Radiation or not after surgery for endometrial cancer?

@naturegirl5
Thank you so much for sharing your experience , we live in Montreal Canada , and I understood that may be every hospital and country has slightly different protocol , I heard the european approach is different than the north american one..My wife is in a state of fear , and often when you are afraid you don't take the right decision , she has tendency to believe more is better , but I am trying to open her eyes at the long term side effects

@ramidimitri This may be of interest to you https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2019/endometrial-cancer-chemotherapy-without-radiation
I have advanced endometrial cancer (stage 3C), which, according to the article, explains why I didn't receive radiation, just chemo. Also, I have already had my life-time's limit of pelvic radiation to get rid of anal cancer.
The radiation has had lasting effects on my vagina--stenosis--which makes it virtually impossible for doctors to give me an internal exam without knocking me out.
If your wife has a non-aggressive form of endometrial cancer, then you might want to consider radiation, again, according to the article.

@ramidimitri You are very welcome. Yes, I am in agreement with you on how different hospitals and oncologists will recommend varied protocols for their patients. I also understand how fearful your wife may feel as I felt this way after my first diagnosis and then after my recurrence was found. Once I decided on the treatment I felt better because a decision had been made. I hope that will be the case with your wife.

I have lived in Montréal and while I did not have cancer at that time I found the care that I received to be very good.

Would you and your wife like to ask for a second opinion? If so, since you are living in a large urban area she will have other choices of who she might like to see. I don't have any recommendations for Montréal based on my own experiences however the two largest cancer centers are at Jewish General and McGill University. Perhaps your wife is already being seen at one of these?

Jewish General Hospital-Segal Cancer Centre:

-- https://www.jgh.ca/care-services/segal-cancer-centre/

Cedars Cancer Centre at McGill University/Montréal General Hospital:

-- https://www.cedars.ca/en/impact/cedars-cancer-centre

One last thought. Do you know if your wife's case was discussed at a Tumour Board Meeting? In these meetings the physicians involved in cancer care come together to discuss the more challenging cases and make a recommendation for treatment.

Jewish General Hospital: Tumor Boards:

-- https://www.jgh.ca/care-services/segal-cancer-centre/health-services-team/tumor-boards/

Have you considered a second opinion? I was diagnosed with an aggressive type of endometrial cancer and went for both a second & a third opinion. All 3 doctors, with their grim faces & serious tone, suggested the same treatment plan - surgery, chemotherapy, external beam radiation, and brachytherapy - everything but drinking bleach 😉. I did it all and I’m here 3 years post treatment. No regrets, despite some manageable GI & bladder issues and the need to use a dilator because of the brachytherapy’s side effect of vaginal stenosis. The radiation oncologist should provide your wife with the rundown of possible side effects. Post her questions here as well, as the women here will be forthright.
Best wishes. You are a wonderfully supportive spouse.

Have you considered a second opinion? I was diagnosed with an aggressive type of endometrial cancer and went for both a second & a third opinion. All 3 doctors, with their grim faces & serious tone, suggested the same treatment plan - surgery, chemotherapy, external beam radiation, and brachytherapy - everything but drinking bleach 😉. I did it all and I’m here 3 years post treatment. No regrets, despite some manageable GI & bladder issues and the need to use a dilator because of the brachytherapy’s side effect of vaginal stenosis. The radiation oncologist should provide your wife with the rundown of possible side effects. Post her questions here as well, as the women here will be forthright.
Best wishes. You are a wonderfully supportive spouse.

@cookercooker Thank you for sharing , much appreciated

Hi, I also had early stage carcinoma sarcoma uterine cancer with total hysterectomy last March, 6 chemo treatments, and 3 brachytherapy sessions. I was also told the brachytherapy would reduce the recurrence by 5%. The radiologist and two gynecologic oncologists from two different clinics also recommended it. The radiologist said the side effects were lowered than with pelvic radiation. The first two sessions went fine. I may have had some fatigue. A few days after the third session I had intense pain with urination and touching the red, swollen area which extended forward for about 1 and 1 /2 to 2 weeks. I had been told I might have some vaginal dryness. They had recommended lidocaine, but I declined thinking it would slow healing. Probably would have been a good idea. The only relief I had was sitting in water. I dipped tissue in water if I needed to wipe the area. The radiologist later said they used a stronger dose since I had an aggressive cancer. Now that it's past, I don't seem to have other side effects. It would be nice to know what the radiation does to other tissues that it reaches. Hope this helps.