Any advice- Doctors appoint. on Friday

npl8261
npl8261 Member Posts: 33
edited March 2014 in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
Tomorrow, Friday, is my appointment with my OBGYN Oncologist and I am looking for any advice, suggestions, questions, etc that I need to ask. I finished up my chemo this week (6 rounds Carbo/Taxol) and will start 5 weeks of Radiation early August. After external Radiation I will go onto Brachytherapy. I was diagnosed with Stage IIIC in February, had a full hysterectomy with one node testing positive. I was told that once Radiation is done I would have a full body scan also.
I know I need to make the most of the appointment and ask the right questions, some of which will be very hard to ask. I know one question I do have is about clear cell, I keep seeing others post that they have clear cell and I don't know what that is. What I understand about mine is that it is Endometrial Adenocarcinoma. Also, I tested positive for the Lynch Syndrome, which is probably why I got this cancer at a younger age than most.

Any suggestions, questions, etc would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Comments

  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980 Member
    #2
    Do you know if it will be IMRT radiation? I'd ask for that.
    If you don't know the TYPE of external radiation they plan for you, I suggest that you ask about that, and see if they will do IMRT which has much less chance of damage to uninvolved tissue. Some of the women were advised to have a full bladder before each external radiation treatment, and most of us drink cranberry juice the morning of radiation treatments to help the kidneys. Although these precautions are not as important if you'll be getting IMRT, you may still want to see what the oncologist thinks.

    If you have clear cell cancer cells that would have been on your original pathology was done. If you don't have a printed copy of your post-surgery pathology report, I'd ask for that. Clear cell is usually (always??) a Grade 3 cancer; you want to know the GRADE of your cancer, as Grade 3 cancer are the most aggressive and most likely to recur. I hope yours are Grade 1.

    You may also want to ask specific questions are Lynch Syndrome about earlier screnings of your family as it is hereditery, especially if you have sisters or children.

    That would be my initial questions. Best wishes!
  • npl8261
    npl8261 Member Posts: 33
    #3
    lindaprocopio said:

    Do you know if it will be IMRT radiation? I'd ask for that.
    If you don't know the TYPE of external radiation they plan for you, I suggest that you ask about that, and see if they will do IMRT which has much less chance of damage to uninvolved tissue. Some of the women were advised to have a full bladder before each external radiation treatment, and most of us drink cranberry juice the morning of radiation treatments to help the kidneys. Although these precautions are not as important if you'll be getting IMRT, you may still want to see what the oncologist thinks.

    If you have clear cell cancer cells that would have been on your original pathology was done. If you don't have a printed copy of your post-surgery pathology report, I'd ask for that. Clear cell is usually (always??) a Grade 3 cancer; you want to know the GRADE of your cancer, as Grade 3 cancer are the most aggressive and most likely to recur. I hope yours are Grade 1.

    You may also want to ask specific questions are Lynch Syndrome about earlier screnings of your family as it is hereditery, especially if you have sisters or children.

    That would be my initial questions. Best wishes!

    Thank you Linda
    I printed out your response and will add those questions to my questions.
    As for the Lynch Syndrome screening, my children are not old enough to get tested. You need to be 18 years of age to consent to Genetic Testing, I did, however, go over it all with their doctor and she has put a copy of my report in each of their records. As for family members with Lynch, all have gone in for testing and so far only one has tested positive and that member is having preventive surgery to avoid the cancers associated with the Lynch.

    Thank you for some great advice.

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