Just diagnosed with endometrial uterine cancer

I found the insurance process held up my ability to get time with the oncologist. I then got a surgery date 3 weeks out and unfortunately ended up with a virus and had to postpone. I do not have a cancer diagnosis but rather I had most of my biopsies came back as begnine but one area had atypical cells, but my endometrial lining is thick in several areas. So I will have a complete hysterectomy and lymph nodes removed in my surgery. Should I be concerned that the next surgery date I could get was a month out? It is now just 11 days out.

@kathart333 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect and to our support group.

We aren't medical providers so I cannot provide you with a medical opinion. I can share my own impressions of what you asked about. Since your surgery date is now just 11 days out if this were me I would go with that. It sounds like your biopsies did not detect cancer and especially no aggressive cancers. For that reason again if this were me I'd be OK with the surgery schedule you have.

I'd like to add that I am frustrated and shall I say - angry - that your insurance process held up the time to meet with your oncologist? This is a cancer question and it infuriates me that insurance interferes with medical care in this way. This isn't a bruise that can wait.

I'm tagging a few members who have been through endometrial biopsies, wait times, and hysterectomies so you can get their perspective too. @cmb2022
@gynosaur42
@wrightvillebeach
@rose53
@val64
@denisestlouie

How are you feling about your surgery date?

@kathart333 How awful that your insurance held up the process. I am sorry as I know this can be such a trying time. I find it puzzling how insurance can be so different. I was very fortunate to have insurance that helped me quickly navigate all the tests, surgery and eventually treatments that I needed. I wish you the best of luck with your up coming surgery and recovery.

I was diagnosed on March 14th I had surgery scheduled for April 28th and the moved it to May 19th. I felt the same as you.

I recently had an ultrasound and bladder scope for several UTI’s I’ve had. The bladder was normal but ultrasound showed some blood in the uterus. I have an appointment to have a biopsy. I don’t have any external bleeding, pain or discharge so this caught me by surprise. I’m seeing a gynecology urologist. My bloodwork was pretty normal except my RDW was a little high and ongoing A1C of 6.1 but despite strict diet it changes very little. Glucose is under 100. Also CRP went from 4 to 6. I’m 73 and have normal weight. Both mother and sister had breast cancer as well as father passed from non Hodgkin's lymphoma at 67 so am very nervous! Any feed back would be appreciated, feel like if I do have uterine cancer I caught it early?

@saucy It's good to be very cautious and see the gyn-urology specialist. I can understand too why you are nervous with your own history and your family history. If the exam with the specialist shows uterine cancer then it does seem it will be an early diagnosis.

I'm the same age as you. There is history of cancer on both sides of my family but not any of the gynecological cancers. I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer (endometroid adenocarcinoma) at age 67, had a recurrence two years later that was treated with radiation therapy, and have been NED (no evidence of disease) since then.

You are certainly doing everything possible for your health and wellness. Do you have a scheduled appointment with the gyn urologist?

Thank you. yes I have an appointment in 2 weeks. Did you have any symptoms?

@saucy Your appointment is coming up very soon. It's good that you don't have to wait too long.

I did have symptoms. Since I was post-menopausal it was the spotting that got my attention. I quickly made an appointment with the gynecologist. He scheduled me for an ultrasound which showed thickening of the endometrium (I'd have to look back at my records to note the amount of thickness). The radiologist who read my ultrasound commented that this thickness was suspicious for cancer. Of course, that's not a diagnosis but it does get the attention of the doctor who ordered the ultrasound so I was then scheduled for hysteroscopy and D & C. While I waited for the D & C appointment I developed cramping that felt like the menstrual cramps I had as an adolescent. So, it was the vaginal spotting of blood and the cramps that got my attention.

Fortunately, by the time the diagnosis was made following the D & C I was still early stage as I learned later. I had a radical hysterectomy about 10 days after the diagnosis. The endometrioid adenocarcinoma was FIGO 1, Stage 1a. So, my advice to all women who are postmenopausal is to never ignore vaginal bleeding. It could be benign or it could be cancer so why take the chance?

Thank you again!! I don’t have vaginal bleeding and at 73 post menopausal! Nothing was said about thickening, just ultrasound showed some blood in the uterus. Will have to wait which is hard!

@saucy I hear you! Waiting is difficult. For me it's kind of roller coaster. I don't have the anxious thoughts for a while and then those thoughts pop up again. My mind will sometimes go to the worst case scenario. I've learned that just because I think something does not make it a fact. "Don't believe everything you think". I acknowledge the thoughts, accept that these thoughts are there, and then move on so that I don't get "stuck".

How do you manage the waiting?