1. < Gynecologic Cancers
Mentor

Recurrence of gynecological cancer

Posted by Helen, Volunteer Mentor @naturegirl5, Nov 26, 2022

Were you diagnosed with gynecological cancer in the past and completed your initial treatment? Do you experience a recurrence?

I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer - endometroioid adenocarcinoma, FIGO 1 in July, 2019. In August I had a robotic laparoscopic hysterectomy with removal of uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries. The surgeon also did a sentinel node biopsy. The cancer was staged at 1a and the nodes were negative for cancer. I thought I was in the clear and could sail through the 5 year window of cancer surveillance follow-ups. Nope. In late 2021 a small polyp-like growth was found in the vaginal cuff. It was biopsied and there was the recurrence of the same cancer. PET/MR revealed no formation of tumor and no other evidence of cancer. I had radiation therapy (external beam and brachytherapy). My medical visits since the radiation therapy have shown no more evidence of cancer. For now. If I let myself go there I think - will this ever end?

Will you share your experience(s)?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Gynecologic Cancers Support Group.

bsn69 | @bsn69 | Aug 8, 2023
In reply to @naturegirl5 "@bsn69 Welcome to our support group. I’m glad you found us and that you are already..." + (show)
@naturegirl5

@bsn69 Welcome to our support group. I’m glad you found us and that you are already finding help and support.

My Gyn-Oncologist said the same thing about no CT needed after I was first diagnosed. She said I would return every 6 months for a physical exam which is how the recurrence was found on the vaginal cuff. For the recurrence I had external beam radiation therapy and 2 treatments of brachytherapy. With radiation I was told it was necessary to use a lubricant regularly because of the formation of scar tissue and to use a dilator. I dislike doing both of those but it’s necessary. I do get a CT scan now because of the recurrence and I’ve been returning for cancer surveillance every 4 months since the recurrence.

I’m very hopeful for you because like your gyn oncologist said the cancer you and I had is a « good one » - as if any are good ones. Now we continue on the journey with you at the beginning and we keep up our good work.

How often do you return for cancer surveillance?

Jump to this post

Hi Helen!
Thank you for your reply. When did you have your surgery? And what was your time frame between the surgery and your recurrence?
When you had your first 6 month physical/checkup, is that when she found it? with the speculum, so she could visualize your vaginal cuff?
Did you have any symptoms? Bleeding, or spotting, cramping? I had asked my oncologist/gyno Dr." How will I know if I have it again? And she told me I would have bleeding or spotting.
My first checkup will be at the 3 month post surgery mark. I'm not sure if she will see me every 3-4 months the first year, or have longer in between visits. I think the first year is always difficult to figure out. Or at least for me!
So, I will share my journey with you......
Thankyou!

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Helen, Volunteer Mentor | @naturegirl5 | Aug 8, 2023
In reply to @bsn69 "Hi Helen! Thank you for your reply. When did you have your surgery? And what was..." + (show)
@bsn69

Hi Helen!
Thank you for your reply. When did you have your surgery? And what was your time frame between the surgery and your recurrence?
When you had your first 6 month physical/checkup, is that when she found it? with the speculum, so she could visualize your vaginal cuff?
Did you have any symptoms? Bleeding, or spotting, cramping? I had asked my oncologist/gyno Dr." How will I know if I have it again? And she told me I would have bleeding or spotting.
My first checkup will be at the 3 month post surgery mark. I'm not sure if she will see me every 3-4 months the first year, or have longer in between visits. I think the first year is always difficult to figure out. Or at least for me!
So, I will share my journey with you......
Thankyou!

Jump to this post

@bsn69 Hello. I’ll answer your questions one by one.
I had a robotic laparoscopic radical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in August, 2019. The cancer was endometrioid adenocarinoma Stage 1a, FIGO Grade 1. My cancer surveillance was every 6 months. My nurse practitioner found a very small polyp-like growth on the vaginal cuff with a speculum in October, 2021 and with these appointments every 6 months there had been nothing suspicious prior to the find of the little growth. I had no bleeding or spotting. No symptoms at all. My NP asked me more than once if I had experienced bleeding because that is the more common symptom. I had a PET/MR that showed no evidence of disease. That was a relief because it was probable that there was a tumor. But nothing showed up.

You will be returning for your cancer surveillance more often than I did. I’d think that if anything shows up—and hopefully nothing will—that it will be caught early.

Do you know why you had brachytherapy? What was the FIGO Grade? You and I have the same diagnosis and stage.
Did I answer all your questions?

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.