,

Was yours also serous Carcinoma? Hope mine will be also stage 1.  I am also scared to but all we can do is hope for the best.  I will keep in touch with you as i got more IFo.

Have a great evening.

 

Yes Sissa60..I was serous

Yes Sissa60..I was serous carcinoma and a serous adenocarcinoma.     I had the surgery on March 15..Next week starts 6 cycles of chemo and also staring brachytherapy (radiation) at the same time. Had the port put in yesterday and feel pretty good.   

 

So nice to have a great group of women to go through this with..A nice support system for all those unknowns...

 

Gail

NoTimeForCancer

Dmont0703 said:

Hi everyone,

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for posting and sharing. I am 2 weeks post hysterectomy. I was not expecting a cancer diagnosis because I had a D % C in December 2017 with a biopsy of the mass in my uterus that was negative.  I'm pretty angry at the OB/GYN who failed to tell me that there was still a large mass in the uterus that needed to be watched.  Hindsight, I am preaching to all women to insist on a CT scan when they have a uterine mass and to get a referral to an oncology gyn immediately.  At my post op appointment I found out that I am stage IIIc UPSC with 8-% of the pelvic nodes cancerous.  I have my first consult with the oncologist tomorrow.  I'm expecting 6 chemo treatments, 5 weeks of radiation plus brachytherapy.  I'm scared but I intend to kick the cancer's butt!  I am seeing a lot of survivors of this type of cancer.  Any positive thoughts or stories would be greatly appreciated. I intend to share my personal journey as I gol  My daughter got us wrist bands at http://www.fightlikeagirlfoundation.org/

 

Dmont0703 - it is ok to be

Dmont0703 - it is ok to be scared - because this is scary!  So good to hear you are working with a gyn onc - and your 'plan' sounds similar to a lot of us here, so don't hesitate to ASK.  

sissa60

Dmont0703 said:

Hi everyone,

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for posting and sharing. I am 2 weeks post hysterectomy. I was not expecting a cancer diagnosis because I had a D % C in December 2017 with a biopsy of the mass in my uterus that was negative.  I'm pretty angry at the OB/GYN who failed to tell me that there was still a large mass in the uterus that needed to be watched.  Hindsight, I am preaching to all women to insist on a CT scan when they have a uterine mass and to get a referral to an oncology gyn immediately.  At my post op appointment I found out that I am stage IIIc UPSC with 8-% of the pelvic nodes cancerous.  I have my first consult with the oncologist tomorrow.  I'm expecting 6 chemo treatments, 5 weeks of radiation plus brachytherapy.  I'm scared but I intend to kick the cancer's butt!  I am seeing a lot of survivors of this type of cancer.  Any positive thoughts or stories would be greatly appreciated. I intend to share my personal journey as I gol  My daughter got us wrist bands at http://www.fightlikeagirlfoundation.org/

 

Thanks everyone for your

Thanks everyone for your insights. I received a bit of good news yesterday: CT scan showed it did not spread beyond the uterus. I am hoping that means it is in the first stage or so. Like DMONT0703, I was told by a GYN in January that I was negative for cancer when I was still experiencing post menopause bleeding. Worse, he sent me back to work overseas where I was deployed. I am glad I decided to fly right back home in a month for a second opinion. I am still upset with that GYN. Surgery is on May 3. I am keeping my fingers crossed.   

Tamlen

sissa60 said:

Thanks everyone for your

Thanks everyone for your insights. I received a bit of good news yesterday: CT scan showed it did not spread beyond the uterus. I am hoping that means it is in the first stage or so. Like DMONT0703, I was told by a GYN in January that I was negative for cancer when I was still experiencing post menopause bleeding. Worse, he sent me back to work overseas where I was deployed. I am glad I decided to fly right back home in a month for a second opinion. I am still upset with that GYN. Surgery is on May 3. I am keeping my fingers crossed.   

May 3

I'll be sending good thoughts your way on May 3, sissa60. Thank goodness you were a good advocate for yourself and by doing so, you've caught things in an early stage.

My (now retired) well-respected gyn told me twice that I had "come back out of menopause" after a year with no periods, then getting "periods" again. My gyn onc later said, "There is no such thing as coming out of menopause." I can't help but wonder how different my path would have been if my cancer had been caught two or three years ago. As I've relayed my story to friends, so many of them have also been told they've "come back out of menopause." It does make you wonder how up to date some of these supposedly well-respected gyn's are.

Good luck and please come back to the forum and let us know how you're doing.

sissa60

Tamlen said:

May 3

I'll be sending good thoughts your way on May 3, sissa60. Thank goodness you were a good advocate for yourself and by doing so, you've caught things in an early stage.

My (now retired) well-respected gyn told me twice that I had "come back out of menopause" after a year with no periods, then getting "periods" again. My gyn onc later said, "There is no such thing as coming out of menopause." I can't help but wonder how different my path would have been if my cancer had been caught two or three years ago. As I've relayed my story to friends, so many of them have also been told they've "come back out of menopause." It does make you wonder how up to date some of these supposedly well-respected gyn's are.

Good luck and please come back to the forum and let us know how you're doing.

Updatr

I had my surgery on May 3. They removed everything- uterus, ovary,  floppian tubes, lymph nodes. The gyn-Onc surgeon said we would know the stage for sure after the pathology results come back, but he said the lymph node tissue he saw during surgery were "clean of cancer". I don't know what that means but I hope it means it is in an early stage. I have a follow up appointment and hoping for some good news. Thanks again for all your support and insights. 

Tamlen

sissa60 said:

Updatr

I had my surgery on May 3. They removed everything- uterus, ovary,  floppian tubes, lymph nodes. The gyn-Onc surgeon said we would know the stage for sure after the pathology results come back, but he said the lymph node tissue he saw during surgery were "clean of cancer". I don't know what that means but I hope it means it is in an early stage. I have a follow up appointment and hoping for some good news. Thanks again for all your support and insights. 

Thanks for the update

Glad that's over with for you, sissa60, and that the early news is promising. It must be a relief to have that behind you. Keep us posted once you know the pathology report results. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

MugsBugs

sissa60 said:

Updatr

I had my surgery on May 3. They removed everything- uterus, ovary,  floppian tubes, lymph nodes. The gyn-Onc surgeon said we would know the stage for sure after the pathology results come back, but he said the lymph node tissue he saw during surgery were "clean of cancer". I don't know what that means but I hope it means it is in an early stage. I have a follow up appointment and hoping for some good news. Thanks again for all your support and insights. 

Good News About the Lymph Nodes

I know you are glad to get this part of the journey behind you.  I pray that the pathology report comes back as Grade 1 and this will be the end of your journey, except for monitoring.  Let us know when you get the pathology report.

jeschenck

Uterine Serous Carcinoma

Hello Amazing Person!, Pinky 104  !!!!    

I had a hysterecomy and all other femine organs PLUS :-( peritonuem removed April 18, 2018; and have just had my 1st chemo today May 11, 2018, Carbo & Taxol.   Reading your details of a Stage IV (mine too) diagnosis in 2010, a recurrence so much later -- 2017---   These years are the first real and fantastic news!!!

I have to strive so hard to believe I'll have onemore Christmas, let alone sooo many more dear experiences with loved ones....

Are your docs astonished?

Abbycat2

Sissa60, that is good news

that your surgeon thinks your lymph nodes removed are clear of cancer. I think if there was cancer in your nodes that would indicate stage IIIC. Hopefully, your pathology report will show that you have an early stage of this cancer. Glad to see that your surgery is over with and you are recovering. 

 

Warm Wishes,

Cathy

sissa60

Thanks to all and happy

Thanks to all and happy mother's day.

Harmony09

Hi Sissa60

Hi Sissa60

Welcome and I am glad you are sharing with us! The ladies here are amazingly supportive and genuinely interested in each and every person who joins.

My histology contained serous and clear cells. My lymph nodes and omentum were all clear too. The surgeon told me that is typical of our cancer. However, mine had marched out of my uterus and into my cervix and vagina, and then wrapped around my bladder. It infiltrated the muscle tissue, but didn't make it into my bladder. It was ALL gone according to the last PET/CT Scan. My suggestion is stay off the internet sites that discuss this cancer. Remember that statistics are dated. They have to be in order to be compiled and analyzed. If you read through the posts here, you will see women who have our type...living much longer than the numbers. I had forgotten about that just last week, and I regret it. I truly believe, and a very knowledgeable, experienced nurse told me that 90% of this battle is in our heads. Staying positive has REAL effects on our bodies! 

So, you're recovering from the surgery, getting ready to embark on the chemo and radiation? It wasn't as tough as I thought it would be. The beginning was actually harder. It's amazing what your body will get used to. I thought radiation would be a "break" from chemo, but it was a bit more taxing than the chemo. I was more nauseous and tired, and I gained weight, because the only thing that seemed appetizing at all  was ice cream with peanut butter. I justified it because of the protein. However, It was doable, A Day At A Time

Best wishes! Stay in touch!

pinky104

jeschenck

I asked my GYN/onc. way back if he had any other stage IV survivors.  He told me he had plenty of them.  But after my recurrence, he told me I was really lucky that my cancer returned in one big spot and not in multiple small areas like most womens' recurrences do.  Because of that, it made the surgery possible.  He did hint to me that he expected my cancer would come back again, maybe in another five years or so.  I wasn't too thrilled to hear that!