biphasic - carcinosarcoma -had been serous carcinoma in initial ln biopsy

AnneC

Hi, I wrote a rather long email last night that I think got stuck in some sort of approval process, so apologize if it turns up later.

I wrote a week ago to say my left groin LN biopsy came back as serous carcinoma. Everyone told me to BREATHE until I saw a gyn/onc, which I did Monday. Great guy associated with a respected Philly-area health system (not the one I'd been seeing, dominated by residents). Said my cancer was Stage IVB, but "curable" (which I am sure he says to all the girls)--surgery (if uterus removable, which a D&C Tuesday indicated it is--hysterectomy with node dissection set for this Wednesday), 18 months of chemo, and more chemo if needed, and radiation is the tentative plan. This doctor is cool with transitioning me out to Pittsburgh (knows colleagues there), where I mentioned before I have family as I have no support locally.

PET scan this Thurs (report late yesterday) showed cancer spread to the groin (left) notes, which I knew, plus to two nodes that normally drain the uterus (pelvic wall and one iliac), but not para-aortic. No spread to lung, bowel, bladder. D&C Tuesday biopsy results came back late yesterday. Here's the key paragraph:

Sections reveal a malignant biphasic neoplasm. There is a prominent malignant spindle cell component. Within the high-grade sarcoma (negative for EMA) are areas that show intermixed enlarged cells with eosiniphilic cytoplasm with marked cytologic atypia and increased mitotic activity. An immunostain for desmin is positive while EMA is negative supporting rhabdomyoblasic differentiation. The epithelial component is consistent with serous carcinoma (p53 overexpression), p16 diffusely positive, ER positive, PR negative. In this biopsy material the high-grade sarcoma component is 80% and the serous carcinoma component is 20%.

Doctor has been great, but probably won't call before Monday due to the weekend. However, based on my reading this is the most aggressive of the aggressive forms of uterine cancer, being "biphasic."

I know one of the long-term survivors of uterine/endometrial cancer here has said I am a statistic of one, but I wondered if any of you had any experience with or knowledge of individuals with this form of uterine cancer.

Meantime, I am working through financial matters--one month's continuous FMLA leave with good employer coverage starts Wednesday, decisions about when to "retire" (as I am eligible for Medicare) and what that will look like, etc. I know one of you mentioned FLMA but that you were still working, so wondered if I could pick your brain on that.

Thanks for any insights and support!