Is a yearly pelvic ultrasound sufficient to protect against uterine/ ovarian cancer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cancer researcher, to answer your question, maybe and maybe not. There are cancers so aggressive that early intervention would not prevent death. If you have that cancer, you will not be spared.

Are you a cancer researcher for humans or pets though?

[Anonymous]

My MIL just died from uterine cancer. Her pap smears were negative btw. The best prevention is a hysterectomy. I imagine an ultrasound may pick up nodules/masses. MIL regularly had her CA125 blood level tested after diagnosis. I guess this kind of test might be helpful too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cancer researcher, to answer your question, maybe and maybe not. There are cancers so aggressive that early intervention would not prevent death. If you have that cancer, you will not be spared.

Early intervention of uterine cancer can absolutely save your life. You sound like a damn quack. My MIL just died because she did not get diagnosed soon enough. Fortunately, with what I know now, another relative had strange bleeding, I was adamant she get hysterectomy immediately. It was stage I uterine cancer. No chemo, no radiation required.

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry that you had cancer and your concerns are understandable.

The main reason not to do this is false positives, unnecessary anxiety and possibly getting biopsies you don’t need, which can cause scar tissue.

Plus, most cancers are genetically predetermined to be curable or more aggressive.

Given your history, if the scans give you peace of mind then go ahead. I don’t think most people should do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My MIL just died from uterine cancer. Her pap smears were negative btw. The best prevention is a hysterectomy. I imagine an ultrasound may pick up nodules/masses. MIL regularly had her CA125 blood level tested after diagnosis. I guess this kind of test might be helpful too.

I came to post this. Why not just get a hysterectomy? I had one because of fibroids, and never having to worry about ovarian, uterine or cervical cancers is great.

[Anonymous]

My mother died as a result of ovarian cancer. I have yearly pelvic ultrasounds. It's not a silver bullet, but it's the best option there is right now for early detection.

[Anonymous]

For OP and the other PP with PCOS and a history of infertility treatments, was your history a factor in a medical professional recommending ultrasounds? I also have PCOS and went through IVF and multiple FETs, and my mother had endometrial cancer that was Stage 3 before she was diagnosed (fortunately, she survived). I'm always afraid of the combo of family history and infertility treatment resulting in cancer for me, too, but I've never been offered any sort of additional screening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mother died as a result of ovarian cancer. I have yearly pelvic ultrasounds. It's not a silver bullet, but it's the best option there is right now for early detection.

Do they have to put the wand in your vagina? I had one of those and found it pretty painful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For OP and the other PP with PCOS and a history of infertility treatments, was your history a factor in a medical professional recommending ultrasounds? I also have PCOS and went through IVF and multiple FETs, and my mother had endometrial cancer that was Stage 3 before she was diagnosed (fortunately, she survived). I'm always afraid of the combo of family history and infertility treatment resulting in cancer for me, too, but I've never been offered any sort of additional screening.

I advocated for it for myself (I am an RN and read up on the risks related to PCOs, metabolic syndrome, and infertility drugs.

[Anonymous]

I had this discussion recently with my OB/GYN. The answer is no, this is not a evidence-based approach to screening for cancer. Doctors order it because patients ask. It’s probably not harmful either, there aren’t too many incidental findings that are gonna be picked up using this imaging so the worst case scenario is so ovarian cyst shows up or some thing and they do a repeat screening in six months to make sure it goes away. So kind of no harm, no foul.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL just died from uterine cancer. Her pap smears were negative btw. The best prevention is a hysterectomy. I imagine an ultrasound may pick up nodules/masses. MIL regularly had her CA125 blood level tested after diagnosis. I guess this kind of test might be helpful too.

I came to post this. Why not just get a hysterectomy? I had one because of fibroids, and never having to worry about ovarian, uterine or cervical cancers is great.

Well for one, a hysterectomy removes the uterus. Usually they do not remove the ovaries.

That said, aggressive cancer, isn't just where you cut it out. If it's spread or even a few cells are left behind, it'll get you and fast. Let's say you had scans every year and always clean. Then one year it isn't and the cancer isn't small. Well, in all likelihood that is an aggressive cancer. Cutting it out, treating with chemo you'll still never beat it.

Again, people assume that all cancers are beatable if caught early enough. No one wants to understand that's just not the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL just died from uterine cancer. Her pap smears were negative btw. The best prevention is a hysterectomy. I imagine an ultrasound may pick up nodules/masses. MIL regularly had her CA125 blood level tested after diagnosis. I guess this kind of test might be helpful too.

I came to post this. Why not just get a hysterectomy? I had one because of fibroids, and never having to worry about ovarian, uterine or cervical cancers is great.

Well for one, a hysterectomy removes the uterus. Usually they do not remove the ovaries.

That said, aggressive cancer, isn't just where you cut it out. If it's spread or even a few cells are left behind, it'll get you and fast. Let's say you had scans every year and always clean. Then one year it isn't and the cancer isn't small. Well, in all likelihood that is an aggressive cancer. Cutting it out, treating with chemo you'll still never beat it.

Again, people assume that all cancers are beatable if caught early enough. No one wants to understand that's just not the case.

My GYN asked if I wanted my ovaries removed. I said yes, because I was over 50 and she thought they probably hadn't been working in years (i.e. I was already in menopause). She actually said, "and if we take the ovaries, you have one less thing to worry about."

They send everything to pathology, so you find out if there is any cancer present. Once they're gone, I'm pretty sure you can't get ovarian cancer anymore.

[Anonymous]

There’s also removing the Fallopian tubes to reduce ovarian cancer risk. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/salpingectomy

I asked about this since I have PCOS and history of complex cysts, I worry about ovarian cancer. my OB was supportive about tubal removal, I asked to have it done during my last birth (planned C). Insurance wouldn’t pay for it at the same time as a C-section bc of unspecified risks but would pay if I went back separately. So that is kind of disappointing.

Anyone out here had a salpingectomy for preventative reasons?

[Anonymous]

Op - to answer various questions:
- my ob orders them bc of history of pcos and ivf. These things increase your risk, officially or unofficially. Also as a pp mentioned - no harm no foul.
- another pp mentioned the misapprehension that all cancers are curable if caught early. It’s certainly true that there are many so aggressive that even yearly screenings won’t prevent - hence my question (ie as some have mentioned is preventative hysterectomy just better?)
- poster about the vaginal wand - that is the least of anyones problems. I did ivf and the vaginal wand was my daily companion on and off for years. Vaginal wand is not even a blip in consideration when it comes to macro health issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s also removing the Fallopian tubes to reduce ovarian cancer risk. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/salpingectomy

I asked about this since I have PCOS and history of complex cysts, I worry about ovarian cancer. my OB was supportive about tubal removal, I asked to have it done during my last birth (planned C). Insurance wouldn’t pay for it at the same time as a C-section bc of unspecified risks but would pay if I went back separately. So that is kind of disappointing.

Anyone out here had a salpingectomy for preventative reasons?

My SIL is BRCA positive and had her tubes removed preventatively in addition to a mastectomy. But then a few years later she had her ovaries out as well. I’m not close with her so I don’t know the reason why it was spaced out like that.