Grade question and other concerns

After my biopsy, I was told that 95% of the time, it's stage I Grade 1 and that's what they were sure mine was.  After surgery, my hospital lab amended to Stage IIIA, Grade 1.  My second opinion, MD Anderson, tested the same tissue and came up with Stage IVB, Grade 2.  I had the robotic hysterectomy, and two sentinel lymph nodes were taken (one pelvic, one aortic.)  Both were negative.  I had lymphvascular invasion, positive pelvic wash, mets to the cul-de-sac, in one tube, and on the outside of the uterus.  <50% invasion into the myometrium, and my lining was 11 mm thick.  There was chronic, acute inflamed tissue removed from the outside of my colon, but it biopsied negative.  The surgeon remarked that  it looked like something exploded in my abdomen.  The pathology said the cancer was related to endometriosis, which I never knew I had.  They weren't sure if the tumor on the outside of the uterus was a second primary or mets.  No way to tell, they said.  That tumor was not even found by the first hospital.  All this to say, get a second opinion on your pathology!  I learned a lot!  (Treatment plan was the same - 6 cycles of chemo.  We chose not to do radiation, but to reserve it for a recurrence.)  The scan was clear after surgery and again after chemo.

pato, from everything I have read here from the ladies, many of us have had the D&C and went in thinking one thing and found out something different after the complete hysterectomy.  Try to take a breath.  It is overwhelming, but you are doing everything you can right now, and this is a step by step process.  Get ready for your surgery, I saw where someone suggested the gas-x (a must!) and a few other things.  You will want to flush the anethesia out of your system so have lots of water and things to drink.  

pato58 said:

Thank you

Jacjac2 and Armywife 

Armywife, were you originally diagnosed with a D&C  with Endometrioid adenocarcinoma grade 1? It amazes me that the final pathology was stage IV, even with the sentinel nodes negative!  When were you diagnosed? 
I am getting very anxious about my surgery and final pathology
Thank you for your answer

Don't worry, sweet girl.  I was originally diagnosed in early April, 2017 when a transvaginal ultrasound came back looking unusual. Yes, it was endometrioid endometrial. I had a plain old biopsy with the little pipelle.    I had the surgery April 26th and they found some fragments of cancer in my posterior cul-de-sac, also known as the pouch of Douglas.   they said that mine was a very unusual presentation because the cancer penetrated less than halfway through the myometrium.   I'm figuring it had to be pretty close to the border between grades  1 and 2 to get two differing opinions.  My surgeon here still maintains that it shouldn't be a IVB because the fragments were still in the pelvis, but MD Anderson calls it "distant." I began chemo in June and finished in October.

  I want to encourage you to get second opinions and to just breathe.  It is what it is, and you will fight hard no matter what stage or grade you have.  God has the final say!  Take this just one step at a time.  Rest, smile, laugh, breathe, trust, have some fun and know that it's all going to be ok!  I'm sitting here 8 months out from chemo with a sassy pixie haircut and a grateful heart - tomorrow it could all turn sideways again but today is what we have.  Blessings!

pato58 said:

NoTimeForCancer

Thank you for your words. Because my original sample is grade 2, I keep thinking that if it gets an upgrade, it will be to high grade with all the baggage it carries...
When was your diagnosis and how are you doing?
Hugs

pato, try to take this one day at a time.  Once the surgery is over and they find out what they are dealing with they will make a plan for you, and you work the plan.  I was dx on 4/5/12 with both the "typical garden variety" (Grade 1) and Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma, UPSC (Grade 3).  It was Stage 1A but because of the aggressive nature of the UPSC I had treatment of both chemo and radiation.  It is scary to think about, but it is one step at a time and the ladies will be here every step of the way.

I believe you can request a copy of your pathology report, you are entitled to that. But the advice already given here is so important - do not get too far ahead of yourself. Focus on what you already know, and getting ready for surgery. It is scary, but you can do this!

there is  A wonderful thread titled What do you wish someone had told you? If you search for it, I think you’ll find it very helpful. 

pato58 said:

bluebirdfriend

Thank you so much for your thoughts
Actually, my surgery will be in a few hours and I had a little panic attack while I was taking a shower a few hours back. Like I could not breathe!
I am so scared for the prognosis
Pray for me dear ladies

Hope you're on the other side now and recovering nicely For me the first 24 hours were rough,  then got much better.

Hoping your recovery goes smoothly, Pato58, and for peaceful thoughts during the wait between surgery and pathology. For me, that was one of the hardest times. We are rooting for you!

Thinking of You!

Hoping surgery went well and you're recovering comfortably:)

Sincerely,

Stacey

pato58 said:

So sweet of you

Stacey. Really getting quite anxious about staging and pathology report 

It's normal to be anxious about all of it!  One of my friends wisely said to me, "You know what?  You're the same person as you were yesterday and will be after the scan.  All it's doing is giving you more knowledge about where to go forward.  It's not changing who you are."