Endometrial Cancer

I am very interested to hear what signs and symptoms you had.

I am awaiting results of a biopsy and am playing phone tag with my doctor's nurse. The last message I got was on Thursday night but my daughter answered the phone while I was taking a nap. She told my daughter that is was very important I come the following morning. However, my daughter forgot to give me the message until Friday night, and then they were closed for the weekend.

I am extremely nervous and pretty much anxiety ridden. Please tell me what your symptoms were before diagnosis.

Thank you so much

Oh, I can feel your initial panic and frustration! Sorry to hear about that! Try to relax until you actually speak with the doctor. (Other gals here have said over and over, "don't waste a good panic.") It can be any number of things going on in there. In the meantime, try to feed yourself positive thoughts and for whatever is happening you and your doctor are right on it and are going to fix it! That's a good thing!

We all experience different symptoms. Some going on for years, some suddenly onset. Some painful, and some (like mine) just a little off from normal, noticeable, but as fairly vague complaints. What would lead you to think or narrow it down to endometrial (or uterine) troubles? Usually abnormal bleeding and/or pain (especially after menopause), and irregular or prolonged periods are indications across the board something is not right. There are other symptoms, but again they vary from person to person. Unless you have already discussed the possibility of cancer with your doctor you need to know that other troubles do happen there as well. Sometimes a biopsy will only tell part of the picture and they want to do further testing (like a D & C, ultrasound, xrays, or scans) to get more information or to rule out other things.

Good luck with this. Other sisters here are very helpful and will be able to tell you more. Let's hope hope hope for the best!.

Hi,
Thanks for your reply and words of hope :-)

It was the doctor who seemed to think it was something going on specifically with the uterus. I had a Pap test, endo biopsy, blood work with hormone & tumor marker testing done as well. I am scheduled for an ultrasound next week. But apparently she is not waiting for the ultrasound scan to give me these results. Which is a good thing, I can't wait much longer. :-)

My symptoms were sudden. My periods were always regular and predictable (4 days duration) since they first began. I started what I thought would be a normal cycle in march (it was on time) but the bleeding was very, very heavy with 4-5" clots and it lasted for 16 continuous days. The bleeding stopped for approximately a week and then spotting began, which I have had intermittently ever since.

I'm 35 so I don't think I am that close to menopause, although I know anything is possible. I was told that symptoms of approaching menopause could be lengthy cycles but not the intermittent spotting in between periods.

Hello
The waiting really is the worse part we all know that on here, but try to keep busy and "not worry" (pretty impossible really).

I had endometrial cancer, i was bleeding for nearly two years thinking it was the menopause. My GP was giving me HRT for two years, i was 51, until they gave me a hysteroscopy which unfortunately was positive!

My symptoms were bleeding 3 weeks out of 4 quite heavily, with clots and extreme tiredness, hot flushes, mood swings, i felt like i was on an emotional rollercoaster, i did think it was the menopause but...........

I do hope that all your fears will not be recognised and the sooner you get your results the better.

Thinking of you, please let us know your results.

Best wishes

Rosemary

to HS and the CC forum; the latter is one which no ones wants to join but I believe you will find much help and support here. It is very scary to think one may have cancer and the uncertainty seems to make things even worse if that can be possible. Once we get a dx, we can begin and work toward ridding ours bodies of the beast and our energies are channel there vice only toward worry and this really can help. I'd also like you to know that early stage endometrial cancer often can be cured by surgery alone unlike many other cancers.
Symptoms do vary and for non-menopausal women, spotting between periods and very heavy periods can be indicative of endometrial pre-cancer/cancer but these symptoms also may be caused by non-cancer issues too such as fibroids, etc. An endometrial biopsy may detect pre-cancer or cancerous cells and I see you have had one. Most doctors like to do other testing too including a sonogram but since cancerous cells can be in the uterus sometimes only a hysterectomy can determine 100 percent that cancer is present.
Please let us know how you make out and remember we are here for you and many here have experience with this type cancer and can help with questions or concerns you may have. We're here for venting, just hugs and/or encouragement too.
s,
peggiesue

Hi,

I know how hard it is waiting for the biopsy result. I was where you are now last Aug. 4. It is worrisome and causes a lot of anxiety. So I understand. I'm sorry you're going through this, but you will get through it.

My symptom was bleeding. I had my normal period one month and suddenly 7 days after it stopped I got this sudden gush of blood come out and had bleeding for 5 days after that. It then stopped again and started 13 days later..only this time I bled straight for 8 weeks. I was going to a new gyne and had to wait 3 mos. for my first appt. I just knew something wasn't right and asked for a biopsy. I turned out to have stage 1b grade 2 endometrial adenocarcinoma.

It does not mean you will find out you have cancer. Other factors can cause symptoms too. Just hang in there and try not to worry until you get the results.

I wish you the best of luck. Please let us know what you find out.

Hugs
SA

Hi again,
Thank you so much for your replies!
I talked to my doctor's nurse, she was in a hurry but made me an appointment to discuss my "options." SHe said that my pap was normal, my labs were normal but my biopsy showed Endometrial hyperplasia with atypical cells.
I am a nursing student, and I honestly do not know anything about this. (Haven't done gyn yet) I am looking it up and getting a lot of mixed advice. I would appreciate any guidance.

Thank you so much

SA,
Were you diagnosed by a biopsy? I was the same way - I've never had abnormal bleeding - my periods were on the heavy side, but always regular and always predictable. It wasn't until last month that anything was unusual.

Hi! And Welcome!
Your symptoms sound very similar to mine. I was 36-37 when I noticed a change in my usually irregular periods. Heavy bleeding, clotting, the works. Aunt Flo would visit for up to 3-4 weeks. I went on like this for about 8 years. I was told I was in peri-menopause, they found a few fibroids, and then finally, they found a polyp and removed that and did a D & C about 4 years ago.
Periods all but stopped, I was 45, I think I had one a few months after the D & C.
A few months ago, I started having some spotting, nothing really bad, and it was here and there. Went back and they found another polyp. Turns out, same polyp grew back! AND I also now have hyperplasia with atypia. Doc offered me a course of progesterone, with follow up in 6 months with another D & C. and biopsy OR a hysterectomy. The hormones keep the lining from to much growth (hopefully) and then they can check for the atypia again. My doc said this is usually done for women who may still like to have children. I didn't want to commit to surgery without understanding more about it.
I had some other health problems, and went for 2 other opinions, one by a oncologist/gyno and he said the same thing. He also said that there is a 35% chance that there is already cancer there, or that it will turn to cancer, but he said it is usually very slow growing and very curable. So I hope this helps!
I found the diagnosis very confusing and rather difficult to deal with because it's not ACTUALLY cancer (which would have me go for the hysterectomy immediately) but it's not ACTUALLY benign either. So it puts the burden on the patient to play the odds...I would def. recommend you get a 2nd opinion about what your particular options are.
There are a bunch of us here with the same diagnosis, and I hope my story helps you a little bit.

ExpressionWise,

I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this, waiting is so hard, that part never gets easier. I started having flooding periods with huge clots in February 06 and thought it was menopause starting (I am 47), my period was normal for a few months but then July and August were non stop bleeding so I saw my GYN in August. He recommended doing a hysteroscopy and D&C, he was shocked that it was cancer. I was then referred to a Gyn/Onc who did my surgery. Good luck and come back and let us know what you find out and how you are doing.
's
Barb