Looking For Some Info

Susan, I see your question here and wanted to reply. I was just diagnosed with endometrial cancer three weeks ago. My husband George has posted some messages with Melissa. I had abnormal bleeding almost four years ago that started me down a pathway that I see you also following. I was given Prometrium in hopes of stopping the bleeding and a sonogram revealed the thickened uterine lining. The bleeding stopped after three months and I had many sonograms after that for fourteen months before my doctor finally did a D&C and got tissue for a biopsy which was normal. However, he left a polyp in my uterus (I even have a picture of it) which is now the site of my cancer. The bottom line here is that the bleeding is only a symptom you can see and feel but you MUST get that D&C and a biopsy as soon as possible. And if there are polyps, you need to have them removed. The D&C and biopsy is an almost painless procedure that will reduce the uterine lining and give you some assurance with a biopsy that, for now, you are cancer free or that you need treatment. And you should follow up every few months with sonograms to check the lining thickness again. Please do this for yourself. Three years after my D&C and biopsy, I began to bleed again, again had a thickened uterine lining, and here I am headed for cancer surgery. I am not a regretting kind of person but I sure do wish someone had shared this information with me - maybe I would have been more aware, caught this sooner, and be looking forward to a much easier spring! My cancer is grade one and I hope that I will come through this surgery with good results for my condition and my future. Take care of yourself and you have every chance of being well and healthy. Do it!

Jan

Jan - Thank you so much for replying. I have chosen to go ahead and have the D & C, regardless of what the next ultrasound shows. It has been 4 days now since I have last taken the Prometrium and I still am not having the bleeding that I was told to expect. Maybe that does not mean anything, but my mind starts to wonder. I have had 2 previous surgeries for endometriosis, and a c-section so the surgery part of this whole thing does not bother me at all, I just need some piece of mind. I do not want to regret not having something so minor done a few years from now. I am so sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with cancer. I will keep you and your husband in my prayers. Please let me know how your surgery goes as I will be thinking of you constantly now. If you would like to email, my address is --- Message edited by CancerCompass staff: for personal protection, email address removed. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html ----

Susan, so glad to hear that you have decided to have the D&C. You deserve that peace of mind and a good starting place to keep track of what is going on. One of the things I did a few weeks back was check what had been said about the polyp and biopsied tissue three years ago - sure enough, there were hyperplastic cells - meaning hyperplasia - meaning those cells were precancerous then. Nothing like learning as we go! I will post my surgery results. Meanwhile, I have changed my nutrition and am getting some acupuncture and therapeutic touch to keep me mostly sane during this anxiety-producing waiting period. Thank heavens for family and friends - those here and those of you on the internet who offer support. I appreciate your thinking of me at this time.
Jan

Hi Susan, just wanted to let you know that I got my pathology report back from my surgery of March 29. The cancer had invaded only 2 mm into the uterine wall. All the other additional tissue which was removed including ovaries, tubes, cervix and pelvic lymph nodes was cancer-free. So I will not need radiation or chemo. This has been a long passage but we are so relieved to have this kind of success!

Take care of yourself - you will be in my thoughts as you move through your own experience....
Jan