How are you given the 'all clear' after treatment ends

Hi Squigglyline,

I'm not sure they ever give you the 'All clear'. You can breathe easier 2 years after treatment, and after 5 years they stop check ups (in my experience from husband and daughter). I think after 5 years you have the same chance as the rest of the population of having cancer again. My husband got the option of going to the clinic when  needed even after 5 years, but he has never needed to. That was 13 years ago now.

Your Mum has done well. How is she? It takes a while to get over the treatment.  xxxxxx 

Hi Squigglyline

I am glad to hear your mum is through her treatment. The key words you will be looking for are “no evidence of disease”, or NED. You can think about going to meet Ned. You are absolutely right in saying here that they can’t say all clear and in your recent post on scans post treatment being used when there is solid tumour to monitor. 

My post treatment scan back in 2015 involved being told I was NED and a chat about symptoms of recurrence. These were frustratingly vague - to whit “anything unusual that lasts more than two weeks”. Classically womb cancer recurs at the top of the vagina so foul smelling vaginal discharge is a red flag symptom. Unexplained weight loss is another. 

Your mum is going to have a long period of recovery and recouperating ahead of her. She’s unlikely to feel overjoyed at finishing treatment. It might be useful to read this thread to get some insight. 

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/womb-cancer/f/womb-cancer-forum/180330/why-am-i-the-only-one-not-overjoyed-that-my-treatment-is-over

Lots of love to you, your brother and your mum 

xx

Thanks NannyAnny and

Do people usually count 1, 2, 5 years etc since the op or since the end of all treatment (even if further treatment is adjuvant)? Mentally I prefer the op date! 

Mum is fine, thank you for asking. She's two weeks post radio and will probably take another week off work and then think about a phased return. Touch wood no major side effect manifested get but she's tired by evening. Hope you are both well x

Hi Squiggly line,

I think its only a rough guide, but my husband was told to count from the end of treatment . His was adjuvant as well. Looking at how radiotherapy affected him and how chemo affected my daughter it always amazes me how cancer could survive that!!

I'm fine, and coming up to two years post op.