radiation..1 time a week internal for 3 weeks (cuff)

lindaprocopio said:

I had 28 rounds external pelvic & 3 internal brachys.
I have had no lasting digestive or sexual side effects at all since my radiation ended July 1st. I get a little swelling in one ankle and foot when I am on them all day which my gyn-onc says is a reaction to the combination of having 25 lymph nodes removed and the rest radiated during the pelvic radiation. It could get better or could get worse, but it's not bad now as long as I put my feet up as soon after it starts swelling as I can. I do use a vaginal dilator every day since having the brachy radiation, and you will have to also if you have internal vaginal radiation. It's no big deal, but it is a life-long routine change.

I am Stage III-c, and my gyn-onc was still surprised that I had so much radiation; but then he is a CHEMO advocate for UPSC, and I know that you are not considering chemo. (right?)

So that's a lot of radiation for Stage 1 cancer. I personally would do it, but I am also in excellent physical shape (besides the Stage 3 cancer! HA!) and have been able to tolerate all of my treatments pretty well with almost no side effects. And I personally have to know that I did everything I could to kill this cancer and be cured forever. And I have Stage III-c UPSC, so I really felt I didn't have a choice. You honestly do have a difficult choice to make at Stage 1.

I caution you, if you decide to do this, to make sure that those 25 rounds of pelvic radiation are IMRT. IMRT is so much less harsh that the more conventional beam radiation and protects your bowels and bladder and bones so much better. And if you do the internal brachys, try and get the less damaging kind that is positioned with a CT-scan each time and doesn't require a rectal marker or catheter. If you plan to be this aggressive, you need to make sure that you cause as little permanent damage as you can to everything else EXCEPT the cancer cells.

lindaprocopio said:

I specifically asked if the pelvic area could be radiated again.
I was told by the radiation oncologist that, with IMRT radiation, the same region CAN be radiated again if there is a recurrance in that region, as IMRT can 'back off' the specific area that was radiated the first time and still taget the new tumor.

Please don't let the discussions about UPSC guide your decision here. You have a lower grade type of endometrial cancer than UPSC, don't you? UPSC is a Type 2 / Grade 3 cancer; while 90% of uterine cancers are Type 1 cancers. The women here with UPSC have to consider chemo and radiation even if they are Stage 1 because UPSC starts travelling microscopically in your body almost immediately, and if you wait until it 'seeds' everywhere, it's almost impossible to get rid of it all later on. But if you don't have UPSC, please don't let all of our UPSC discussions color your decision.

unknown said:

This comment has been removed by the Moderator