Stage 1 Endometrial Cancer - Now what

Hello Walking mom!

I, too, was diagnosed as stage 1 11 years ago, and was asked to follow the same 5 year treatment schedule

I have had no uterine or other cancer diagnoses since then, but like Old beauty said you always stay vigilant.

Her suggestions are valid I had grade 1 and the 'garden variety ' type cancer. I only had 11% penetration into the uterine wall. All my check ups went well, and I was actually relieved I didn't have to have scans bc waiting for biopsy test results was stressful enough, and I suffer from medical anxiety as it is

But if you feel like you could benefit from further testing to put your mind at ease go for it!

Sounds like you are very lucky as I was. So many of the ladies on this board have really been thru a lot, but were always willing to come back & share their experiences to help others here.

God bless!

Hello,

I am recently diagnosed with Endometriosis Adenocarcinoma, FIGO Grade 2. I will meet with the gynecologist/oncologist on November 14, 2024. I am 73 years old. I'm grateful that my retired nurse sister will attend the first meeting with me. Her support means the world to me.

Getting to this diagnosis took months of getting the wrong diagnoses — UTI , Negative Pap Test, and dismissal of my ever-increasing symptoms with each reveal. I finally found a wonderful gynecologist who listened and identified the source of the bleeding, my only symptom for months. My diagnosis is scary. Maybe I should be braver but everything about the diagnoses is unsettling. I know it comes with challenging days and no easy treatment plan.

My emotions are all over the place, from being frozen in fear to believing all will be well to thinking the diagnoses is wrong. I worry about making the wrong treatment choice. Do I have time to seek a second opinion while this cancer remains unchecked?

I appreciate the advice to take one day at a time and not to become overwhelmed, although I feel like I have a ticking bomb inside of me with every twitch in my stomach.

I am prayerful. I haven't shared my diagnoses with friends. I may do so soon as it's a burden to keep such a difficult secret when I need so much support and love.

Thank you for giving me an outlet to express my feelings and fears. God bless all of you brave and beautiful people.

Welcome Bev. Your post sounds a lot like my experience. I was diagnosed with serous endometrial intraepithelial carcinoma, so type 2. I did not talk to my friends about it. I was I shock and could not answer their questions anyway. I was trying to learn myself, and I am an RN. It is very scary to be told you have cancer and all the unknowns are equally scary. First, your surgery needs to happen. There is a lot of information here about how to prepare yourself and what to expect. Surgery is treatment, and staging. A plan cannot be made until you are staged. I don't read any studies over than 5 years. Treatment has improved so much. After surgery I was given the choice to have treatment or not. It is hard to decide. I chose no treatment because it was an option, not common. I was told I could recur even if I had treatment. We are here for you as you go through that process. I also had moments when I thought maybe it is a. mistake. I think it is a defense mechanism. I am 6 years out now nor recurrence.

hey bevboone, how are you doing? We are always here, and while I am a little late to the comments, what are your plans for surgery? It is a LOT and overwhelming.

As for sharing information with friends, it is an interesting ask. Most people don't know what to say, and that is ok. I was transparent when asked anything, for me it was more educating people on it all, specifically women who understandably asked "how did they find it?" Good friends will lean in, and that is good.

Please stop back and let us know how you are doing, when surgery is, and anything else.

You are on your way. I can answer a few. questions. Frequent urination and fatigue are often symptoms of a bladder infection so maybe you can see your family doctor and have that checked too. The dye is injected into your cervix, which is attached to your uterus. The dye then enters your lymph system and identifies your lymph nodes. The surgeon with remove two lymph nodes but will look at the others. If they look normal they do not remove them. This has been proved to be very accurate and avoids lymphedema, a serious complication of removing a lot of lymph nodes. Some women have had 20 removed with. no cancer in them. They will do a biopsy right during surgery so if there was some cancer in a node they will remove more. This was a new procedure when I had my surgery but it accepted treatment now. And since lymph nodes are part of your immune system which can fight cancer, I think it's great to keep them. You will probably be on your back with legs in stirrups for surgery. The surgeon can remove the uterus through the vagina. Again, mine was large and so my surgeon made the puncture holes and then decided to do an incision too. I don't mind that. They will decide when they see what they are working with.

You must have endometrioid type cells, but not grade 1, grade 2. That makes it a little more aggressive. You can find lots of. information about the surgery here. I found recovery very easy. Make sure to move lots. I waited month for surgery and was still early stage. We are happy to answer questions here. It is a lot to take in. It doesn't happen in a day.