Grade 1 Endometrial cancer of lining and polyp

I have stage 1 EC since last year and have had the coil fitted. Going well so far and having my first follow-up next week, after just over 4 months. It's a shame that you aren't able to have the coil fitted as this can suit some women.

Hi Su2

Am sorry to hear that you have had a diagnosis of cancer but it sounds promising that it is grade 1 and does not appear to have spread outside the womb. 

Well done for losing some weight already. 

Sounds like there are potentially 2 treatment options. 

Hormone treatment can be used with very early stage and grade cancers or for ladies for who surgery may be medically more difficult. Sometimes it can be used for a while for example a younger person who wants to have a child or for someone to lose weight etc. Sometimes it can be used for a longer time and usually with monitoring. 

Most ladies are offered a hysterectomy as a first line of treatment and this tends to be done laparoscopically where medically possible. Some ladies on here have had this done robotically. 

Hopefully you will not have to wait too long for your appointment to discuss which treatment will suit you best. In the meantime if there is anything you need, please do ask.

Jane

Hi Jane, just wanted to ask about the hormone treatment route. I am on that and am having my follow-up next week after almost 5 months now. I have early stage, slow growing EC, stage 1. Anyway, I was told by my consultant that the hormone treatment can work up to 50% of the time and some women don't need surgery, just monitoring. I know there are many variables but is it possible to have the coil removed at some point and just be monitored for a while? I did read some medical studies that indicated quite a few women were cancer free at the 2-year stage after having the coil removed but do you have any info on this?

Thanks!

Hi LolaBear

Am not sure to be honest. I have only come across people on here who have had hormonal treatments for a while and then gone on to have a hysterectomy. That maybe however because someone who has had the coil as a treatment and gone on to be cancer free may not be active on the online community. 

From my understanding the hormone- whether taken orally or via a coil is to shrink or control a cancer.

This could be an early cancer (where surgery is not possible or not wanted), to preserve fertility to enable a possible pregnancy or for an advanced cancer to control it. 

I am not sure whether effectively it could put a cancer into remission. If it did put someone into remission then it would probably be down to whether or not there was a high chance of recurrence. I suppose it would be weighing up the pros and cons of removing the coil. The potential side effects of leaving the coil in vs the risk that the cancer could start up again. 

The best person to ask is your consultant (or CNS) as they have all your personal medical details. It may well be possible to have the coil removed and then have repeat biopsies but it is not something I have come across. 

Hormonal therapy for womb cancer | Macmillan Cancer Support

You could also give the Support Line a call and ask one of the nurses. Or alternatively post in the Ask the Expert section.

(6) Ask a Nurse | Get answers about cancer | Macmillan Online Community

Jane

Well, my consultant did say that it can go into remission with this treatment but was vague about whether you have to keep the coil in or not. I have posed the question to the 'ask a Nurse' link you provided, so thanks for that.

I don't want the coil in for too long and was hoping that IF the cancer went into remission I might be able to be monitored for a while. I will await an answer from the nurse facility and will also ask my team about it next week when I have another biopsy. The problem is that there are many variables!

Its a good question to ask.

I can understand you not wanting to keep the coil in if it comes to a time that it doesn't need to be. It would be good if there was a chance that you could just be monitored. 

I suppose it can depend on what the consultant is meaning by remission- from my understanding remission is when there is no evidence of disease- which is different from cancer free or cured. 

Definitely ask your team next week though- they are the experts and know all about your personal medical details. 

I'll be interested to see what the nurses section say as they are the ones with the medical knowledge

Jane

Thanks for your input. I think that overall it's best to consider remission as a case of as good as it gets, because even when people have surgery, it's often not the end of treatment. All the uncertainty is the hardest part of all this isn't it? I know you've had your own journey with this and well done to get out the other end...

Hi LolaBear, 

I had the coil and oral meds medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera) 200 mg x 3 a day and megestrol acetate (Megace).the second one made me ill I was put on both ( I was early stage cancer ) as I was to loose weight for surgery both were taken for 1 year I was informed that I would be monitored until I lost enough weight for surgery but my womb, ovaries, tubes, cervix and the top end of my Virginia all had to be removed within one half years, but I managed to loose nearly three stone within the year as I wanted Cancer Buddy out. Perhaps talking with your Consultant would be best and give you more clarity on your position.

My surgery was in the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh it will be a year on 24th May 2025

Well done for getting through all that! It's not easy for sure...

What I am trying to say is contact your Consultant for a meeting and have a list of your concerns and worries in the aid to get the correct information and what you want regarding the information on the coil.

I know for a fact the hormone treat kept Cancer Buddy at bay perhaps you could asked about the tablets.

Good luck and keep us informed.