Endometrial Cancer Diagnosis

[Illawarrian]

For years doctors have been trying to find out why I have a post menopausal discharge. With an endometrial thickness of only 5mm to 6mm, hyperplasia was very mild. I've had countless scans and tests and a year ago I finally had a hysteroscopy, D&C and biopsy. Everything came back as normal. The specialist couldn't see anything wrong - I asked her to check for caesarian scar defect, but nothing. Her advice was to have a hysterectomy just to be sure and to get rid of the problematic discharge. I didn't want to have major surgery so I opted to just keep an eye on it, since I didn't even have precancerous changes in cells. Over the past year I've had a couple of ultrasounds which were normal. My G.P. asked me to get another hysteroscopy done. I saw a different specialist. He's over 70 years old and very experienced. Last week I had the hysteroscopy, D&C and biopsy. The specialist rang me on Friday to say he'd removed two polyps which came back as malignant, and tissue from the endometrium which also has malignant changes.  I was very shocked. How could things change within the space of just a year (since the last biopsy). And with no increase in endometrial thickness. On Monday I'll get my G.P. to print out the pathology results so I can see what type of endometrial cancer it is. So, for now I don't know. The specialist has referred me to the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney and they will call me next week. My question is, if I've gone from no cancer at all to two polyps and malignancies in only 12 months, does this seem like a fast-growing cancer in anyone's experience? 

[sch]

Hi,

I don't know if there is a relationship between polyps and speed of cancer in the general population, but I don't believe so. I would recommend discussing with your doctor a monitoring/screening process going forward though.

I have a genetic disposition to bowel cancer, and I have a colonoscopy and endoscopy every 12 months to check for polyps.

My advise would be that before your appointment with your doctor you write down a list of questions before you attend (and write down the answers!). Once you're in that appointment, it's amazing the way your mine will just go blank.

Also take a friend/family member if you can.

Oh, and good luck with your appointment.

Let us all know how you go.

-s