How fast does endometrial cancer spread?

I am a 40 year old woman, never pregnant, who has had spotting and irregular periods since September of 2002.
My doctor thinks it was brought on by a series of highly stressful events in the Spring which was followed by a rapid weight loss of 30 lbs. in about 3-4 months. She thinks I just sent my body into a hormonal mess.

Anyway, even though I have next to zero risk factors for endometrial cancer, I am still afraid that that is what it is.

What I want to know is this.........is endometrial cancer a rapidly growing cancer? I'm on no HRT, am not obese, do not have high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history, or any of the other risk factors.

I am just really curious how fast endometrial cancer tends to spread. I don't see my gyno for another two weeks.

Thanks,
Tex

Dear Tex,

I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer on Feb. 5, and had surgery TAH BOS on Feb. 17th. I am also 40, and had been having irregular bleeding for a lot longer (almost a year). They didn't even check for cancer because I wasn't "high risk" for it.
It was found after D+C done for the bleeding.

One of the first things I asked the doctor was "how long it had been there", because he said it was "early stages". He said there was no way of knowing, but that it is slow growing type of cancer. Anyway, I was told that it made no difference what happened before, only what to do now. Of course, I felt guilty that I hadn't dealt with it promptly.

I hope you will be spared the shock of hearing that you have cancer, but in anycase everyone seems to agree that if you are going to get cancer this is the best kind to have. (As I tell everyone - there aren't many other organs that the doc will be so willing to remove! lol)

There are many woman here who have had the same, and know more about it than I do, you can also see who had same diagnosis in the thread called "our diagnosis"
Sometimes, all they do is hysterectomy and no need for further treatment. I will be also having radiation, but don't know the details yet till meeting with oncologist on Wednesday.

Hang in there and let us know what happens.

Esther.

Tex
I know you are very worried, but it could be a bunch of other things. Fibroids and polyps could be likely causes...they are very common in women in their 40'sor it could even be perimenopause. I reported the abnormal bleeding to my gyn a year before dx and she said it was perimenopause, but at my next appt she would do a sono if I was concerned....It is always best to check it out.. I am 45 and was dx last July with a stage 1a endometrial cancer, no further treatment. I didn't have any risk factors either. I went in for a polyp removal because I also was having heavy painful periods, in between spotting. If you are dx with endometrial ca go to a gyn/onc.....Please keep us updated. Chris

Thank ladies.
I do feel better hearing that endometrial cancer is one of the slower growing cancers, but it's still a bitter pill if it means I would have to have my uterus removed.

My boyfriend and I are hoping to get married this year, and it was our dream to at least TRY for one pregnancy. Maybe I'm being selfish, but I still hope that they find some other cause than cancer so that we can still pursue this when the time comes.

In any event, you ladies here are great and a huge support. Thank you! :-)

Tex

The doc was trying to regulate the bleeding with some very low dose birth control pills, but apparently the amount of progesterone in the pills was so low that it wasn't controlling the spotting at all.

I have just recently been switched to Ortho-Novum 1/35, and the higher dose of progesterone seems to be doing the trick.
Still, my stomach is in knots all the time because I think that at any minute I'm going to start spotting or begin my period again.

God, grant me peace! The knots in my stomach and stress are enough to trigger my cycle again.

Thanks again to all on this board. It's a huge comfort to know that you are all here.

Tex