luckyme13 @luckyme13
Hello and I am so sorry you are facing this journey yet again. My cancer was adenocarcinoma stage 1a, Figo grade B with positive pelvic washings. I was told in Feb 2022 at the time of my surgery that no treatments were necessary. In Sept 2022 a new tumor was found on the vaginal cuff during a surveillance exam. I was told that the best treatment at that time for me was radiation and my team decided on 28 external beam treatments (you lay down and a scanner type machine circles you a few times for a matter or a few minutes). It doesn't hurt a bit, but you can have some side effects such as diarrhea). Then I had 3 brachytherapy treatments (internal). They consisted of a probe being inserted into your vagina and then a quick scan to make sure it was in place and then a longer (maybe 15 minutes) more intense delivery of radiation to the exact area(s) needed and a dose to rhe surrounding tissue to kill anything lingering. I felt worse with a UTI and (gastroenteritis) after these 3, but recovered in a matter of weeks. I nearly forgot to mention the fatigue that comes with the treatments atleast for me, but that too.

Thank you Colleen!

I apologize for not replying sooner and I appreciate you question suggestions. Questions I had listed to ask was about the possibility and effectiveness of getting the HPV vaccine since I have never gotten it and all of my issues have been HPV16 related. If there were any other treatment plan options besides just those two. With the different radiation options, what would my level of incapacitation be, specifically would I be able to still work on radiation days?

I had my appointment yesterday and it was good and frustrating. My oncologist and I agreed against the surgery, especially since I’ve already had minor urinary issues since my hysterectomy. So risking those complications for another vaginal cuff surgery that clearly wasn’t all that effective the first time didn’t sound worth it. But he then said he could either refer me to a radiologist for brachytherapy or we could hold off on any treatment and “wait and see how things develop”. I asked for the referral. Am I nuts to want radiation? They planned to do it when I had my hysterectomy in 2014, that’s why they moved my ovaries, but my post surgical biopsies were better than expected. So we decided to hold off on radiation and wait and see if we needed it. Then lesions came back in 2016, 2021, and now. And each time I’ve heard, well we could just wait and see. I’m over it. I’m done having my life turned upside down every handful of years. If there is potential to stop this or at least slow this down, I want to try it. Because this “wait and see” method hasn’t worked.

So aside from the fact that I am being referred to a radiologist and my oncologist is suggesting brachytherapy, I really know little else. But I did get the first shot of the HPV vaccine. I am going to attack this every which way I can.