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Does Lynch Syndrome Make Cancer Grow At More Aggressive Rate?
Question: Hi,
I wrote you earlier about my endometriod adenocarcinoma diagnosis but I wanted to make sure I connected with you personally so I am starting a new thread.
I had my surgery just a little over over to weeks ago and I am recovering ok. I have some stabbing pains in my right side and I was wondering what those could be from? Is it likely to be just muscle pains?
Sure it will pass, unfortunately I am driving myself crazy waiting for pathology to see what stage it is at and now I found out I have lynch syndrome. Do you know of the lynch syndrome makes cancer grow at a more aggressive rate even though it was just grade one? The gyno told me my biopsy from a year ago said limited tissue available so now I worry that it was wrong and I have had this cancer for 20 months. Do you think that will affect my final stage?
I know all the what ifs aren't helping, I just want to prepare myself for what could be.
I wrote you earlier about my endometriod adenocarcinoma diagnosis but I wanted to make sure I connected with you personally so I am starting a new thread.
I had my surgery just a little over over to weeks ago and I am recovering ok. I have some stabbing pains in my right side and I was wondering what those could be from? Is it likely to be just muscle pains?
Sure it will pass, unfortunately I am driving myself crazy waiting for pathology to see what stage it is at and now I found out I have lynch syndrome. Do you know of the lynch syndrome makes cancer grow at a more aggressive rate even though it was just grade one? The gyno told me my biopsy from a year ago said limited tissue available so now I worry that it was wrong and I have had this cancer for 20 months. Do you think that will affect my final stage?
I know all the what ifs aren't helping, I just want to prepare myself for what could be.
Brief Answer:
Explained.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Nice hearing from you.
Thank you for keeping in touch and updating me about the situation.
I guess you made a typing error here ?
You mean you had the surgery two weeks back, a fortnight back, am I right ?
Well, it is very common to have mild aches and pains post operatively, for upto 4 - 6 weeks.
The stabbing pains could be due to muscle spasms, resorption of the blood and fluid during surgery, or just normal tissue reaction to surgery.
I can understand your natural anxiety as you wait for the biopsy report.
Yes, the Lynch syndrome is associated with early age of onset of cancers, multiple sites of cancer, inherited pattern of cancer and aggressive patterns of cancer.
But colorectal cancer in the family or in the person is a key feature of Lynch syndrome.
3 - 5 % of endometrial carcinomas maybe due to the Lynch syndrome.
You can specifically ask the lab to test the surgically removed tissue for Lynch syndrome, it can be done by immunohistochemistry.
I personally do not think this is Lynch syndrome since colorectal cancer or colonic polyps do not feature anywhere in your family or personal history.
But testing for it conclusively right now in the surgical specimen is a good and solid opportunity.
Final staging is only possible after surgery,so we would know only in a few days what is the real situation.
I do no think you would have had the cancer for 20 months, as the earlier biopsy would have certainly picked it up if that was the case.
Taking tissue from the inside of the uterus for a biopsy is pretty much conclusive, even if tissue is limited, if a cancer was present, the available tissue would have shown it.
Also you were symptom free in the interim period, strongly indicating that the cancer developed later.
The ifs are not helping you, let me reiterate that.
But the ifs and buts indicate a strong, intelligent, questioning mind - which will come to your aid as you get over this period.
Keep me posted on the biopsy report.
Frankly, no point wandering in the frightening realms of hypothesis till we know for sure where we stand.
Right ???
Take good care of yourself, get lots of rest, a nutritious diet and some yoga / meditation.
God bless you.
Explained.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Nice hearing from you.
Thank you for keeping in touch and updating me about the situation.
I guess you made a typing error here ?
You mean you had the surgery two weeks back, a fortnight back, am I right ?
Well, it is very common to have mild aches and pains post operatively, for upto 4 - 6 weeks.
The stabbing pains could be due to muscle spasms, resorption of the blood and fluid during surgery, or just normal tissue reaction to surgery.
I can understand your natural anxiety as you wait for the biopsy report.
Yes, the Lynch syndrome is associated with early age of onset of cancers, multiple sites of cancer, inherited pattern of cancer and aggressive patterns of cancer.
But colorectal cancer in the family or in the person is a key feature of Lynch syndrome.
3 - 5 % of endometrial carcinomas maybe due to the Lynch syndrome.
You can specifically ask the lab to test the surgically removed tissue for Lynch syndrome, it can be done by immunohistochemistry.
I personally do not think this is Lynch syndrome since colorectal cancer or colonic polyps do not feature anywhere in your family or personal history.
But testing for it conclusively right now in the surgical specimen is a good and solid opportunity.
Final staging is only possible after surgery,so we would know only in a few days what is the real situation.
I do no think you would have had the cancer for 20 months, as the earlier biopsy would have certainly picked it up if that was the case.
Taking tissue from the inside of the uterus for a biopsy is pretty much conclusive, even if tissue is limited, if a cancer was present, the available tissue would have shown it.
Also you were symptom free in the interim period, strongly indicating that the cancer developed later.
The ifs are not helping you, let me reiterate that.
But the ifs and buts indicate a strong, intelligent, questioning mind - which will come to your aid as you get over this period.
Keep me posted on the biopsy report.
Frankly, no point wandering in the frightening realms of hypothesis till we know for sure where we stand.
Right ???
Take good care of yourself, get lots of rest, a nutritious diet and some yoga / meditation.
God bless you.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for the reply. Its alwaya comforting to get a reply from you. I dis make a typo, I meant the surgery was just ovwr two weeks ago, so you. And you are right it is probably just natural to still have pain here and there.
The Lynch Syndrome concern is because they did a rest and the tumour cells apparently showed a loss of positivity on MSH6 when they did the staining and it says its that is a high probability of lynch sundrome on my patholog report. Im waiting for a genetic test from my blood to confirm it but that takes a while too.
I know it is not helpful to worry, i read lynch cancers develop faster so thats makinf me neevous.
The Lynch Syndrome concern is because they did a rest and the tumour cells apparently showed a loss of positivity on MSH6 when they did the staining and it says its that is a high probability of lynch sundrome on my patholog report. Im waiting for a genetic test from my blood to confirm it but that takes a while too.
I know it is not helpful to worry, i read lynch cancers develop faster so thats makinf me neevous.
Brief Answer:
Dont worry, cross the bridge when you come to it !
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the kind words.
It is a personal blessing if I can provide some measure of comfort to patients who suffer and live with anxiety for various reasons.
Pain and discomfort of varying degrees will persist after a surgery.
Yes, first let the diagnosis of Lynch syndrome get confirmed before worrying about it.
Lynch cancers do develop faster, but then this one was picked up at Grade 1, so we are in time I think.
The worry , IF this is Lynch, is of cancer involving multiple sites, and extra need for caution to pick up any other ones that might come up !
That is the only issue here.
But let us cross that bridge when we come to it.
Keep me posted on the definitive results.
Meanwhile, trust me, it might sound cliched, but positive thinking really makes things around you better.
You become what you think , so why think about the worst ???
Take care.
Dont worry, cross the bridge when you come to it !
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the kind words.
It is a personal blessing if I can provide some measure of comfort to patients who suffer and live with anxiety for various reasons.
Pain and discomfort of varying degrees will persist after a surgery.
Yes, first let the diagnosis of Lynch syndrome get confirmed before worrying about it.
Lynch cancers do develop faster, but then this one was picked up at Grade 1, so we are in time I think.
The worry , IF this is Lynch, is of cancer involving multiple sites, and extra need for caution to pick up any other ones that might come up !
That is the only issue here.
But let us cross that bridge when we come to it.
Keep me posted on the definitive results.
Meanwhile, trust me, it might sound cliched, but positive thinking really makes things around you better.
You become what you think , so why think about the worst ???
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks you. Its good to have a reminder when I feel I am getting too focused on the what ifs.
I will let you know when I have my results in the next week or so and in the mean time I will try to distact myself with positive things.
I will let you know when I have my results in the next week or so and in the mean time I will try to distact myself with positive things.
Brief Answer:
Yes, take care.
Detailed Answer:
I know its easier said than done.
Anybody would worry, and speculate.
Just that it is futile, and even detrimental, for your health, to do so.
Let us gather the concrete facts in hand, and then proceed from there.
Am sure you would be able to do that, if you will yourself to.
Old forgotten hobbies, friends, music, yoga, meditation, some active sport / exercise - one / all of these might serve as good companions through this tough time !
Just stating things that your conscious already knows, sometimes it helps to have them spelled out .
Take care.
Yes, take care.
Detailed Answer:
I know its easier said than done.
Anybody would worry, and speculate.
Just that it is futile, and even detrimental, for your health, to do so.
Let us gather the concrete facts in hand, and then proceed from there.
Am sure you would be able to do that, if you will yourself to.
Old forgotten hobbies, friends, music, yoga, meditation, some active sport / exercise - one / all of these might serve as good companions through this tough time !
Just stating things that your conscious already knows, sometimes it helps to have them spelled out .
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Well it goes to show that worrying was a waste of energy. The pahology from my d and c showed endometeioid adencarcinoma figo grade 1 and high probability Of lynch symdrome .
The doctor called me and said final pahology after total abdominal hysterectomy showed only complex atypical hyperplasia. While i realize how incredibly lucky i am and i can now put this behind me and focus on my life again, i am kind of stunned. Did i never have cancer? Did the D and C scrape it away and it wad just in the lining? I dont really understand, have you heard of this before where you get a lesser final diagnosis?
The doctor called me and said final pahology after total abdominal hysterectomy showed only complex atypical hyperplasia. While i realize how incredibly lucky i am and i can now put this behind me and focus on my life again, i am kind of stunned. Did i never have cancer? Did the D and C scrape it away and it wad just in the lining? I dont really understand, have you heard of this before where you get a lesser final diagnosis?
Brief Answer:
I think the earlier hyperplasia was overdiagnosed.
Detailed Answer:
First out - Phew ! Am glad.
Dont want to rub it in, but seriously the worrying was a waste of energy.
You got me worried too, on the Lynch syndrome matter.
Well, nobody can get to the actual bottom of this unless the people involved tell you what went wrong.
I can only speculate and tell you what MIGHT have happened.
Complex atypical hyperplasia is the precursor of endometrioid carcinoma.
It is sometimes overdiagnosed as the latter.
This is an error on the part of the laboratory, and the most plausible explanation.
You never had cancer, and it was hyperplasia only all the time, and that got overdiagosed / misdiagnosed as cancer.
That explains why you / me have been puzzling all the while , as to why the last biopsy that was recently done showed no cancer.
The other, less likely possibility is - that they have made an error this time, and they have missed foci of cancer in the surgical specimen .
The D and C would not scrape away a cancer.
Even if it was just in the lining, the baseline endometrial cells removed in the hysterectomy , would still show changes of carcinoma.
So that scenario is impossible.
A final lesser diagnosis arrives when one of the two things happened -
1. Earlier the lesion was overdiagnosed ( most likely ).
2. It is underdiagnosed even right now ( less likely ).
Frankly you should pull them up a bit, and tell them what agony you have undergone and ask them to explain these discordant diagnoses.
And again- do not forget to celebrate !
It is good news , at the end of the day.
As they say - all is well that ends well.
Take care.
I think the earlier hyperplasia was overdiagnosed.
Detailed Answer:
First out - Phew ! Am glad.
Dont want to rub it in, but seriously the worrying was a waste of energy.
You got me worried too, on the Lynch syndrome matter.
Well, nobody can get to the actual bottom of this unless the people involved tell you what went wrong.
I can only speculate and tell you what MIGHT have happened.
Complex atypical hyperplasia is the precursor of endometrioid carcinoma.
It is sometimes overdiagnosed as the latter.
This is an error on the part of the laboratory, and the most plausible explanation.
You never had cancer, and it was hyperplasia only all the time, and that got overdiagosed / misdiagnosed as cancer.
That explains why you / me have been puzzling all the while , as to why the last biopsy that was recently done showed no cancer.
The other, less likely possibility is - that they have made an error this time, and they have missed foci of cancer in the surgical specimen .
The D and C would not scrape away a cancer.
Even if it was just in the lining, the baseline endometrial cells removed in the hysterectomy , would still show changes of carcinoma.
So that scenario is impossible.
A final lesser diagnosis arrives when one of the two things happened -
1. Earlier the lesion was overdiagnosed ( most likely ).
2. It is underdiagnosed even right now ( less likely ).
Frankly you should pull them up a bit, and tell them what agony you have undergone and ask them to explain these discordant diagnoses.
And again- do not forget to celebrate !
It is good news , at the end of the day.
As they say - all is well that ends well.
Take care.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Pradeep Vitta
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