Lvsi

Hi Suebedo, welcome to the group. At what point of the journey are you? is this what you were told at your post hysterectomy histology results?

Hi yes I had my hysterectomy at Christmas and was offered brac therapy too weeks ago but was told it would only help by 5% and not to worry about it if I don't want it. So not sure if the cancer is going to come back 

Could I ask what grade and stage your cancer was after histology results?

Hi Suebedo, so glad you found this group which has been a lifeline for me to find info and share with ladies going through same journey.  

In answer to your question I believe it means some cancer cells were present in the small blood vessels or lymph vessels.so I assume the surgeon did a lymphendenectomy? Apart from Brachytherapy have you been offered Chemotherapy or radiotherapy?  If not why not?Xx

Maddy, I know of someone else on the group with LVSI who was initially only offered brachytherapy which I found odd, but then, just before treatment was about to start, the consultant changed it to 5 weeks of external radiotherapy.

It amazes me how hospitals and surgeons Oncologist differ. Is there no standard protocol? This means we can't accept whatever they tell us - we must make our own decisions and ensure we get the best treatment for our own best outcomes. This is where this forum comes in handy by sharing our own experiences and how it's being treated. X

Hi SueO and welcome to the group. If you have extensive LVSI I would ask your Oncologist why you've not been offered external radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Brachytherapy only targets the site of the tumour.

As the others have said, find out what stage and grade you were after histology. It helps us, even though were not medically trained we've a wealth of knowledge between us, give you an idea of what the normal treatment would be. It does vary quite extensively, not a pre-defined protocol.

It’s always helpful to others if you write a little something (or a lot) about yourself and how you came to find yourself here. Why not take a few moments to update your profile. It's always helpful for us to read if we want to ask you questions and you also won't end up repeating yourself. You can enter it into your profile (click on your username and select “Profile”) . You can amend or update it at any time. If you’re not sure what to write, just click on my username.

If you want to ask any of us any questions please come back and do so. There's always someone around and we can offer a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold or listen to a rant, we’re here for you.

It might also be a good idea to download this booklet Understanding Womb (Endometrial) Cancer. I found it invaluable on my journey. 

Click on the link I’ve created to find out more information covering diagnosis and treatments for Womb cancer.

You might also find this link to what to take in my overnight bag useful for when you have surgery.

It’s always good to talk and the Macmillan Support Services provides lots of information, support, financial guidance or just a listening ear. It's free to call on 0808 808 00 00  8am to 8pm, 7 days a week. Have a look to see what is available by Clicking here .

There is also an Ask an Expert section, but you should allow two to three working days for replies from our expert team.

Sending you welcoming hugs, Barb xx 

I had never heard of LVSI until I was told I had it.  No lymph nodes were taken,  I was advised to have both External RT and Brachy,  They do take things other than grade and stage into consideration when making recommendations, age is also a factor.. Ongoing research has resulted in there being international protocols for  recommended treatment but my oncologist was very honest with me.  She made it clear that having the proposed therapy could not guarantee that there would be no recurrence although it should reduce the risk,  Equally she could not guarantee that I would have no permanent ill effects as a result of the RT.  However she would only advise it if she felt that on balance the gains outweighed the potential harm.  It's all about the statistics and for younger women the possibility of years of side effects from RT may be greater than a remote chance of recurrence.  RT would still be a possibility should it be  needed at a later date. 

So I consented to the treatment after things were explained to me..  Surely if after histology no further treatment is suggested a similar explanation is needed.  But nothing is certain and I am sure the medics would love a crystal ball too.