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Linda’s story I am an American who lives in the Var (83) and was diagnosed with Endocervical Adenocarcinoma in 1996. I had external and internal radiation at the Meridian Hospital in Mandelieu and then had an extra-fascial hysterectomy at the Hôpital de la Conception in Marseille. My professor was a fantastic surgeon. Since 1996 I have participated in the ACOR cancer group for gynaecological cancer and have developed knowledge and experience with most gynaecological cancers but particularly cervical cancers. I have a lot of information files on cervical cancer in particular. I also have information on tumour grades, tumour hormone sensitivity, high-dose internal radiation and much more. Fortunately the cancer treatment in France is superb so having to know all the ins and outs of your treatment is far less necessary than it is in other countries, but some people just need to know what is going on. I did reject the first surgeon which was "ordered up for me" by my gynaecologist in Saint-Tropez and followed wise advise from what I had read to go to an expert in the cancer field for my surgery. It made a lot of difference. I have done some counselling in France for cancer patients mostly for those diagnosed with prostate cancer. One was scheduled for internal radiation, so I was helpful in describing to him what it would be like, which made him decide to go ahead and do it. I've compiled a large file of information on the treatment of this cancer as there are choices to be made in France - internal radiation, radiation seeds, surgery, etc. One thing that was very difficult for me was that my gynaecologist could not understand that I needed to know everything that was happening to my body. She thought I was deranged because I wanted to know exactly what class of hysterectomy I was going to have. She just wanted me to lie back and enjoy it. Knowing all about my cancer was my counselling. Since I didn't have anyone to talk with who knew what I was going through, I needed to know all that I could learn. When I did find out more information, I realised that I wasn't going to die and I knew that my gynaecological surgeon was going to perform the correct hysterectomy for my rarer type of cancer, something that was not going to happen until I changed surgeons. In January 2000, I attended as a speaker at a cancer conference in Palm Springs, California, sponsored by the Centre for Cervical Health, a cervical cancer support and education centre in New Jersey, to describe my treatment in France versus treatment protocols received by other speakers from around the world. Some people want to learn all they can about their disease, sometimes it's the spouse and sometimes people don't want to know anything but they do want someone to talk to. I would be very happy to help anyone who would just like to talk, would like to know about my treatment or what the treatment would be like here in France. One thing I know well is the fear of the unknown and how terrifying that can be. It is probably the worst thing that happens. Just talking with someone who has been through a similar experience is the most reassuring thing to relieve that terror. Linda
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