Is not having a biopsy normal? Please help!

Becca, It sounds like they are going to do the hysterectomy based on the cells already reviewed. That doesn't sound like a bad thing to me. It will keep your Mom from having multiple procedures. They normally don't stage the cancer until after the surgery because they have to see penetration and spreading (or not) to make that determination.  Hang in there! The waiting is the hardest part. I would ask your Mom's surgeon about CT scans and other pre-surgery things for clarification.

Please let us know how everything goes.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

After having bleeding, my GYN decided I should have an ultrasound.  When the tech found an abnormality in that, she called in the doctor who decided to do a vaginal ultrasound.  That showed a large polyp.  The doctor performed a D&C (dilation and curretage) on me a week later. The tissue taken out went to the lab, and the pathologist there found I had uterine cancer (UPSC).  I was then referred to the GYN/onc by my gynecologist.  I was taken in for an initial visit where the GYN/onc explained my type of cancer and said he'd do a daVinci robotic hysterectomy.  He ordered a CT scan, which I had at a different hospital, where I worked.  I saw the report and called his office, because I had cancer in several different places (uterus, both ovaries, the small intestine, and the omentum).  I left a message with a receptionist that my cancer appeared to be extensive,and I wanted the doctor to know this and discuss it with me, but frankly, I don't think he ever was told this.  He's a very busy man, and he didn't get to look at the report until the day of surgery.  I went into the hospital expecting to be out either that day or the next.  He greeted me before surgery and told me my cancer was too extensive to do my surgery robotically, and that I had to have regular surgery. I had a complete hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy, omentectomy, and removal of cancer on my small intestine (I'm not sure of the medical term for that) plus the cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) and an appendectomy all in the same surgery.  Gallstones were  found on my CT scan, so that's why I had the cholecystectomy done at the same time, to save me from having to have a future surgery for that.  I was in the hospital for 6 days because my bowel function didn't come back when it should have. Ten days after the surgery,  I was called in to the GYN/onc's office and was told I had stage IVb UPSC because the cancer had spread out of the pelvis.  That was 6 years ago.

If your mother's GYN/onc does the D&C and gets the tissue to the lab right away to be analyzed, he can do the hysterectomy, etc. in the same surgery and prevent her from having to go through anesthesia twice.  I don't think that's how most people have it done, but it's nice he'll save her from an additional hospitalization if that's what he's planning. 

I was diagnosed at the end of March in 2010 at age 61, and I had my surgery about 6 weeks later.  I wish your mother good luck.  She was fortunate to have had the cells show up in her pap, because most of the time, they don't.  I'd had a pap every year and nothing ever showed up on mine.  I didn't start bleeding until shortly before I was diagnosed.  Many women start bleeding in stage I, so they get diagnosed much earlier.

Johnson & Johnson withdrew power morcellators from the market and requested that all units be returned to them because of the danger that you cited.  I don't know that anyone is using it any more  But...  I would ask about that to make sure and to put your mind at ease.

I had laparoscopic surgery and they bagged everything and removed it vaginally.

Becca,

They wont know the grade and stage until after her surgery.   There is no way prior to get that information.  Anything they remove from your mother will be biopsied at that time.   They will do an onsite biopsy and also send it out for a more thorough processing.  It seems that from what I read from your post that they will do the exam and during that exam will decide on how to proceed (laparoscopically or abdominally or both).   Sometimes they start out doing a laparoscopic surgery only to have to do a complete abdominal.   My guess is they are trying to do whatever is less invasive which is good.   Either way, they will be doing biopsies and from there staging if cancer is indeed found.    

I did not get any scans or anything prior to my original surgery.  I also had to wait 7 months for my surgery because they didn't feel I had cancer and they wanted me to take Lupron for 6 months.     On another surgery, they did a biopsy prior to surgery and it indicated cancer, but after my surgery the mass they previously biopsied and now removed was negative.   

I know you feel that they should move quicker.  I know I wanted mine out ASAP but that didn't happen.  Just know that the doctors do research and go before boards of physicians to discuss cases and treatment/surgery plans.   

My best to you and your mom,

Kathy