Just diagnosed with endometrial/uterine cancer and wondering about different surgery options

There are pros and cons with each type and everyone here will probably give you different answers.   

With traditional surgery, if they see something unusual, they can biopsy it on the spot or remove it.   Sometimes with the DaVinci method, if they find something, you may end up with a traditional surgery anyway.

They say recovery is quicker with the DaVinci.   I had traditional - was in the hospital for 2-3 days and then the usual take it easy - no lifting.  I felt great by the end of the week.

With the DaVinci, from what I hear, you feel great but you have a tendency to do more because you feel great.    Don't do it.  Still take it easy.

No matter which surgery you have, you must start to walk as soon as possibe.   When you are given pain meds, it will cause constipation.   Walking and drinking water will help.

Just remember - no matter which way you have it - its surgery.   Take care of yourself.

I hope this helps.

Kathy

I had a regular radical hysterectomy.  My gym-onc wanted to be able to feel for small tumors.  I was in the hospital a little longer because my bowels kind of went to sleep and were slow at starting to work again.  I started chemo at 4 weeks and was back in my classroom at 5 weeks.  They had me sitting up at day 2 and walking soon after.  My incision heeled very quickly.  Hugs and prayers , Lou Ann

nads said:

thank you, Lou Ann!

You had chemo as well? How are you doing now? 

I have stage 4 Serous Papilary endometrial andocarsinoma and it is very aggressive .  To date I have had 24 chemo treatments, 28 external radiation and 2 internal radiation treatments.  I have had two  periods of remission and am currently healing from surgery to remove a tumor that was I twined between my small intestines.  I will restart chemo in about a week.  All in all I have had many more good days than bad.  I have been able to live a fairly normal life.  God takes care of me and doesn't give me more than I can handle.  I am hoping for the best for your friend and remember everyone is different.  Hugs and prayers Lou Ann

I had the robotic laparoscopy performed by my Gyne-Oncologist Surgeon through five incisions.  My surgery was 5 hours long and I was released from the hospital the next day.  My surgery consisted of the removal of my uterus, cervix, ovaries, and fallopian tube (total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophrorectomies) along with 18 lymph nodes removed, pelvic wash, omentum removal, and perirenal lysis.  I was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma Stage 1A Grade 2 with no further treatment other than surgery. 

The recovery from the robotic laparoscopy was only 3 weeks and I was told not to lift anything over 10 lbs for 6 weeks.  When I woke up from the surgery, I had a catheter which was removed prior to being discharged from the hospital and the doctor had me on a clear liquid diet for two days after the discharge.  I believe it was to help with gas issues.  By the way, I urinated a blue -green color for at least two to three days after I came home but it was because of something I was given during surgery. 

If it matters to your friend, I was able to take a shower on the same day that I returned from the hospital because my incisions were glued together.  The wounds healed on their own and I didn't have to have staples or threads removed.  I was told to walk as much as I can because moving helps to recover faster.  The first week I was tired but it was manageable.  Laughing and coughing until the incisions heal can be a little troublesome. 

If your friend decides on the robotic laparoscopy, make sure that it is a oncology surgeon who has had a lot of practice with this procedure.  My doctor had performed over 200 of these procedures so I felt confident with him.  I would also verify with the surgeon that the laparoscopy will have intact tissues removed and not morcellated.  I don't believe doctors do that any more but it is always best to check.  Morcellation has been linked to the spreading cancer.   I don't know that much about morcellation but you can look it up online. 

I hope this helps.

Cathy

nads said:

wow, scary!

Thanks for sharing, Lou Ann. So scary for you...really sorry you are going through this. It sounds like you have a great attitude.

Can you tell me at what stage you were diagnosed?

I really appreciate you sharing this. I just want to know as much as possible for my friend so she had I can know what to possibly expect.

At the very beginning the gyn that i went to said stage 1 or 2.  My gyn-onc never used the word stage.  He said it was a very agressive form of endometrial cancer and decussed how we were going to treat it.  i had surgery and the sandwich treatment ( 3 taxol/carbo, 28 radiation plus 2 internal radiation treatmnets and then 3 more Chemos.)  after this everyone was very hopeful that it was gone.  7 months later it had metastizied to my neck and liver.  Stage 4  My medical oncologist believes that it was always stage 4.  i had no symptoms before diagnosis,  i went to the Dr. for a yeast infection.  both of my oncologist do not dwell on stage but rather how we are going to treat this monster.  Hugs and prayers to you and your friend  Lou Ann

I do not find it scary.  God is with me and with Him I have nothing to fear.