Cervical cancer stage 4a

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Hi everyone. I found out I had cervical cancer stage 4a about 2 months ago. In that time I have had two chemotherapy treatments, 3 weeks apart. Cisplatin and paclitaxel. I am due to meet my oncologist on the 16th. She said if she can feel my tumor has shrunk we can go with one more course of the two chemotherapy treatments together. Then move on to 5 weeks of radiotherapy (every day for 5 weeks) combined with one week dose of Cisplatin (5 more of those altogether). Obviously I'm not ungrateful. She wants to do this so the bulk of my treatment has finished before Christmas. But, I feel like it may be a rush just to push it through. I'm stage 4a. It's in my bladder, lymph nodes..... Does this seem like a rush to anyone else? Many other women my stage have 6 chemotherapy treatments before they can even consider moving on to radiotherapy. I'm genuinely scared right now. Also, does that mean an agonising wait over Christmas not knowing if it's working or now? The wait is excruciating......

  • Hi  and welcome to our group.

    I'm sorry to read of your diagnosis and all the treatment you still have to face. I don’t have experience of the chemos you are currently on, but I did have daily radiation with Cisplatin chemo weekly. I had 6.5 weeks of radiotherapy and managed 4 doses of Cisplatin (I had been scheduled for 5).

    I was stage 2b at my original diagnosis, so a different situation. I’ll tag  to see if she might be able to help at all.

    There’s always a wait after treatment to see if it is working-I waited 3 months for my scan after chemoradiation as the radiotherapy does continue to work in your body after treatment ends, and the wait for a scan is to get a more reliable result.

    I’m sure your oncologist will have planned the best course of treatment for your situation, but if you want to ask any advice from one of the Macmillan nurses, this link will take you to the right place to ask any questions.

    Ask A Nurse

    You can also call the support line-the number is in my signature-where you can have a chat with one of the nurses on the phone.

    I hope your treatment goes smoothly for you, and please feel free to ask any questions here and we will try to help-we certainly have a lot of experience in the group of chemoradiation.

    Sarah xx


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  • Thanks for the tag  

    Hi  

    I’m really sorry you’ve had this diagnosis - how are you coping? Do hope you have a good support structure around you.

    Are you tolerating the chemo ok?

    I was originally diagnosed 3C1 and am now 4B.

    My type is small cell which is very aggressive and a different cell structure from squamous & adenocarcinoma, so my initial chemo regimen was different. The guidelines for me was 4-6 cycles, I requested to have 6 as I wanted maximum treatment from the outset. As it was I ended up having 5 cycles due to a huge blood clot at the end of my port.

    I’m now going through second line chemo which is Carboplatin & Paclitaxol alongside Avastin & immunotherapy. The plan is for 6 cycles of all 4 drugs, with a scan half way to see if it’s working (but I’m already pain free which is a good sign!) and if I tolerate all 6, then we will drop the 2 chemo drugs and continue with just the other 2.

    The ladies I know who were diagnosed at stage 4A mostly all had 6 initial chemo cycles.

    Personally, I would be pushing to have the 6 cycles before chemorads. Some also have a scan half way through after 3 cycles to see if it’s working, if it is push to have another 3.

    I appreciate it will fall over Christmas - as mine did last year - but hopefully you may be on your good days of the cycle. I certainly wouldn’t let Christmas dictate how many chemo cycles I have.

    Sometimes on this journey we have to advocate for ourselves quite loudly, not ideal but it needs to be done to ensure you get the optimum amount of treatment - or whatever it is that you want. It’s your body at the end of the day and you have a right to have your say. 

    The scanxiety is real, you’re not alone there. The wait to see if it’s working, I actually find worse than the initial diagnostic scans!

    Sending hugs

    J x

  • Hi. Yes, very good support system around me thank you and I am responding to the chemoradiotherapy well. I was only ever going to have 4 cycles of the Cisplatin and paclitaxel mixed but the oncologist said I could drop that to 3 cycles if she can feel from an examination that the tumour has shrunk. I think I will call my cancer specialist nurse this week and see what she says. I don't want any treatment dropping out just because of dates but also if I don't really need it then I'm happy to move on if that makes sense. 

  • Hi  

    Pleased to hear you have a very good support system in place - that makes the world of difference!

    Tbh I can’t remember whether the stage 4A ladies I know were having their chemo weekly or 3 weekly cycles - the doseage will be different, a lower dose on the weekly regimen for example, so that could be why there’s a difference?

    Good idea to call your nurse and get her opinion and more info.

    Ultimately, you have to do what’s best for you - we’re all different - just make sure you have all the information to make an informed decision.

    Wishing you the best of luck with treatment.

    J x