a swollen ankle can be a sign of deep vein thrombosis, which can indicate cancer recurrance

mollymuch
mollymuch Member Posts: 18
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
(I'm mentioning this here just because I came here looking for information on this, and didn't find anything - which isn't to say the topic isn't covered elsewhere.)

I finished treatment (6 rounds of chemo, radiation, hysterectomy, etc.) in December for 3c uterine; I'm 43 yo. About a month ago I noticed a very slight puffiness in my left ankle. I brought it to my primary care physician's attention when I was checking in on a couple other non-cancer related issues. (A week or so earlier, I'd also mentioned it to the nurses prepping me for surgery to remove my port, but they hadn't thought it was an issue.)

My primary care physician didn't think it was likely a problem, either - it was only about half a cm larger by her measure - but sent me in for an ultrasound because she knew that cancer patients were more likely to get DVT (deep vein thrombosis), something I hadn't known.

The test results show I do have a small blood clot below the knee and I was put on coumadin/wafarin to thin my blood. Blood clots below the knee are not a huge risk for pulmonary embolism, so I gather they don't necessarily treat them for non cancer patients, but for cancer patients they do.

More significantly, blood clotting can be a sign of recurrence, and I go in for a CT scan tomorrow.

I'm of course nervous about the potential for recurrence, but the main thing I wanted to say here is, do be aware of this issue, and if you notice uneven swelling in your legs during or after treatment, don't ignore it. There are several things that can account for uneven swelling - DVT is not the only one - but it is one of them to be aware of.

Best wishes to you all in your journey.

Comments

  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #2
    That's just swell
    Thanks for the information, Molly. I too have asymmetrical swelling, had the ultrasound, no clot, and so no one seems concerned except me (who gets concerned about a pimple). My pcp was very concerned when it was first noticed. She didn't say she was concerned because I had cancer, rather than I'd had pelvic floor surgery. Since I didn't have a clot, she's now just "monitoring". Whatever that means.

    Hope your CT scan is clear and puts your mind at ease. Please let us know.

    Suzanne
  • JoAnnDK
    JoAnnDK Member Posts: 275
    #3
    Double Whammy said:

    That's just swell
    Thanks for the information, Molly. I too have asymmetrical swelling, had the ultrasound, no clot, and so no one seems concerned except me (who gets concerned about a pimple). My pcp was very concerned when it was first noticed. She didn't say she was concerned because I had cancer, rather than I'd had pelvic floor surgery. Since I didn't have a clot, she's now just "monitoring". Whatever that means.

    Hope your CT scan is clear and puts your mind at ease. Please let us know.

    Suzanne

    Thanks, Molly.........
    Thanks, Molly....................for this important information and may your CT scan be clean and clear. My gyn/onc always looks at my ankles but I never knew why! Now, thanks to you, I do.

    One of my ankles (formerly broken) always has a different look than the other. Not really swollen, just kind of deformed from the hardware that is in it.

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