Sorry this is a long one but ive included lots of information. Please bare with and help! Please!
I was diagnosed on the 24th March with endometrial cancer. I had further scans and was told that it was Grade 2, Stage 1b and i needed to have a full hysterectomy! As i am only 31 with no children of my own, I was referred to a local fertility clinic who told me they cant do the egg retrieval/freezing because:
- my bmi is too high so the procedure to remove eggs is too risky (due to anaesthetic)
- injecting hormones in order to get the eggs is too risky and will make the cancer spread quickly and more aggressively
Hearing the above broke our hearts (myself and my husband) but we started to process this information and carry on with the plan to have the full hysterectomy which is currently booked for the 15th May. The following day we then recieved another phone call from the same consultant at the fertility clinic who said he'd phoned round a few clinics and theres one 30miles away (approx 45min drive) that is willing to do the egg retrieval/freezing for us and that they would call me. They called me today as they have a cancellation tomorrow but where its a b/h today i cant discuss the time off with work so they've agreed to do it as a phone call with the consultant there to discuss my options. They have already told me that the egg retrieval can be done between now and the 19th May and that it will still involve having hormone injections!
Obviously this is going to delay my surgery if we go ahead with this and if i have the injections its going to cause the cancer to spread more quickly and aggressively. Im now feeling at a loss and dont know what to do. On one hand i really want to try and do the egg retrieval if this clinic can do it as id love to have the option to have biological children through surrogacy one day but i know the risks of doing so.
I think what i want to know is:
- has anyone done this as part of their treatment for womb cancer
- did the cancer spread quickly or become more aggressive after having the hormone injections
- did the egg retrieval work
I know it will be different for everyone but i just need to know personal experiences of this and what others have done if they've been in the same situation. I'm feel soo lost and confused and just don't know what to do!
My husband has said he'd love me to do it but not if its going to put my life at risk! He said he'll love my no matter what and support my decision so hes not forcing me to do it or anything but i dont want him to regret my decision later on either! 
Hello Bugalugs91
I am sorry that you have such a huge decision to make. Only you and your husband can make this considered decision with all the information available and the support of your doctors.
Before my hysterectomy I was told that I had adenocarcinoma and probably stage 1-2. I was told this after the biopsy and was also told it was hormone positive. At no point did they mention any aggressiveness and I was told it was unlikely I would need any treatment apart from a hysterectomy.
After I had the surgery, I waited around 3 weeks for the pathology results and was then told actually it was an aggressive grade 3 called carcinoma sarcoma and although grade 1b, I already had LVSI. This means basically it was trying to spread my GP said. I was recommended to have 4 cycles of chemotherapy and then 25 sessions of external beam radiotherapy to try to prevent a recurrence. This was no ones fault, it's just that with the pathology after the surgery the whole picture changed.
I had the surgery within 4 weeks of my first symptoms. I think of myself as very fortunate to have the surgery so quickly. I am also glad that I did not take HRT (which I had been considering the year before) as due to my cancer being hormone positive it would likely to have spread far quicker.
I am now post treatment and have check ups every 12 weeks. I have side effects from the chemo and the radiotherapy that I am still working through.
I wish you well with your decision whatever you decide to do. I hope that your phone appointment goes well tomorrow and you get the chance to ask lots of questions to help make the best decision for you and your husband.
Good luck
Take care
Jane
