Re Nine and a Half Years Cancer Free!

cheerful
cheerful Member Posts: 261 Member
edited August 2020 in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1

Hello Ladies:

     I saw my oncologist this past Monday, August 24th.  My CA No. is 14.  It was the same number last year.  My oncologist wants to see me next year in August and he said that my UPSC Stage 1 Cancer that I was diagnosed with in February of 2011 (Nine and a half years) is Unlikely to come back.  That is very much a relief to me and reassuring.  Although when I do go for my CA 125 blood test each time I am still very nervous and scared as well as my appointments with my oncologist as I just don't know what is going to happen.  I just cannot let me guard down it seems. UPSC is a very sneaky and very scary cancer to have and to go through. 

     Also, I wanted to mention that I asked him and he said had I gotten this cancer thirty (30) years ago, I would NOT have survived this cancer so obviously cancer treatments have come a really long way since then.

     For you ladies that are going through treatments now, my heart goes out to all of you.  I wish you ladies all the best.

     I do plan on coming on this website from time to time and will check the various posts.     

     Also, I want to wish you Ladies Hope for the future with your cancer journeys. 

All the Best,  

Cheerful

a/k/a Jane

   

Comments

  • Molly110
    Molly110 Member Posts: 191 Member
    #2
    Congeatulations

    Thanks so much for sharing your good news, Cheerful. I was diagnosed with UPSC stage I almost a year ago and am walking that fine line between planning for the future and planning for the end.  To hear from someone 10 years out is immensely cheering, no pun intended.

     

    Congratulations!

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,486 Member
    #3
    Congratulations, Jane!  

    Congratulations, Jane!  

    You have been very supportive of everyone throughout the years, and it is important for us to celebrate these dates as well! 

  • cheerful
    cheerful Member Posts: 261 Member
    edited August 2020 #4
    Molly110 said:

    Congeatulations

    Thanks so much for sharing your good news, Cheerful. I was diagnosed with UPSC stage I almost a year ago and am walking that fine line between planning for the future and planning for the end.  To hear from someone 10 years out is immensely cheering, no pun intended.

     

    Congratulations!

    Hi Molly:  Thanks for responding to my post.  With Stage 1 of UPSC, you do have a very high chance of surviving 90% that is what my radiologist told me - if you went through 6 rounds of chemotherapy and 3 rounds of brachytherapy radiation you should be fine.  Just go for your checkups as your oncologist recommends and follow his instructions which I am sure you are doing. I also had Cat Scans done throughout the years along with CA 125 blood work, and if you can get a Pet Scan, that is more minute and can pinpoint anything that is there.  Mostly everyone with Stage 1 in the past several years Has Survived our cancer. One of the women on the Board, Debra Joe had stage 1, and she passed away from something related to her heart I believe. She belonged to the group the same time I had joined back in 2011. She has been off the board obviously for several years since she has passed away. t survive.  There have been quite a number of women that have passed away from UPSC through the years and some have had another kind of uterine cancer as well like MMT which I hear is even more aggressive than UPSC.  Some of the women have passed away over the years that I had been friends with and I do miss them. Also, I did read about 10 years ago that if you did not get chemo you had a 43% chance of the cancer reoccurring, so your chances with chemo are much, much higher of it not coming back - I know my doctor told me the first two years are the most critical and that is when the cancer can return within those first two years.  So be diligent and go for checkups.   But you should be fine and think positive thoughts.  Anyway, I will be checking on the Board from time to time.  If you want to send me another post, you can I will do the best I can to help you.  It is good you belong to the uterine group though as the women on the board are very helpful and have very good advice. Jane

     

  • Forherself
    Forherself Member Posts: 1,013 Member
    edited August 2020 #5
    Thank you Cheerful

    For sharing. your good news. WE all love to hear it.  Happy for you.

  • cmb
    cmb Member Posts: 1,001 Member
    edited September 2020 #6
    Sometimes we forget...

    Jane,

    Carboplatin was approved for medical use in 1986, while Paclitaxel (taxol) was approved in 1992. Radiation techniques had also improved since that time. So your doctor was very likely correct: you may not have survived UPSC if diagnosed 30 years earlier than you were in 2011.

    It's understandable that we get frustrated and even angry when we hear about treatment failures for others or experience them ourselves. It can be hard to remember that treatments have changed a lot since the 1980s and continue to improve – although not at a fast enough pace to benefit everyone, as we've seen with some of the dear ladies on this board who are no longer with us.

    But reminders that treatments do work for some of us are always very welcome, especially as new therapies are developed.

    Thanks for being on the board for so many years. Your commitment to encourage others in their cancer journeys is greatly appreciated.

  • Molly110
    Molly110 Member Posts: 191 Member
    #7
    cheerful said:

    Hi Molly:  Thanks for responding to my post.  With Stage 1 of UPSC, you do have a very high chance of surviving 90% that is what my radiologist told me - if you went through 6 rounds of chemotherapy and 3 rounds of brachytherapy radiation you should be fine.  Just go for your checkups as your oncologist recommends and follow his instructions which I am sure you are doing. I also had Cat Scans done throughout the years along with CA 125 blood work, and if you can get a Pet Scan, that is more minute and can pinpoint anything that is there.  Mostly everyone with Stage 1 in the past several years Has Survived our cancer. One of the women on the Board, Debra Joe had stage 1, and she passed away from something related to her heart I believe. She belonged to the group the same time I had joined back in 2011. She has been off the board obviously for several years since she has passed away. t survive.  There have been quite a number of women that have passed away from UPSC through the years and some have had another kind of uterine cancer as well like MMT which I hear is even more aggressive than UPSC.  Some of the women have passed away over the years that I had been friends with and I do miss them. Also, I did read about 10 years ago that if you did not get chemo you had a 43% chance of the cancer reoccurring, so your chances with chemo are much, much higher of it not coming back - I know my doctor told me the first two years are the most critical and that is when the cancer can return within those first two years.  So be diligent and go for checkups.   But you should be fine and think positive thoughts.  Anyway, I will be checking on the Board from time to time.  If you want to send me another post, you can I will do the best I can to help you.  It is good you belong to the uterine group though as the women on the board are very helpful and have very good advice. Jane

     

    Thank you, Jane. I am lucky

    Thank you, Jane. I am lucky to get wonderful care from a top cancer center just minutes from my home and office. My gyn/omcolohgost is brilliant and compassionate, and his entire team gives me such great care that I don't think I'd be better cared for if I were the Queen of England. I had the standard taxol/carboplatin chemo and 5 round of brachytherapy, which is the standard of care at my center, although I know many others do 3 or 4. I will see my doctor on what I understand is the usual schedule, which starts with every three  months for 2 or 3 years, with a scan once a year. We initially thought that CA 125 wouldn't be a good marker for me, since it was only 21 when I was diagnosed. After chemo, though, it was 7, so we are going to follow that as well. I'm not worried now, just months out of chemo, but I know that I will be anxious about my checkups in year two, since, as you say, many women recur then. Even with every advantage, I know that this is a nasty cancer that can come back, and I loved hearing that you have beat it. Thank you, too, for your kind offer of help.

    Warm best wishes.

    Molly

  • Armywife
    Armywife Member Posts: 451 Member
    edited September 2020 #8
    Happy for you, Jane!

    1!Thank you so much for encouraging all of us with your story!  I am so glad to know you are well!

  • jan9wils
    jan9wils Member Posts: 209 Member
    #9
    What uplifting news! Thank

    What uplifting news! Thank you for sharing.

    Jan

  • Kaleena
    Kaleena Member Posts: 2,088 Member
    #10
    Fantastic!

    Jane, that is wonderful news!   So happy to hear this.

    Hugs!

    Kathy

  • Frances081920
    Frances081920 Member Posts: 37 Member
    edited October 2020 #11
    keeping it at bay

    Hello Cheerful, congratulations on such long term success. May I ask if you take any supplements or alternative treatments to help with your success? I am stage II and getting ready for chemo, and brachytherapy, and of course I am very frightened, but I am determined to make it. God bless you in your continued health.

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