Endometrial Cancer

Hello Pa52,

Thanks for getting in touch. My name is Megan, I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the Macmillan Support Line.

Welcome to the online community. I can see you have been engaging with the Womb (uterus) cancer forum and do hope you have found the online community warm and supportive. I also hope you are continuing to recover well from your radical open abdominal hysterectomy.

I can appreciate the worry that the information from Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RCOG) may have caused and am sorry to read this.

Interestingly the advice is the same for women who have undergone both open and keyhole procedures, however I read that it usually happens about 10 days post op as opposed to 12.

Most importantly regarding vaginal bleeding RCOG comment that if you are to experience vaginal bleeding this happens for one to two weeks after your operation. So, we can expect that after this time, it is unlikely to happen.

Hopefully as each day passes you will gain confidence that this is a less likely event.

For peace of mind, you might wish to wear protective products such as period knickers, sanitary pads or panty liners when out and about. How long you should wear these may ultimately be in relation to how confident you feel.

Speaking with others about their post-op experiences may also help guide you as to whether this is something likely to happen. Something you could perhaps ask the womb (uterus) cancer forum.

If you continue to remain worried this might happen, I encourage you to ask your hospital team, cancer nurse or surgeon, for further advice as they have access to your operation notes and can advise more specifically if this is likely to happen now.

Additionally, if you do experience vaginal bleeding at or thereafter 2 weeks post-op, as a precaution, you should inform your hospital team at the earliest convenience. If they are unavailable, you can also contact your GP or NHS 111 for medical advice.

Regarding concerns about transfer of cancer cells, I hope it is reassuring to know that generally with a hysteroscopy and polyp removal the risk of cancer seeding (transfer) to the cervix and vagina is very low. Precautions are usually taken during a hysteroscopy to mitigate the risk of this. For further information on your specific risk, you may wish to discuss this further with your hospital team.

I wonder if your concern for this is because you are worried about cancer coming back which is a very common worry people who have finished treatment have. If you would like further support around this or any other concerns you may have you would be most welcome to call us and we could discuss further.

I hope it is also helpful to be aware of the support that is available from The Eve Appeal, such as Ask Eve, and Peaches Womb Cancer Trust.

I hope this information is useful. Please don’t hesitate to get back in contact by email, webchat or phone, if you need further information or support.

The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.

Best wishes, Megan

Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

Ref MD/LR