Uterine Cancer Survivor

Cheryl
W.
New Jersey

I've always been very active and health conscious. I exercise regularly, never eat red meat, don't smoke and try to do everything right to stay healthy, including getting an annual pap and mammogram. In May of 2006, I went for my annual pap. I received a call from my gynecologist who said my pap showed some a-typical endometrial cells - was I near my period when I had the pap? I told her yes that my period started 2 days after my pap. She assured me that it's probably nothing, but wanted to do a second pap (which came out fine) and a biopsy (just to be on the safe side). Thank goodness I had her as a gynecologist and that she did a biopsy.

A few days later I got the call - a message on my work voice mail that said to call my doctor’s office. When I called, they asked if I could come in now. I knew I was in trouble. I'll never forget sitting on the edge of the examination table when she told me that I had uterine cancer. How could it be? I didn't have any symptoms and I didn't meet one single criteria for uterine cancer. She was just as shocked as I was. She gave me a few names of surgeons and told me I needed to start seeing one right away. So I did, had a battery of tests over that next week and had my surgery.

Since I was Stage 1, surgery was enough. No chemo or radiation. The only others with uterine cancer that I've met were the 2 roommates I had in the hospital - both in stage 4. Their physicians kept telling them that their symptoms were due to menopause. Now pap tests don't usually pick up uterine cancer, so I was truly lucky that a few of those nasty cells happened to show up on my pap and a doctor who followed through. If we're going to beat cancer, early detection is imperative!

I feel a desperate need to educate the public about uterine cancer and tell them to go to the doctor - maybe it’s not just menopause. Who could I get to spread the word? Then it dawned on me - it's ME. I have to tell my story and help educate women so they are diagnosed early! So here I am alive and well today, so you can learn from me – listen to your body. It’ll save your life.

I agree

Comments

Submitted by Guest on October 20, 2010 - 21:16.

Thank you for sharing your story Cheryl.
I was in the same boat as you: active, non-smoker, had checkups regularly, careful about what I ate and didn't fit the demographic. My doctors were just as shocked as I was to learn of my diagnosis. I'm 34 yrs old and have been diagnosed with uterine cancer. Since it's a low grade cancer, my doctor has offered an option to try high dose Hormonal Therapy as a means to avoid surgery.

I haven't seen any comments on this forum of women who have been issued the same treatment plan. It's only been a 1.5 mos since my treatment began, but I'm getting all types of side effects. I'm wondering if surgery would have been a better choice, given the side effects I'm withstanding.
Has anyone else experienced hormone therapy treatment?

Submitted by Guest on November 13, 2010 - 23:10.

Thank you for posting the information contained on your site. Much apreciated.

I have been combing the internet hoping to find first hand, real people accounts of what their actual symptoms were before they were diagnosed. Mostly, each site contains very basic information, a summary of the most common symptoms and with stress on the importance of post menopausal bleeding, making it easy to continue to dismiss all the vague oddities that our Doctors are attributing to the approach to menopause. Okay, irregular bleeding. What kind? Clots or no clots? Pain? Colour/ consistancy of blood? How often? How long have irregularities been taking place? How are new symptoms deviant from previously regular occurances? Memory? Energy, specifics? Anyone have additional vaginal bleeding with bowel movements? Burning, inermittantly, in the abdomen across the pelvic area? etc, etc. Specifics... If enough, would a more complete picture become evident? Mostly, there are inspirational personal stories of courage, but little that addresses specific, and real-people symptoms. (I am sure my test results will give me a definative answer, so I think I will quit surfing in the meantime :) But, I was hoping to read, somewhere, that the things I am experiencing do or do not fit with the experience of others who are/ have battled this disease; so far, I can't tell either way...

... That being the point as far as spreading awareness goes - all still too vague. Or, is that just the way it really is?

Thanks :)

Submitted by Kathy on September 24, 2011 - 12:10.

I developed cardiac issues last summer.. The doctor put me on the blood thinner
Coumadin.
In Feburary of this year I had a 3 day period.. At the time my blood level for
coumadin was a little high..
I went to the doctor about a month later , and eventho I had no more bleeding or
problems I mentioned the " Period"
He referred me to a OB GYN who right away wanted to do a D and C .. as a nurse
my thoughts were what about a biopsy first...
So I changed doctors who did find I had a uterus cancer stage one.
He referred me to a GYN oncologist at Roswell Park Cancer hospital in
Buffalo NY
They did the surgery via robotic surgery, I would had came home the next
but do to my cardiac issues I was in ICU over night after surgery.
Well the cancer turned out to be a more agressive form, so they ordered
three radiation treatments that I able to have at my local Cancer Clinic..
I return in about 2 weeks and hope to be able to go 6 months.
Know your body, know what is normal and not normal before it becomes a
advanced cancer.
I am doing research on Uterus cancer being related to being a DES daugther
and it appears it is related

Submitted by brenda lehmer on March 11, 2012 - 09:01.

I read your story and it sounded almost like mine!I had my pap test and the Dr. said my uterine lining looked thick so he did an ultrasound. After the ultrasound he wanted to make sure it was not anything and did the biopsy.He called a few days later and said he could not believe it but it was uterine cancer! As you said I had no symptoms at all so I am very thankful to have the Dr. I have.It was about this time in 2011 that I found out and had my total hysterectomy then I had 6 chemos and 3 radiations.My hair is coming in good and I am feeling great.I am 54 and am married and have 4 kids .I just wanted to send you a message to another survivor!!!We are all together in this battle!!Good Luck !!!!!! Sincerely Yours Brenda Lehmer
also

Submitted by brenda lehmer on March 11, 2012 - 09:06.

I read your story and it sounded almost like mine!I had my pap test and the Dr. said my uterine lining looked thick so he did an ultrasound. After the ultrasound he wanted to make sure it was not anything and did the biopsy.He called a few days later and said he could not believe it but it was uterine cancer! As you said I had no symptoms at all so I am very thankful to have the Dr. I have.It was about this time in 2011 that I found out and had my total hysterectomy then I had 6 chemos and 3 radiations.My hair is coming in good and I am feeling great.I am 54 and am married and have 4 kids .I just wanted to send you a message to another survivor!!!We are all together in this battle!!Good Luck !!!!!! Sincerely Yours Brenda Lehmer
also

Submitted by Gerarda on March 31, 2012 - 18:49.

Cheryl thank you for sharing your story. I am 43, just had biopsy done yesterday (ouch), and will be having a hysterectomy soon. I havea history of endometriosis, and have had ovarion cysts also. My doctor did sonogram: golf ball size cyst on ovary, and enlarged uterus the size of grapefruit. He says he does not think it's cancer. I love my doc, but how does he know without biopsy results? I wonder if he just does not want me to worry for a week waiting. It's going to be a long week regardless....
Gerarda

Submitted by Linda on August 8, 2012 - 16:34.

God Bless all of you here. November 21, 2012 will be one year that I had my total hysterectomy for uterine cancer; I still can't believe it. I am 58 and post menopausal. It was last October when after urinating I noticed a pale pink stream when I wiped myself. I knew it wasn't normal. The next day, I was watching Dr. Oz and his segment was about Ovarian Cancer. One of the signs was bleeding. I nearly dismissed the sign I was having if not for the voice inside that told me seeing that episode on Dr. Oz was no coincidence. I saw small pink once again. I called my doctor. The pelvic exam was normal, the ultrasound showed a slight thickening of the uterine lining. My doctor said "while your here, let's do a biopsy, I don't think it will be anything, but let's do it anyway". Well, one week later I was told I had uterine cancer; I felt as if the doctor was talking about someone else. I was in shock. I was also very fortunate because it was stage 1A; no chemo, no radiation. Six months earlier, my husband had kidney cancer. We are both survivors. Cheryl, your right, the best thing you can do, all of us can do, is share our story. Listen to your body, if something feels "off", check into it. I wish everyone the best of health!!

Submitted by Marian H. on August 13, 2012 - 12:44.

After 6 years of trying to find a new Gynecologist, when I finally did and made my first appointment where she did a biopsy (at my request, because I'd had a 20 year history of endometrial hyerplasia and countless biopsies in the past), and it came back positive for cancer. I'll never forget how chilling the call from the office was, "Dr. K. wants to see you in her office today and bring a family member or close friend with you"... (I took both) we went in and got the news we expected and she referred me to a wonderful young oncologist (did I mention that I am 74?). After some glitches in my preop testing, my surgery was done on time, Mid-July. Post op results -- Gr 1 tumor, Stage 1a cancer, "no further treatment needed." Praise the Lord. No more procrastinating for me!!!

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