Examination @ review/follow-up - Endometrial Cancer

Women's health
1

Hi everyone,

Just had my review last saturday. Doctor didn't see any abnormality from ultrasound and as such no pelvic examination done. I am not sure what examination or tests a doctor need to perform on every review. Can any members share what is the standard review examination? I am stage 1a endometrial cancer and Doctor did not remove my ovaries. Had no radiation or chemo session after surgery as Doctor said it cause more harm to my body. I know I will have higher risk of recurrence and with this, I worried my doctor didn't do much enough test for each review/follow up appointment. Am I suppose to go for ct scan or X-ray? I suffered 2 rounds of bad cough after TAH and read somewhere that endometrial cancer could spread till our lungs.. a bit worried...

2

I too had endometiral cancer, the Dr's explained to me that my D & C it showed up in tissue, but when they removed my uterus and ovaries although I had a hugely enlarged uterus, they could only find a very low grade cancer, and only in the endometiral tissue, their was no spread into lymph tissues, sample taken during surgery.

It was explained to me that our uterus is almost a seperate organ in our body, otherwise we could not carry a baby, and as long as the cancer had not escaped outside the uterus, that was the fear in my case, there was no need to use radiation or chemo, I had x-rays and Cat scans prior to my surgery looking for spread, with dye.

I am now 15 years on since my surgery at 51, and have had no problems, also my Mum had something similar, confirmed by sister/sibling who was able to access her hospital records.

Sister also has had endometiral cancer, at the same age as me.

Apparently we put ourselves at higher risk with this cancer by being overweight, Mum, myself and my sister all had and have this problem.

Have been assured their is no possibility of family having the same cancer, but we have both told our daughters, do not take any chances with your own health.

Mum lived to 87 so she was 36 years on since her surgery when she died of a stroke.

3

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for your assuring reply.

I am a bit concerned on the examination my Doctor perform on each 3 months review appointment. I am 7 months post op. My past 2 reviews examination is only ultrasound scanning and no pelvic examination. I retained both ovaries and been informed chances of recurrence would be slightly higher. What is the standard examination performed while you back for your 1st few years review (if you do not mind to share)?

I never had a ct scan, MRI or pet scan done pre and post op. Is this something of concern?

I think I should insist of ct scan next round of review in Jan...

4

Hi, Sue,

I was at stage 1a, too, and my doctor offered me a medication that's used to eliminate estrogen from the body.  It's called anastrozole.  That drug is typically used for women with breast cancer.  At any rate, because endometrial cancer is an estrogen responsive cancer, it can aslo be used for endometrial cancer.  I wasn't a candidate for radiation or chemo, either.  

My cancer was confined to my uterus, and had not spread to lymph nodes.  But the cells in my pelvic wash came back "suspicious," whatever that means! My doctor said he wasn't sure I needed to take it, but he offered it to me, so I decided to try it, in order to do everything I could to make sure the cancer didn't come back.  

I've been on the drug for nearly a month, it's 1 mg a day. I am 67 and by the time I'd taken it for 3 weeks I felt like I was 87.  My muscles and joints ached, I was dizzy and unsteady on my feet.  Then I was awake nearly 24 hours two days in a row, Thursday and Friday last week.  I took an ambien on Friday night, and stopped taking the anastrozole.  But, the ambien left me completely debilitated.  

I've been taking vitamins and glucosamine/condritin and doing everything I could to combat the side effects, but I was unable to do much, so essentially, I am almost worse off than before my surgery.  I'm still losing muscle mass because I'm not able to be active.  I see my doctor in 3 weeks and I'm going to have a serious talk with him about this medication.

I'm mentioning this drug to you, because it elminates the estrogen.  Since we're all different, you might be able to tolerate it better.

Best of luck! xx   

5

I had to chase up my Dr's for 12 month review, they were very if you really want it, and made an appointment.

Was treated like I was a nutter, rectal examination with force, and vaginal exam again very rough, no comments other than all OK, left feeling very dissatisfied.

I believe my CT scan may have been preformed because I had had a massive bleed during the night, this bleed seemed to be the trigger for and whole hysterectomy, done 10 days later, 3 units of blood later, told I was lucky I woke up when I did, I think they feared the endometiral cancer had gone further than my uterus, did tell me I had a uterus the size of a six month pregnancy, very large swollen tummy.

I had been complaining for a long time about 3 years, extremly heavy periods, couldn't leave the house, using bath towels at night folded up like a giant pad, disgusting and my Dr's incl a gyno was dismissive.

Even had a D & C, 18 months previous, and other than comment large uterus, nothing wrong.

6

Lyn,

Oh my gosh, you're lucky to be alive!  Can you/did you find another physician?  They shouldn't be in practice, in my opinion.  

Are you doing better?

7

I have had some really bad luck with GP's over the years, but I do not lie down and wait to die.

I am in Australia, and if you insist with your GP you can see a specialist privately, in their field, even had shockers there, once you get that specialists letter in return to your GP, you need to make sure your GP fowards it on to the public hospital system, if you can't afford private hospital treatment.

The specialists letter has more value in the hospital system than a GP's letter, even though they deny it, in my experience.

Re my massive bleed, and hysterectomy, I did'nt wait for GP it was a Sunday morning, and my lips were blue, so I attended emergency department, husband and adult son wrapped me in a blanket and carried me to the car and drove me there, everything went foward from there.

Funny how so much blood gets you immediate treatment, I looked as though i had just walked out of a slaughter house.

8

Good for you!  It seems that sometimes it's what they'd like you to do, especially if you become "troublesome."  Ugh!  

9

I have finally ended up with a wonderful GP, he is very open about almost anything, has a very naughty sense of rumour, but at the same time very professinal.

He has even apologised to me and my husband when I told him in no uncertain terms to pull out his cardiology books and have a read of symptoms that hide themselves as other issues, husband has no pain in chest, only in arm, no swelling, all typical symptoms of heart failure.

Not only him but the cardiologists junior houseman missed symptoms that I was insisting was my husbands heart, and at one stage asked when had i spent years at university studing medicine.

I got junior back when the cardio consultant arrived and said what is going on, I told consultant my theory and how long it had been going on for, nurses shocked, they said to me nobody in the hospital dares to speak to the consultant like that, I do, and pointed to the juniors and said they are not listening to my theory, and I know my husband has been failing for months, walking less, more breathless.

Consultant didn't even leave the end of the bed, turned to juniors and said, my office 9am tommorrow with patients file, very long faces from juniors, funny we never saw them again in the hospital.

Have since seen cardio consultant, he is delighted with progress, and even turned to me and said with a smile, from a man who doesn't smile and said does my patients wife approve, he also approves of my knowledge, keep up the good work, what 4 times now you have saved his life. YES was my reply.

I have made a study my husbands condition, heart failure, and can talk to them on their own level, using correct terms.

10

Good for you!  Not many people are brave enough, or have the initiative to do what you did!