I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer while undergoing IVF.

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As reported in Jacqueline Fröber

While I was working, my cell phone rang.

The doctor who called me said, “You have endometrial cancer.”

I felt a great sense of panic. I opened my mouth to say, “I guess I dialed the wrong number,” but I couldn’t say a word. I was shocked.

I started thinking about many things. I wasn’t expecting any test results. But a few days ago, I had surgery to remove a polyp from my uterus in preparation for IVF.

He wanted to bring new life to this world. I was not prepared for a cancer diagnosis.

The good news is that my gynecologist was also an oncologist, so I was able to get a consultation right away. The bad news is that he recommended a hysterectomy.

As I sat in his office, I suddenly felt the gravity of the situation: sadness, pain, and anger. I felt bitter about not being able to live the life I wanted. And if he survives, he’ll be living a life he didn’t plan for.

But there was hope. He said I could choose fertility-sparing treatment, which involves taking oral medications, to see what effect it would have on the cancer. He said there was a limited amount of time he could try treatment and that at some point he would have to have a hysterectomy. I wanted to get pregnant so it was the only option for me.

I paused my IVF and started treatment right away. I started noticing side effects almost immediately on the label. While I was watching TV at home, I felt heat like boiling water in my abdomen. In disbelief, I watched as a red line appeared on my right hand, moving up my arm and finally covering my entire body. It was like watching a Marvel movie. The heat was so bad that I wondered if I should go to the hospital. It was the first time I felt a burning sensation, but it certainly wasn’t the last.

I quickly realized that there were a lot of things about my body that I had no control over. Before my diagnosis, I was always energetic and active. However, due to the treatment, I gained a lot of weight and felt extremely tired. I was so tired that I had to take a nap in the office every day around 2pm, hoping no one would see me. I felt like I got hit by a bus.

I also found it very difficult to tell other people what was going on. It didn’t feel right to talk to friends or family about cancer. Of course they all said it with good intentions, but they didn’t really understand what I felt. My health care advisor told me about a cancer support group at Gilda’s Club in New York City, so I decided to go.

Everyone immediately welcomed me, even though I wasn’t there at first. I didn’t have to say anything. We are all united by the sadness and fear that always arises when it comes to cancer. My support group helped me get through some of my toughest times and encouraged me in ways I never thought possible.

2019 (Photo/Karen Gerrard)

And he needed all the support he could get. I had biopsies every two months to monitor for changes or malignancy. I had to undergo anesthesia every time I had a biopsy, had to request time off, and had to deal with the stress of the surgery.

But even after a year, there was no change. The doctor said the treatment wasn’t working and that if the next biopsy results weren’t good, I would have to go ahead with the hysterectomy.

As I rode the subway home, tears streamed down my face. A wave of pain washed over me and I felt very alone and defeated. All my dreams suddenly disappeared. It was in pieces.

And that’s when I heard my inner voice. I heard that message loud and clear. It was powerful, much more powerful than I thought it would be. And I decided to believe it.

I knew that hormones could promote this disorder, so I adopted a plant-based diet to avoid hormones from animal products. I read every book I could about a vegan lifestyle and tried to eat as healthily as possible. It wasn’t easy, and I loved cheeseburgers, but avoiding the extra hormones was something I could control.

I also used my inner voice through meditation. I learned to let go of some of the anger I was holding on to and focused on accepting more healing energy.

On the day of the biopsy, I was extremely nervous. And waiting for the results was unbearable. When I finally went to the doctor’s office, I was given the amazing news that I didn’t have cancer.

That happened 7 years ago and I’m still in remission. I never went through IVF again and ultimately made the difficult decision to have a hysterectomy to avoid future complications.

We are very fortunate to have been able to diagnose endometrial cancer early through the IVF process. He had no symptoms or unusual bleeding and was 38 years old, much younger than the average age for this type of cancer. Who knows how long it would have taken if I hadn’t had polyp removal surgery.

I rarely think about cancer and that time in my life, but I always remember the lessons I learned. It’s about listening to your inner voice and doing what’s right for you. Sure, your health care provider is great, but you are the only expert on your own existence. Pay attention to your inner voice. We are all much more powerful than we believe.

This educational material was produced with the support of . Merck.

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