My cancer returned in July and may have metastasized to my liver.

wcrowell29
wcrowell29 Member Posts: 6 Member
in Liver Cancer #1

Hi, everyone and Happy New Year! I’m a youthful 64, and a PNW baby from Oregon who lives in Virginia for way too long now! Six years ago, in April of 2017, following WAY too much bleeding for WAY too long, I was diagnosed with Stage 1A grade 1 Endometrial Adenocarcinoma. It was removed via DaVinci assisted Robot that May. I was declared NED every 3 months, then every 6 months. They finally convinced me to go for a year. At that 6 years NED visit in July 2023, my doctor/surgeon found a small, suspicious mass. It came back positive, so I had 5 weeks of M-F radiation treatments, with 3 brachytherapy treatments flipped to the beginning instead of at the end of treatment so I could go see my very vibrant and active 92 yr old father and attend my nephew’s wedding Labor Day Weekend. I started the radiation in September, finishing in November. It had been since before Covid that I had been out to the west coast to see family! It felt so good being with everyone again. Very healing 💯❤️

At my follow up exam a few weeks before Christmas, my doctor saw no evidence of the mass found in July but ordered a CT Scan and then a pelvic/abdominal MRI to be sure. The reports from those images said that there are peripherally enhancing masses mostly on the right lobe of my liver concerning for metastatic disease that weren’t present in previous scans. A needle ultrasound biopsy was ordered for Jan 8th.

Nurse Sandy - I just LOVE her - called yesterday to say that the doctor who was to perform the needle biopsy conferred with my rock star surgeon, saying that to do this procedure would put me in great peril. An order was put in for a pet scan. I’m waiting for the call to schedule that. I sure hope these masses are benign. The thought of going from Stg 1A Gr1 NED to cancer recurrence to Stg 4 possible liver cancer (cuz it couldn’t be my uterine cancer…that’s too slow growing and these first appeared as non concerning in 2020, I believe). Will this pet scan be able to identify the lesions/masses as clearly as would a biopsy?

Meanwhile, I had surgery on 12/28 for trigger thumb to release tendons and to remove arthritis in my left hand at the base of my thumb. My fingers are so swollen. My post op visit is this Friday. I can’t take NSAIDs due to the blood thinners I’m on to help dissolve my first ever blood clot found at the end of radiation treatments in my left leg when it swelled at the ankle. I look forward to both of these issues being resolved. Praying for negative scan results soon and doing my best to remain upbeat and focused on healing my hand. My nickname has always been sunshine! 🌞 My doctor told me 6 years ago not to worry until he says it’s time to worry. I am, after all, a Princess Peach Warrior! ☺️👸🏼🧡 ⚡️✨💫🫶🏼

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  • wcrowell29
    wcrowell29 Member Posts: 6 Member
    edited January 7 #2

    This is not a short post/comment update. I hope this finds you enjoying something about your day. I’ll be attempting wrapping some late gifts in tissue to get them sent off. The dining room table will finally be freed!! But the best reward will be witnessing through FB video chat the true delight when each gift is unwrapped 😍❤️🎁💯 As I mentioned in my original post, my left hand is healing from trigger thumb surgery a week ago Thursday. I can now wiggle my swollen fingers and gently squeeze a ball that’s in a way too spendy, hard plastic, molded to my removable splint. (400.00 after insurance!) More importantly though, I’ll be proactively calling Central Scheduling Monday morning at 7:30a EST to get that pet scan appt set. It’s been 3 weeks today since the latest ct scan took the scans that show the masses (measuring from .08 - 1.6cm that was first documented at 1.2, if it’s the same one!) Not sure what to think about the

    July 21, 2023 CT Scan results:

    CLINICAL INDICATION/HISTORY: C54.1: Malignant neoplasm of endometrium (HCC) . Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma FIGO grade 1 , less than 50% myometrial invasion, Hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, negative pelvic lymph node dissection on 5/18/2017. 

    Impressions: Status post TAH/BSO for endometrial cancer. No imaging evidence to suggest local recurrence or metastatic disease. Evaluation of possible local recurrence would be better assessed with MRI of the pelvis, if clinically indicated. 2. New three heterogeneous splenic lesions with capsular retraction, indeterminate. Metastatic disease is extremely unlikely given lack of other sites of metastatic disease. Possible differentials include atypical appearance of splenic infarcts versus primary splenic masses (such as lymphoma). Further evaluation with MRI with contrast or short-term interval CT with contrast imaging follow-up in 2 months may be considered, if deemed appropriate.

    5. Hepatic segment 2/3 enhancing lesion seen on prior CT and MRI studies from 2019 is extremely subtle-again conforming nonmalignant etiology.

    IMG_8033.png
    IMG_8034.png

    The first screen shot is from ct scan on 07/21, 2023. The second screen shot is from 12/08/2023.

    IMG_8035.png

    This latest scan on 12/15/23 is compared to the two previous scans above. I’m hoping there’s nothing wrong with my spleen with 3 heterogeneously hypoenhancing lesions in the spleen, new since prior scan, measuring 4.9cm, 2.3, and 2.1, as mentioned in a screen shot up above. Have any of you been through a similar recurrence you could share with me? It would be nice to hear from you, if so. ❤️ So I’m staying as upbeat as humanly possible over here in Virginia! Enjoy your day! 🫶🏼🌞✨💯


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