Hi
I started menopausal bleeding at beginning of July. I had a biopsy within a week of seeing my GP. Within 2 weeks I'd had an MRI and diagnosed with Stage 2b Cervical cancer. CT scan and PET-CT followed in August and I'm waiting to see Oncology for I assume planning Chemoradiotherapy. I have been chasing this up as I've not heard anything for 2 weeks since my last scan.
I received a copy of referral letter yesterday and it states I have Stage 3c now.
It was a shock but suppose the spread to lymph nodes showed up on PET-CT scan.
I am generally positive and solution focused but the unknown does feel scary. I have read some messages about what to expect for Chemoradiotherapy which is helping reduce thr unknown fears.
I am worried it will be some weeks still until the treatment starts. I have supportive family, friends and work too but I don't let my children know I'm scared too.
Thanks for reading this
Hi Solo65d7870d and welcome to our group.
I’m sorry to read about your diagnosis, and particularly the way you found out that your staging had changed-what a horrible shock for you.
Getting a diagnosis of cancer is a big enough thing to deal with in itself, but seeing a letter like this before your appointment to discuss a treatment plan must have certainly ramped up your fears while you wait. The standard treatment plans are very similar for most of us, with some tweaking depending on our individual circumstances, and I would assume that the petscan has shown some lymphmonde activity, which automatically results in a higher staging.
Stage 3c has two different sub divisions-stage 3c1 and stage 3c2 depending on where the affected lymph nodes are located but your treatment should be the same in both cases. From initially seeing your doctor for the bleeding to your position now has happened quickly, but I do appreciate that things will seem to be moving slowly for you while you want to get on with everything.
We all, I think, fear the cancer spreading while we are in this waiting limbo but all of your results would normally need to go to an MDT meeting (Multi Disciplinary Team) where all the professionals involved in your care discuss patients and the best plan for each individual. We would like immediate action, but things do take time to happen, and that should not affect your outcome.
There will still be some more waiting for you unfortunately-I would expect that you would need to have chemotherapy (two different drugs) on its own first for several cycles, then have concurrent chemoradiation with a different chemo drug, but that will all be explained at your appointment. I first went to my doctor with post menopausal bleeding in the August of 2018, and started my treatment for stage 2b in the first week of November that year, but at that time it wasn’t standard to have chemo first so I went straight to concurrent chemoradiation. However, results from a trial which was being undertaken at the time showed very good results for having chemo on its own first, so that has now been incorporated into treatment protocols.
It’s a horrible, scary time, but I’m glad you’ve found the group and hope you’ll find it helpful to be among people who understand. Please feel free to ask any questions here and share any worries as you go along and we’ll do our best to support you through. As mums, we are usually the strong ones for everyone and we try hard not to show we’re scared but it’s ok to express those fears here.
I hope you’re feeling well physically at the moment, but it does take time mentally to process all of this news and that’s very normal. You don’t need to feel strong and positive all of the time, so allow yourself to feel whatever you feel would be my advice, and take things a day at a time. Keep in touch with us and we’re here to help.
Sarah xx
Hi Vicburr and welcome to our group.
I hope the rest of your treatment goes smoothly for you, and the group is here for you too if you need it.
Sarah xx
