Waiting results

Calmspirit · February 2021

Hope it's ok to ask a few questions here. I have not been diagnosed with cancer.

I am 63, 10 years post menopause, had some bleeding, saw Dr--transvaginal ultrasound showed thickened something-- had biopsy today waiting results should be here Monday or Tuesday.

From her experience looking at ultrasound pictures she said she gave me a 50/50 of cancer.

Something about white and black spots. If not cancer then she suspects polyp or something else.

If cancer shows on biopsy she will refer me to gynecological oncologist for hysterectomy. If no cancer shows she recommends a DNC to take out whatever is there and further test for cancer.

Does this sound right? The ultrasound and biopsy didn't bother me at all but frankly a DNC or hysterectomy scare me to death. What should I be asking? Doing?

I don't want to wait till it's too late to ask. This seems to be moving along. I saw her 1st last friday, ultrasound tuesday, results Thursday and biopsy today, friday. Results coming Monday or Tuesday and she said we will then make a plan so I suspect by end of next week I will likely be having some type of procedure.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

cmb · February 2021

Your Doctor's Initial Plan

Welcome to the board. While we hope you don't have cancer, you're in the right place to ask questions.

I think most of the women here would agree that your doctor's approach sounds like a good plan. The referral to a gynecological oncologist if the biopsy shows cancer is the right course of action.

And if the biopsy doesn't show cancer, it may be because the sampling didn't hit the spot where the tumor was. So a follow-up D&C to rule out or confirm cancer is also a very good next step in that case.

I've had two incidents of vaginal bleeding in my life. Since I wasn't able to tolerate the endometrial biopsy either time, I had the D&C on both occasions. The first time the gynecologist removed a benign polyp, which took care of the bleeding. The second time was some years later and, unfortunately, this time the cause was cancer. I was referred to a gynecological oncologist for surgery and had subsequent chemo and radiation.

I found the D&Cs very easy – I was under anesthesia and felt nothing at all. And I didn't have any post procedure pain.

Obviously, a hysterectomy is a more complicated procedure, but often today the procedure is done via robotic laparoscopic surgery versus the open surgery used in the past. Women generally recover from robotic surgery much faster than with open surgery. Should a hysterectomy be necessary, the gynecological oncologist will determine the best method.

There's another discussion topic that you might want to read through before you meet with the doctor, just in case your biopsy indicates cancer: What Do You Wish Someone Had Told You? Lots of good advice from other women about how they handled the initial steps in dealing with a cancer diagnosis.

Calmspirit · February 2021

cmb said:
Your Doctor's Initial Plan
Welcome to the board. While we hope you don't have cancer, you're in the right place to ask questions.

I think most of the women here would agree that your doctor's approach sounds like a good plan. The referral to a gynecological oncologist if the biopsy shows cancer is the right course of action.

And if the biopsy doesn't show cancer, it may be because the sampling didn't hit the spot where the tumor was. So a follow-up D&C to rule out or confirm cancer is also a very good next step in that case.

I've had two incidents of vaginal bleeding in my life. Since I wasn't able to tolerate the endometrial biopsy either time, I had the D&C on both occasions. The first time the gynecologist removed a benign polyp, which took care of the bleeding. The second time was some years later and, unfortunately, this time the cause was cancer. I was referred to a gynecological oncologist for surgery and had subsequent chemo and radiation.

I found the D&Cs very easy – I was under anesthesia and felt nothing at all. And I didn't have any post procedure pain.

Obviously, a hysterectomy is a more complicated procedure, but often today the procedure is done via robotic laparoscopic surgery versus the open surgery used in the past. Women generally recover from robotic surgery much faster than with open surgery. Should a hysterectomy be necessary, the gynecological oncologist will determine the best method.

There's another discussion topic that you might want to read through before you meet with the doctor, just in case your biopsy indicates cancer: What Do You Wish Someone Had Told You? Lots of good advice from other women about how they handled the initial steps in dealing with a cancer diagnosis.

Thank you.

Thank you.

ConnieSW · February 2021

cmb said it well

But I will add that I think we all found the limbo period you are in now very hard. You just have to get through it as best you can. Keep your spirit calm until you know if there is anything to worry about.

MoeKay · February 2021

Hope for the best, plan for the worst

Welcome, Calmspirit. I second all of what cmb has said above and will just add a few comments of my own. I sure wish I was a calmspirit when I was beginning my testing journey back in 1999. My office endometrial biopsy found cancer, so I didn't need to have a D&C, but just proceeded right to surgery. While you're trying to keep calm, you might want to research the gynecologic oncologist to whom, if need be, your gynecologist would refer you. Then I would recommend doing some research on other well-respected gynecologic oncologists in your area for comparison purposes.

I had consultations with two gyn-oncs within a matter of a few days. The gyn-onc I chose as my surgeon had quite a bit more experience than the other one. Equally important, my preferred gyn-onc was very highly respected in the community, both medical and non-medical, and had a personality that was a good fit with mine. This was important because I remained his patient for 15 years after surgery, until his retirement. He knew how to deal with my less than calm spirit, was always willing to spend time answering my endless questions, and had a great sense of humor, among other things. I'm here and well going on 22 years after diagnosis, and I know I have Dr. G to thank for my good outcome. Starting your research now so that you are prepared just in case you need a gyn-onc will keep you busy so that you can't worry too much, but will also result in your being well-prepared. If the news is good on Monday or Tuesday, and if you get the all clear after a D&C, you can just file the research away or pass it along to someone else who might need it.

Good luck to you!

Calmspirit · February 2021

MoeKay said:
Hope for the best, plan for the worst
Welcome, Calmspirit. I second all of what cmb has said above and will just add a few comments of my own. I sure wish I was a calmspirit when I was beginning my testing journey back in 1999. My office endometrial biopsy found cancer, so I didn't need to have a D&C, but just proceeded right to surgery. While you're trying to keep calm, you might want to research the gynecologic oncologist to whom, if need be, your gynecologist would refer you. Then I would recommend doing some research on other well-respected gynecologic oncologists in your area for comparison purposes.

I had consultations with two gyn-oncs within a matter of a few days. The gyn-onc I chose as my surgeon had quite a bit more experience than the other one. Equally important, my preferred gyn-onc was very highly respected in the community, both medical and non-medical, and had a personality that was a good fit with mine. This was important because I remained his patient for 15 years after surgery, until his retirement. He knew how to deal with my less than calm spirit, was always willing to spend time answering my endless questions, and had a great sense of humor, among other things. I'm here and well going on 22 years after diagnosis, and I know I have Dr. G to thank for my good outcome. Starting your research now so that you are prepared just in case you need a gyn-onc will keep you busy so that you can't worry too much, but will also result in your being well-prepared. If the news is good on Monday or Tuesday, and if you get the all clear after a D&C, you can just file the research away or pass it along to someone else who might need it.

Good luck to you!

Thanks, oddly I never thought

Thanks, oddly I never thought of researching doctors which I normally would. To be honest I then looked at her photo and she looks like my grandmother and I thought nooooo.. But I started reading about her (42 years experience, published papers rated as caring and kind etc) and the 11 other gynecological oncologists here and it looks like she is likely the best rated. So I rather breathed a sigh of relief..

I do really like and respect my gynecologist so there is also the factor that it's who she recommends.

thanks again

Calm

Calmspirit · February 2021

ConnieSW said:
cmb said it well
But I will add that I think we all found the limbo period you are in now very hard. You just have to get through it as best you can. Keep your spirit calm until you know if there is anything to worry about.

Yes, I'm surprised I feel a

Yes, I'm surprised I feel a bit more stressed over it today than I did yesterday..I know I will be having some type of procedure, likely within the week and I just flat don't want to deal with any of it..sorry if that sounds whiny, maybe it's part of my path to acceptance...

So, cancer question, I know I have thickening but likewise there is an unknown mass in my right side..it leaves me wondering, how do they know where cancer is and whether or not they have removed it all? Can cancer be visually identified during surgery?

NoTimeForCancer · February 2021

All the women who have posted

All the women who have posted have provided the most excellent suggestions and commentary.

I hope it turns out to be nothing, but please do come back to let us know how it all turns out.

Forherself · February 2021

Calmspirit said:
Yes, I'm surprised I feel a
Yes, I'm surprised I feel a bit more stressed over it today than I did yesterday..I know I will be having some type of procedure, likely within the week and I just flat don't want to deal with any of it..sorry if that sounds whiny, maybe it's part of my path to acceptance...

So, cancer question, I know I have thickening but likewise there is an unknown mass in my right side..it leaves me wondering, how do they know where cancer is and whether or not they have removed it all? Can cancer be visually identified during surgery?

Welcome Calmspirit

Sorry you are having all this to deal with. I suspect you have a thickened endometrium which is the lining of the uterus that sheds when you have a period. I had a laparoscopic biopsy for a thickened endometrium, a polyp on the outside of my uterus, several fibroids, and a calcified spot on my ovary. If you are interested in the rest of my story you can click on my name and read my blog.

The answer is yes they can see cancer when they look inside with a lighted instrument if it is big enough. During my hysterectomy I had a spot they biopsied right during surgery as it looked like cancer, but wasn't. The pathologists have a hard job, and looking at your biopsy might be done by more than one. It is not as cut and dried as we imagine, and sometimes pathologists don't agree on type of cells.

I would try and just hope for the best at this stage. We all say take one day at a time. There is so much information to read on this discussion page. Keep in touch. We alll like to know, even if everything turns out normal.

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