Further tests for womb cancer

This process is called staging|, and may take some time. The results will help you and your doctor decide on the best treatment|. It’s not always possible to determine the stage of the cancer until after an operation to remove the womb.

Sometimes these tests may be done again, during and after treatment, to check on your progress. The following additional tests are most often used with womb cancer:

Blood tests Back to top

Samples of your blood will be taken to check your general health, the number of blood cells in your blood (blood count), and to see how well your kidneys are working. There isn’t a blood test to find womb cancer.

Chest x-ray Back to top

This is taken to check that your lungs and heart are healthy.

CT (computerised tomography) scan Back to top

A CT scanner takes a series of x-rays which build up a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body. It may be used to find the exact area and size of the cancer and whether it has spread beyond the womb. The scan is painless but takes longer than an x-ray (from 10-30 minutes).

CT scans use a small amount of radiation, which is unlikely to harm you and will not harm anyone you come into contact with. You may be given a drink or injection of a dye, which allows particular areas to be seen more clearly. This may make you feel hot all over for a few minutes. If you are allergic to iodine, or have asthma, you could have a more serious reaction to the injection, so it’s important to let your doctor know beforehand.

You’ll probably be able to go home as soon as the scan is over.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan Back to top

This test uses magnetism to build up cross-sectional pictures of your body. It can help to show the stage of the cancer. Before the scan you may be asked to complete and sign a checklist. This is to make sure that it’s safe for you to have an MRI scan, because the scanner is a powerful magnet. The checklist asks about any metal implants you may have, for example a pacemaker, surgical clips, bone pins etc. You should also tell your doctor if you have ever worked with metal or in the metal industry as very tiny fragments of metal can sometimes lodge in the body. If you do have any metal in your body it’s likely that you won’t be able to have an MRI scan. In this situation another type of scan can be used.

Before having the scan, you’ll be asked to remove any metal belongings including jewellery. Some people are given an injection of dye into a vein in the arm, which doesn’t usually cause discomfort. This is called a contrast medium and can help the images from the scan show up more clearly.

During the test you’ll be asked to lie very still on a couch inside a long cylinder (tube) for about 30 minutes. It’s painless but can be slightly uncomfortable, and some people feel a bit claustrophobic during the scan. It’s also noisy, but you’ll be given earplugs or headphones. You’ll be able to hear, and speak to, the person operating the scanner.

PET (positron emission tomography) scan Back to top

PET scans are a newer type of scan and you may have to travel to a specialist centre to have one. They are not always necessary but you can discuss with your doctor whether one would be useful in your case. PET scans can be used to accurately define the cancer and find out if it has spread to other parts of the body.

A PET scan uses low-dose radioactive glucose (a type of sugar) to measure the activity of cells in different parts of the body.

A very small amount of the glucose is injected into a vein, usually in your arm. A scan is then taken a couple of hours later. Areas of cancer are usually more active than surrounding tissue and show up on the scan.

Waiting for test results Back to top

It will probably take several days to a couple of weeks for the results of your tests to be ready. The results of the tests will show the grade and the stage| of the cancer. This information will be used by a team of doctors and nurses, known as the multidisciplinary team or MDT to decide on the most appropriate treatment|

It will probably take several days for the results of your tests to be ready, and this wait will obviously be an anxious time for you. It may help if you can find a close friend or relative to talk things over with. You can also contact us|, or another support organisation|.