Radiation or not after surgery for endometrial cancer?

@jjforward, how are the proton beam therapy sessions going? How often do you go?

Anyone have an early symptom of endometrial cancer where your stomach was larger on one side than the other? My belly button is slightly off center. I have a slightly larger stomach (beside/below the navel) on the right side.
I have been taking tamoxifen for 18 months, which increases my risk for endometrial cancer. I noticed this change 6 months ago - no real change in size. . I have no pain. No detectable hernia. No signs of any other causes for why the right would be bigger than the left side.
Just wondering if any of you noticed this symptom before you were diagnosed?
I see an internist doctor as part of the cancer survivorship program. She has ordered a CT scan of my stomach pelvic area. I have that in 3 days.
Any thoughts?

@triciaot I looked back at your earlier posts and saw that you have been treated for breast cancer. With tamoxifen as a risk for endometrial cancer I can certainly understand your concern. It’s great that your internist has listened to your concerns and ordered a CT of the abdomen and pelvis.

I did not have the symptom you mentioned before I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. My symptoms were bleeding (I was post-menopausal for 8 years at that time) and cramping that felt like my worst period when I was younger. It was the vaginal bleeding that got me into the gynecologist’s office because I knew that wasn’t normal.

As nerve-wracking as it is to follow a cancer survivorship program (I am in my 3rd year of it after a recurrence reset my 5 year clock) I’m thankful for these regular surveillance appointments. Did your internist make any guesses on why there is that asymmetry in your stomach/abdomen?

I’m keeping you in my thoughts as you head into that CT and hoping that it shows no evidence of disease. Will you return here and let me know what you find out?

Thank you for the follow up, Helen! When I was in the internist office she just said she would review my health history and records to see if there might be a reason for concern. I had never seen her before, Ive had a different provider at each 6 month follow up. Not sure what made her decide that the CT was warranted but there is a variety of cancers on my father’s side, colon, pancreatic, lung, brain.
I know most people experience bleeding, and some the cramping pain. Maybe this is a sign before bleeding? (how many folks look down and notice their belly button is off center??!) Navel gazing . . . really!!
I will come back and let you know what they found. They’re usually pretty quick with posting scans and reports.

@triciaot With your family history I can understand the concern that warranted the order for the CT. Navel gazing....that's very funny🤣. If my belly button was off center before diagnosis I sure didn't notice.

CT scan was done yesterday and the report and doctor’s comments were available before the end of the day!
Scan was clean of any cancer 🥳
Of course, there were other things, mostly small. I’ve been looking to see if any of these are related to any of the meds I take. I have a few small cysts on my kidney - they’re not worried about. One of my adrenal lands has a mild thickening that was noted as possible hyperplasia. And my kidney function has dropped. Creatinine was 1.2, eGFR 49 - these are both out of whack from last year, eGFR was 83. I did have the Reclast infusion one week ago which is known to affect the kidney. I hope it’s temporary!!
Anyone know if 49 is a real problem? And whether Reclast has anything to do wih it?
Stomach sticking out on right? Probably weak muscles, maybe imbalance because I strained something.
I see my PCP doc this week. I’m going to check with her if any of these are action items!

@triciaot This is all good news. I’ve learned that whenever I have a CT scan the radiologist picks up on all sorts of things. Just like yours. I’m interested in whether anything on the CT is of concern. I’m so glad to hear that your scan was clear.

As for your asymmetry? That’s puzzling but maybe muscular? It’s good that you plan to follow up with your PCP.

I do not recommend any radiation for uterine cancer treatment. I would take my chances with Immunotherapy if the cancer returned.
My quality of life has suffered since radiation therapy for uterine cancer. I have been diagnosed with radiation enteritis and small bowel obstructions resulting in 2 small bowel resection surgeries. The radiation fried my intestines and I had to have an appendectomy at age 67! I had 4 surgeries in 2 years, including total hysterectomy and malignant lymph node removal. I am no longer able to eat and will be on TPN for the rest of my life. It has been a long 4 years and the only good news is that my cancer has not metastasized. PTL!!

I had thefour radiation treatments after the surgery. I found that I had loose stools after the treatments. Still months later have some problems. Other than that, no problems.

When a person has GI problems and diarrhea after radiation therapy then this something to talk with the radiation oncologist about. In my case I had radiation therapy over two years ago. I had 25 external pelvic treatments and 2 treatments of brachytherapy. I know that the amount of the radiation used to target my recurrence of endometrial cancer was carefully figured out and planned with a radiation oncology physicist and my radiation oncologist. I had loose stools and fatigue for a few weeks after the radiation therapy ended but nothing since then. I wonder if those of us who have lasting effects such as diarrhea had higher levels of radiation? I don't know enough about this to answer that question.

If radiation therapy is recommended then it would warrant a discussion with the radiation oncologist about all of this.

Here is information about this from Mayo Clinic:

Radiation Enteritis:

-- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/radiation-enteritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355409