Radiation or not after surgery for endometrial cancer?

You ate so welcome. All the best.

I had three sessions of brachytherapy and had no side effects at all, no pain or bleeding. I do have to use a dilator once a week to prevent adhesion.

I absolutely would like to avoid any recurrence so am leaning toward the brachytherapy. Thank you!

I haven’t heard of the dilator but that is a good thing to ask about at my first appt to discuss this on the 20th. It is such a relief to hear that you did not have any major side effects. I’m praying for wisdom and I’m like you - wanting to do all I can. My Mom died in her 50s of pancreatic cancer and I’m scheduled for genetic testing.

I’m researching diet changes to help prevent recurrence.

Thank you for this information.

I had the complete hysterectomy and several nodes removed on 1/9. I am feeling remarkably well. Since it was done robotically through 5 small incisions and removed vaginally, I didn’t take pain medication for more than 4 days. Then I moved to Tylenol for another 3-4 days. I haven’t had to have anything else. There is still a lot of fatigue and my other organs trying to sort themselves out to their new spots when I cough or laugh. I still have to restrict heavy lifting for a couple of weeks. However, I’ve been able to return to running our business and cooking meals. I can drive again. I’d say fatigue and moving or stretching wrong causes the most discomfort. Prayers that your Grandmother does well.

I should know more after my appt with the radiologist on the 20th. She comes highly recommended. I’m trying to write down all of my questions. Thank you for responding.

Thank you so much - this will help me to ask the right questions at my first appt with the radiologist. I went to my GP this week to get their input as well.

After your recurrence, are you doing well? My doctor said I had a gene that would qualify me for immunotherapy if I have a recurrence. I’m trying to research the best diet changes to help avoid a recurrence and praying for wisdom.

I also had 3 treatments with brachytherapy and think that it is worth doing. It is somewhat uncomfortable and very undignified for 10-15 min each time. I had no immediate side effects. After a month or so you need to either start using a vaginal dilator or engage in sexual activity to avoid long term issues.

If there are stray cancer cells in your body, diet and lifestyle probably won't do much to prevent recurrence.

If your cancer was Grade 1 or 2, a recurrence would probably still be curable, but that's still really worth avoiding if possible.

I had 5 sessions of brachytherapy (for stage 1b figo 1 endometriod
adenocarcinoma), and had no problems at all either during the course of treatments, nor any side effects afterward. (They do recommend dilator use several times a week for 10 min forever afterward to prevent vaginal scar tissue which can occur). I too had been worried about any possible side effects, but knew that I would never forgive myself if the cancer came back and I had not done everything possible to reduce the odds…

Hello @marceyw

Maybe we can help each other.

My grandmother (age 88) stage 2 endometrial carcinosarcoma with spread to cervix just completed 3 brachytherapy treatments and 5 weeks of radiation. Other than gas and diarrhea, she did not have any other side effects. One of the brachytherapy treatments was uncomfortable for her (the removal of the applicator) as she was awake and refused pain medication. Following that, she did request medication and they ended up just sedating her briefly to remove.

She is scheduled for a hysterectomy on Tuesday and would really like your input on the recovery. Her surgeon did NoT want to operate first- hence why she did RT before surgery.