Endo cancer recurrence question

I have a call into my doctor because my cancerhead is getting big. But while I wait, does anyone know if there are any symptoms for endometrial cancer recurrence?

I'm 13 weeks past TAH-BSO and I was Grade 1 Stage 1a. So I'm in the 90-97% safe from recurrence group. But it's that 3-10% that's getting to me.

From weeks 9-10 I didn't have any pain. But the past couple of weeks, I've been having some lower abdominal discomfort (I wouldn't even go so far as to call it pain). I also have some small amount of vaginal discharge - sorry to be graphic - but it's like blowing bubbles. So I'm mildly paranoid about this.

I've looked all over the net and I can't find anything. So is there a sister with any info on this?

Marybee,

First, DON'T PANIC! At 13 weeks following my hyst, I was still dealing with swelly belly, occasional pain if I overdid it, and worry that just about anything was the cancer coming back. I'm glad you called your doctor--anything that concerns you should be checked out, so you are smart to do that. A lot of us are probably alive today because we insisted on answers and treatment.

Now, my tale of cancerhead taking over . . . it has been around a year and 9 months since my surgery (endo ca stage 1b, grade 3), and I just went through a week of panic due to a discharge (sometimes slightly tinged with blood) and a small growth that was found during my checkup--which turned out to be simple granulation, just like my doctor suspected. That is probably what caused the discharge, since it has pretty much cleared up since the doctor removed the granulation. During that week, when cancerhead got the better of me, I did a bunch of research on recurrent endometrial cancer, and didn't find much. At one web site : http://atoz.iqhealth.com/HealthAnswe...iles/2505.html

I found the following info:

Following are some of the signs of recurrent endometrial cancer:
vaginal bleeding
abdominal bloating
changes in bowel or bladder habits
swelling of the lower legs
persistent cough
loss of appetite
weight loss
fatigue

Of course, I had more than one of the above symptoms:

changes in bowel habits--really due to the changes in my diet, since I recently started the South Beach Diet

weight loss--there's that diet again

fatigue--long hours at work, a weekend trip during which I maybe got 3-4 hours of sleep for several nights in a row, an increase in hot flashes interrupting my sleep--which seem to be triggered by stress, and there has been a lot of stress at work lately

As many others have pointed out, those who have cancer still can get other things--not everything is cancer coming back. But, nonetheless, I was a basket case, and, obviously, not thinking logically. Then, I got home from work yesterday and had a couple messages from my doctor's office . . . just asking me to call. Of course, panic time! I immediately assumed that there was no message because it was bad news . . . otherwise, they would have left a message that all was OK, right????? Wrong!!!! They can't leave any messages because of all the new privacy laws (which Chris5 kindly pointed out to me last night, somewhat relieving my latest panic).

This morning, I reached my doctor's office and got the word that all was fine. So, I wasted a lot of time during the week dwelling on the worst possible case. I know it is hard to not worry, but I just took it to a new level for me--something I haven't done in a while now. In hindsight, looking at what I just wrote, it is almost funny how out of proportion I blew this. But I wanted to relate that to you in the hope that you can avoid going into the same worry mode that I did.

Good luck, and hopefully you will get in touch with your doctor soon and get answers and reassurance. Please let us know what happens!

Cheryl

I seem to remember my onc/gyn telling me that I may notice a brownish to mucosy (sp?) discharge when the internal stitches were dissolving....It seems like he said around the 8-10 weeks....something like that.....Anyone else remember that? You had a very low grade and low stage cancer.....so you are probably fine, but it is a good thing that you called your dr. Cancerhead is terrible....we all go through it. This board is so beneficial in soothing some of those fears. Keep posting and let us know what your dr. says. I also had a piece of granulation removed at about the 16 week post op time.....My gyn noticed it (hadnt given me any trouble) but she said that eventually it would bleed and I would freak out....She biopsied it ( I was worried sick until I got the results) and it was granulation. Chris

Marybee,

I also have struggled with cancerhead - but DO get a check-up if you have pain and discharge. I had the same problems and it took a couple of months to find I had a raging staph infection. I am going back in for surgery on Weds so they can remove the mesh from the suspension they did because the infection won't respond to the IV antibiotics I have been on. I had no granulation at all until 3 1/2 months post op - and since my infection was discovered, my GYN has been removing granulation tissue weekly.
My discharge was bloody. Still is.
Jan