Stage 3A Endometrial Serous Carcinoma

We are all statistics of ONE, Jackie.  The statistics the doctor is referring to are subject to a lot of variables.  Your mom is young, and she has cleared the first hurdle by getting through surgery.  There are lots of stage III and IV women who are still here - I'm one of them!  I'd encourage you to love and support your mom, and bring joy into her life as much as you can.  None of us are promised tomorrow, but we can live and fight and enjoy today every day!  Chemo is challenging, but it is doable.  I'm the biggest chicken in the world, and I got through it fine.  Your mom will too.  Pray for her - that she will keep a good appetite, that her white counts will stay good, that her doctors and nurses will be attentive and adjust meds as they need to.  She will want to rest a lot - help her do that.  I firmly believe in ice mitts for hands and feet to combat neuropathy. You don't have to buy expensive ones - I made do with cold packs from Target wrapped in towels.  Using them during infusion can help!  Don't be scared -  use that energy to fight!  (Easier said than done, but it's a good goal!)

Welcome. Here's to hope and good outcomes. I had surgery May 1, 2017 followed by chemo and radiation.  I am here to say it's not easy but the treatments can be tolerated by most of us. At least from what I've read here

It was the scariest time at the beginning but as treatment progressed so did my outlook.  My family and I have all settled in to the idea and right now it's not nearly as scary as it was a year ago.

Best,

Jayne

I was diagnosed with Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma (the old name for your mother's cancer) in March, 2010.  I had stage IVb, the highest possible stage.  My cancer was in the uterus, both ovaries, the omentum, and the small intestine.  I had no evidence of disease for 7 years after surgery and chemo.  But then I had a recurrence last year where it wrapped itself around my ascending colon and was in the peritoneum, paracolic gutter, and in the muscle near my hip.  It almost went to the bone.  I had surgery and chemo again, then had no evidence of disease a second time.  I had numbness in my right thigh then, which was my first symptom, but a neurologist mis-diagnosed me. The numbness never totally went away, but it's been getting worse again.  Also, I've had some occasional diarrhea.  I got a CA-125 done last Friday with my port flush.  It came out to 14.2, which is about 4 points higher than after my last chemo.  The oncologist acted like it was nothing, but I told his nurse that 14.2 was the same figure I had last year when my cancer started growing rapidly.  In 2 months and AFTER surgery, it was up to 129.  The oncologist decided it might be a good idea for me to have a CT scan again, and his staff is trying to get insurance approval for it.  I've been extra tired and am uncomfortable standing with a pulling sensation in my hip, so I hope they can get it.  My next follow-up is in August.  I just hope it doesn't grow as quickly as it did the last time.

Overall, chemo wasn't terrible for me.  My worst problems with it were the hair loss, fatigue, and low blood counts with some shortness of breath.  I had blood transfusions to help with that.  I never had any nausea or vomiting because they gave me Emend to prevent it.  The best part of it was the friendliness of the chemo nurses.  It takes a special person to become a chemo nurse. Completing chemo and being free to live your life again at the end is a huge relief. 

There are other women on here who have also survived stage IV serous cancers, a few with no recurrences.  They're not on here a lot, but they are out there.  Tell your mother to just take it day by day, relax as much as possible, and report any unusual symptoms to your oncologist.  It can be a rocky road, but it's doable.

Jackie, what can I say that hasn't been said by all the wonderful women before me?  Please share all this information with your mom.  She is very lucky to have you seeking help and you have found THE place for that information and support. 

It is all very overwhelming, but we are all here for the both of you.  Please let us know what questions she has and let us know how she is doing. 

I had a hysterectomy 3 weeks ago and on my post surgery follow up was told  by my surgeon I need chemo and radiation since mine is serous , I’m not sure what to do my sister in law is a nurse and says I should get another opinion 

that you might find helpful. Log into the Discussion Boards and select Uterine Cancer. At the top of this page, where it indicates Search by Title, type in Research study on UPSC and that will bring up my old post . Or you can go to: https://csn.cancer.org/node/288706.