LETTER TO CONSULTANT

Hi SueB4

Clear cell is a type 2 endometrial cancer. There are several types of type 2 endometrial cancers. They are grade 3 cancers and they can behave more aggressively. Aggressively means that they can tend to spread more quickly then the type 1 endometrial cancers. It doesn't necessarily mean they will but they can in some ladies. Grade 3 cancers are where the cancer cells are more different to normal cells. 

I also had a type 2 cancer. It was caught at an early stage and was removed by surgery. I did have some LVSI- which means there were microscopic cancer cells in the tiny vessels leading from the cancer. It had not spread but it was trying to do so. My follow up treatment was to lower the chances of a recurrence. 

Most grade 3 cancers (but not all) would mean a hysterectomy and then some form of follow up treatment. I had chemo and external radiotherapy for mine. Follow up treatment also depends on different genetic markers. So for instance some ladies have a POLE marker and they sometimes do not need the follow up. 

Clear cell is how the cells appear under the microscope. Prognosis can also depend on the stage at which the cancer has been found. After the surgery then there will be more detailed pathology which will help them decide whether any further treatment may be advised or whether just to have check ups. 

I would stay away from Google- its not accurate or up to date. It may give some info about clear cell but it does not have the other important information such as your stage, your general health, age, and any of your specific genetic markers.

My advice would be to focus on the hysterectomy and to get through that and then see what your post op results are. At the moment you have a provisional diagnosis of clear cell but when the post op pathology is looked at that you will be given a more detailed stage and other details.  I would also think it may be an idea to prepare that you may need a bit of follow on treatment and this would be something to ask your consultant about. 

I am almost 2 years post treatment for my own type 2, grade 3 cancer and am on the whole doing well. 

Types of womb cancer | Macmillan Cancer Support

Jane

Thank you Jane for your very articulate reply. It has made things clearer for me. I know I will deal with whatever comes. So pleased you are doing so well. 

All the best,

Sue. X

HI Sue

I have clear cell, stage 3 (in 4 lymph nodes), 

I'm half way through radio and chemo - belt and braces the oncologists have called it.

My oncologist gave me a figure of 50% chance of no recurrence in 5 years-  and of course if your stage is lower it will be better than that.

There is a facebook group for clear cell - can be useful but also remember it's skewed - people who are treated and have no recurrence often stop posting so the people that stay on the group have had recurrences.

Immunotherapy is changing the survival rates all the time, so even bad news might not be as bad as it once was, 

Chat to your oncologist and go with questions - 

Best wishes

Hi Act. 
Thank you so much for your reply.

You’ve made things clearer for me. When I saw it said poor prognosis with low percentage I now realise this probably means low percentage of 5 year reoccurrence and this may not necessarily be the case now. 
Waiting for appointment with the oncologist. 
Chomping at the bit to get hysterectomy over to be honest. I’m not googling any more as you ladies on the forum have actually gone through and are going through this and are much more knowledgeable than Dr google. All the best and hoe things continue to go well for you.

Sue x

Sue after my hysterectomy I felt better than I have in years- literally I had been bleeding to death I think , 

Hopefully your goes as well too, 

To add a further context - it was easier (at 49) to recover from than 2 csections for having my kids when I was a lot younger!

I also found the hysterectomy to be easier to recover from at 62 than a C section at 30!