Grade 3 Serous

Hello Marmitefan - I too like marmite!  Many thanks for your welcome.  I have been following your progress for some months and we both had the op on the same day although sadly I did not get the option of keyhole.  During by breast cancer journey 14 years ago I had a great deal of treatment at the time as it was not caught early and was in 6 lymph nodes.  So I had 5 years of treatment then and have survived for 14 years which on balance have been good despite chronic lymphodema.  But somehow it seems harder to face for the second time.  Maybe its because I am older!  I did have an MRI and chest x ray and hysteroscopy under GA at the start and was told Grade 2 stage 1A.  Now its a Grade 3 and I believe I am to be offered chemo and will have a CT scan to see how things are to start with.  To tell the truth I am traumatized by it all and try to put things off when I should chase.

Hello Morar  I understand the rollercoaster.  Thats just what I tell everyone cancer is.  Ups and downs.  They tell you one thing then change it.  You get one thing settled in your mind like the Grade only to have it dashed when they get the histology back.  I do not know why they do that.  My bleeding started suddenly last August after a particularly heavy session of gardening!  I knew immediately that after 14 years of being post menopausal that wasn't right.  It took 3 weeks to even get a phone appointment with my GP only to be told that I would have to wait another week to be examined by a female GP who only worked 2 days a week.  She said don't worry I see 2 to 3 people with this a week.  But I felt straight away that it was serious.  Indeed I have been going to the GP for about 10 years with IBS and bladder problems which I put down to the previous chemo I had.  I saw 4 different GPs who never made a connection with my history and one one a female GP sent me for a colonoscopy from which they found nothing.  My own GP said the good news is you have nothing wrong with you but I thought I have.  Eventually just before he retired he said it was psychosomatic.  Now after the hysterectomy all those symptoms have suddenly gone!  I also get very angry with the system and the delays,  Of course now I am dreading the possible side effects of the chemo and radiotherapy which I think they will offer.  

Hello Mad Thank you for welcome.  I feel so much better now I have joined the group no one wants to be in.  Yes, it was a shock for me too.  I knew from the research online of serous but did not believe from the symptoms I had that it was a high grade cancer and the bleeding was very slight and not there at all on some days.  I was told my womb lining was 12.6mm and should be 4 for my age so assumed thats where the cancer was.   I felt convinced I would be a higher stage  because I had delayed the op until after Christmas and decided to pay privately for the op.  Big mistake but water under the bridge now.  I believe from what I have been told by the excellent CNS who I have made contact with that I am to be offered the same treatment as you are having.  But I cannot see oncologist until 25/4 so of course am very worried about the delay.   Because they did not suspect serous before the op I did not have a radical hysterectomy with lymph nodes, omentum etc but was told no evidence of spread to cervic, ovaries etc   In any case I am not sure if I would have agreed to lymphadenectomy with the chronic lymphoedema I already have from the breast cancer treatment.  It is my impression that there does seem to more awareness of this.  I was not really told of any risks 14 years ago.  You sound like me and do lots of research and I too feel chemo is the best route to take at least then you know you have done everything.  

Hello Chrissie Good luck for your op tomorrow.  I shall be thinking of you.  I had an open hysterectomy but was never really in any pain.  More uncomfortable than anything.  I found the Hystersisters American site invaluable with my symptoms.  You could google absolutely anything and it was certain someone on there had had it!  I never found a UK site that was comparable.  There are lots of recovery tips on there as well.  2 months later and I can say I feel almost fully recovered apart from heavy lifting.  x

Hi Daisy, oh bless you, you've been through this before and now this again, it must be taking its toll, were you offered gene testing, I decided to have this done as I have two daughters and if I'm positive for the BRCA mutation then they will need to be tested too and will possibly be offered hysterectomy and mastectomy too which saddens me because I know no one in my immediate genetic family and parents families that have had this or breast cancer. I had a cousin long ago died with colon cancer at the age of 19? Then there's my poor son died of a brain tumour at the age of 35, this is not connected to womb cancer, so I'm hoping it's a one off and my girls will be ok, really don't want them worried for the rest of their lives about this.

You are correct as the chemo was optional I looked online as well as asking the ladies on here and although I respect the ones that chose not to have it, I felt the evidence was way stronger to have it than not for minimising risk of recurrence. I will send you the link of something I read on website and this helped me make up my mind up. Take care and hope all goes well for you. Here's the link.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.../

Click on the PDF button on the top of the page to read full article otherwise if you just turn the page on the bottom of screen,it seems to jump two pages and some text is missing. 

Hi Robin27 and Mrsceedee. Be thinking of you today and look forward to you telling us how things go.

Daisy1952. I don't know where we we get the reserves from. I'm just coming up to 69. Never rally had a days illness in my life and just finished chemo. You can do it!!

Hugs, Barb xx

Hi Mad

I have looked up the link you sent.  Very interesting and a lot of food for thought.  I was wondering if your histology was sent for a second opinion.  Mine was sent to Oxford for second opinion which took another 3 weeks but I have been told it is standard practice to ask for a second opinion for high grade cancers.  I am also going to ask for a copy of my histology report.  Do not know if I will understand it.  I get the impression mine was borderline but I might be wrong and it might save a few questions when I get to see the oncologist.  I think my diagnosis for serous is as a result of the previous breast cancer from the research I have done.  Have a good weekend.  I enjoy gardening and the weather is lovely now so that gives me some escapism.  Also a little dog and very supportive husband.  So in some ways I am very lucky.

Hi Barb  

I agree I don't know where we get the reserves.  Coping with cancer must be at the top list of stresses.  All the uncertainty waiting for results and being told one thing one minute and something different the next.  I am 69 as well at the minute 70 in a week so a nice birthday present!  As you will see from my previous posts I sadly have the tshirt for chemo and radiotherapy so know what its all about.  Really not looking forward to losing my hair again.  I know its vain but it has never recovered from the last lot and came back very dry, frizzy and very curly with bald patches.  Then everyone seemed to think I was about 80 when I was only late 50s!!  Heh ho.  Hope your managing to walk your dogs and get out and enjoy the warmth of the sun.  You are a tremendous support to us all.

Hi Daisy  my initial histology was done at my local hospital but the MDT and operation done at Addenbrookes and they looked at the specimens and yes both agree it was serous. X

Yep, dog walked today in the sun though with a strong freezing wind. Can't wait for hair to return and get bobble hats off! Though I will lose it all again at Christmas, what a pressie for me!

I'm waiting for my hair to regrow half an inch before shaving it off as recommended by my wig lady. The regrowth will have chemo in the roots making it brittle - or so she says!

Big hugs, Barb xx