New Diagnosis of Low Grade 1 Endometrial Cancer and also have 9cm mass on ovary. Looking for more understanding.

Hi Rackelsi

Welcome to the Womb group. 

I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis of endometrial cancer. I hope that after speaking to your consultant tomorrow will bring some clarity about what happens next. 

With endometrial cancer after diagnosis the next step is normally a CT or MRI to check on exactly where the cancer is.  For most ladies the initial treatment is a hysterectomy. This normally involves removal of the cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries. (There may sometimes be exceptions) I would imagine you have already had the scan as you are aware of the ovary and lymph node. Some ladies have some lymph nodes checked during surgery. 

Below is a link to the procedure for the ovarian biopsy if they offer you one. 

Biopsy for ovarian cancer | Macmillan Cancer Support

Without them looking at the cells of the ovary, they can not for sure tell if cancer is there and if it is there, whether or not it is from the endometrial cancer that has spread or a separate cancer. Endometrial cancer can spread to ovaries. 

It may be worth asking whether they are planning a hysterectomy for you, whether this will include the ovaries- so whether a biopsy is needed or whether it can be checked post op. 

I hope tomorrow goes well and you get some answers.

Jane

Hi Rackelsi

i was referred to check out my womb following a slight bleed. During the initial ultrasound, they identified an ovarian cyst which was quite large and to start with thought it was benign. I had biopsy of womb, which showed pre cancerous cells. Next step for me was chest X-ray and MRI. MRI showed “bits in my womb” and a “prominent but not enlarged lymph node”. Their words. No one could explain what prominent but not enlarged meant. As a result of this they decided to get me to have a PET scan. The Pet scan didn’t show anything on lymph nodes ( but there could be something too small to show up), but did show some cancerous cells on one of my ovaries.

As a result of this I have stage 3 endometrial cancer as spread to ovary.  The took womb, tubes, cervix and ovaries out when I had my hysterectomy, but didn’t touch or biopsy any lymph nodes. They explained that they did this to reduce my risk of lymphoedema as they wanted to target the pelvis, and lymph nodes in that area first with radiotherapy. I’m doing this with 2 lots of chemo(cisplatin) on first day and 3 weeks later, which was today!  Plan for me is to have further 4 rounds of chemo.

nor sure what scans you have had to date? PET scan for me was the one that gave them the clearest picture for me, although it did push back the planned meeting to get results, as they obviously wanted this first. Saying that I haven’t heard many people having a PET scan….

hope this helps, a bit

Thanks so much for your reply. Yes, I have already had Ct & ultra scans - they cancelled my MRI as they said they had enough from CT. I was expecting open surgery with everything removed, but initially it was mentioned it may be chemo then surgery then chemo, but I think if can’t get ovary biopsy they may just go straight to surgery. The link will be extremely helpful - much appreciated!! 

Thank you Waid. Yes, that helps immensely. I had kind of got my head around it being ovarian in origin, so it is good to hear your experience. I hope you are doing okay? 

Yes I’m doing good thanks.  I’ve got myself in a good place re being zapped everyday, and the chemo today felt easier than the first time round. 

Good to hear your experience doing well x So you had surgery and then chemo & radiotherapy? There seems to be so many variations on treatment - guess it is just trusting the professionals to make best choices for our individual circumstances. I just want to get going with getting rid ASAP! 

Yes…surgery first, then chemoradiotherapy, then 4xchemo to follow. Yes lots of variations, depending on individuals. For me, they wanted to target the pelvic area first with the chemoradiotherapy as there is a higher risk some pesky little cells have gone to my so called “prominent” lymph node there, and lower risk for them having gone somewhere else in body, so do the follow up chemo afterwards.

Yep the waiting is the hardest.  Ive found once you know and start the treatment, and the unknown, whether that’s hysteroscopies, scans, surgery, chemo or radio, become known, it becomes a little easier.  Good luck for tomorrow.