Breast cancer and Hysterectomy

PetunaPZ2017

Hello -

My health challenge started with breast cancer late 2017; then in 2020 had a hysterectomy. I had thick endometrial lining, uterus did not shrink with menopause but got larger with fibroids and a polyp. Lucky for me that my biopsy came back with no worrisome diagnosis and that the surgery was a preventative measure.

Later in the year I was at a support group lunch and speaking with a fellow survivor who mentioned that she heard within 15 years of a breast cancer diagnosis a quite a few women will have to undergo a hysterectomy. I had not heard of this and am curious to know my fellow sisters if any of you heard of something like this?

All of this: diagnosis, procedure and treatment has been really tough. To anyone out there struggling, I am thinking of you and wishing you better days ahead.

ubershop7

I never heard if anything like that. Lol. There are some studies that show a bso or hysterectomy with ovaries removed do reduce recurrence risk in er pr positive breast cancer in women over 50, though. I had fibroids, too, but opted for uterine artery embolization. That was 3 years before my cancer dx. Had the bso after my radiation treatment ended. Women with fibroids have an increased risk of getting bc. Too much estrogen causes fibroids, and most breast cancer is ER positive.

You can Google some of these studies if your curious:)

SeeQ

Petunia- 15 years is a pretty long spread, and most women that get hysterectomies would do so later in life, so that could just be a likely coincidence. If you polled women that don't have breast cancer, I'd guess that you'd probably notice the same type of increase. Just my thoughts.

AliceBastable

It could be that some of them were taking one of the anti-hormonals that can cause uterine problems, which would lead to a hysterectomy.

Nutfarmer

My breast cancer diagnosis was 2016. Chemo put me into menopause. Then in 2020 had some symptoms of uterine cancer luckily biopsy came back benign but the Dr felt hysterectomy was best.

I have had a difficult time getting back to my normal self. Trying to figure out what my new normal is and to be accepting of that. Recently I have been dealing with some auto immune issues. So that has added some difficulty. I just take it one day at a time and am very thankful that my husband is so supportive.

PetunaPZ2017

Hi AliceBastable -

My oncologist put me on Tamoxifen as I was pre-menopausal. I fought to not go on the medication due to the risk of endometrial cancer risk but ultimately did take the medication as everything you do, or don't do carries a risk.

I do have one wish that my oncologist had referred me to OB/GYN to get a baseline on how my uterus was before starting the anti-hormonal medication so if/when issues might arise that there would be comparisons.

PetunaPZ2017

Hi Nutfarmer (I like your name. )-

I too feel like I have had a difficult time getting back to my normal self and I think a lot of it has to do with the cancer diagnosis and then going thru menopause rather quickly with the treatments for the cancer.

Really it feels like the 'normal' was swept away with a phone call and a few words of 'you have cancer'. Accepting the illness and the body changes and that my health is no longer as good as it once was is difficult to accept and took me a long time to adjust. My husband too is a big help and reminded me that I went thru some major life changes so the life I knew is in the past and to live in the present - wasting time over what was will make me miss what is now.