Can we join our joint demographics?

lkchapman said:

Commonalities to our history
Good idea to log our histories. Here is my history.
I am Caucasian.
UPSC diagnosed at 45 years of age.
Paternal grandmother had cervical cancer. No 1st degree relatives with any cancer.

1st MP at age 11 and they were always at least 7 days long and very heavy but regular.
Birth control use; never used.
2 normal vaginal deliveries although I did develop an infection of my uterus 2 weeks after the birth of my second child that was treated with antibiotics. (I sometimes wonder if this set the stage for my cancer)
Breast fed both children.
Tubal ligation at 23.
5 years before cancer diagnosis I was told I had uterine fibroids with increasingly heavy periods w/clots.
2 years before diagnosis I began having a thick clear discharge between my periods which my gynecologist insisted was normal.
Finally after my hemoglobin was down around 8.5 and I was flooding so heavily I couldn't make it to the restroom I went back to my doctor and requested a biopsy which returned as endometrioid adenocarcinoma with papillary features. I also found out that 6 months before the biopsy my pap had come back as ASCUS and my doctor never told me. I just assumed it was normal. ALWAYS INSIST ON YOUR PAP RESULTS!

After a lap TAH/BSO I was staged at IIIC 80% high grade papillary serous carcinoma and 20% endometrioid invading more than half the myometrium metastatic to a para-aortic lymph node.

My doctor said I didn't fit any of the stereotypes for endometrial cancer so she was completely taken by surprise by the diagnosis.
I wasn't obese, no diabetes, no hypertension and still mentruating. Excellent health otherwise.
I did have a history of social tobacco, having quit 6 years before.

I do think gynecologists need to be more willing to perform endometrial biopsies, especially when there is evidence on transvaginal ultrasound of any endometrial abnormality. They shouldn't assume everything they see is a fibroid!

I really don't fit the profile for either endometrial cancer or UPSC.

I had read that overweight is not usually associated with upsc
but was associated with the less drastic form of uterine cancer.

i too had an infection requiring a D&C after the birth of a child.

Since upSc has more in common with ovarian cancer, i wonder if we should look over there. it's the papillary structure that is so chaotic that makes this cancer so different. it splits to create new cells so early in its development that it is often difficult to determine where the cancer originated from. hence, the well defined vs. not well defined. Given the choice, always choose well defined as those cells are taking thier sweet time making new cells. Ours are like babies having babies.

please ignor the spelling errors.

my history
Good Morning,

Diagnosed 12/14/2010 biopsy, ultrasound, very very slight bleeding only symptom. Got myself to gynocologist almost immediately upon my daughter's recommendation. (oncology nurse)

Surgery 12/29/10. USPS Stage 1A grade 3
Complete hysterectomy, Full surgical treatment as well,no invasion outside uterus, one polyp. Surgery and treatment at Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, a great teaching hospital. Still undergoing chemo (carboplatin and taxol) and brachytherapy. I am only getting 3 chemo treatments and 3 radiation treatments. See others on this site with stage 1 who have more. I need to ask why. At this point with side effects, I am not complaining, just questioning. As we should all ask and question. CA 125 I do not understand quite yet, need to ask on next visit. Already had to almost have second chemo postponed due to low platelet levels and low white blood cells.

Age upon diagnosis 58.
Caucasian
Post menapausal
menses starting at 12
Menopause at 53, "one more gasp" at 55, determined to be "just" a period upon first uterine biopsy at 55
three children, first at 30, last at 39, 3 c sections
no breast feeding
no smoking, moderate alcohol consumption
birth control pills about 9 years, pre-children only
no hormone replacement, no major menopausal symptoms needing treatment
never overweight, always within average parameters or below, always exercised
maternal aunt with breast cancer pre-menopause (survived)
paternal grandfather with stomach cancer and later lung cancer
paternal first cousin with breast cancer pre-menopause (did not survive)
paternal cousin with kidney cancer
high blood pressure in 40's-50's difficult to control even with medication
father died of Alzheimer's, mother still living, two strokes, dementia
had gyn exams yearly, mammograms every year, physicals yearly

Particular to me:
had fibroids with heavy bleeding, clotting, through my late 30s and through my 40's (was told I would not have another child due to fibroids, surprise!)
had benign polyps removed from uterus mid forties, never told what kind, or to be aware of anything
had benign fluid filled cysts on ovaries in 30s, one found during PT scan on ovary prior to surgery for cancer, had completely taken over ovary
heavy periods, breakthrough bleeding, irregular as in often, from 40's until menopause, 2 D and C's for this, almost had hysterectomy then, wish I did!
three cases of skin cancer in 30s, face, leg, shoulder, basal cell carcinoma, many moles removed (lived near the beach growing up!)
adenomatous polyps removed from colon 9/10, told to return in 3 years for additional testing
suffering from arthritis of hips and knees for over 10 years, resulting in taking medication and having shots in knees for inflammation
one year ago diagnosed with high cholesterol after years of it being within normal range

MinnieJan