A woman who mistook symptoms of uterine cancer for menopause has urged others to be aware of the telltale signs of the disease.
Reija Sillanpaa thought she was approaching ‘the change’ after noticing subtle changes in her menstrual cycle in 2017.
But in late 2018, the 37-year-old, who lived in London, suffered from lower back pain, long heavy periods and bouts of exhaustion.
Tests later confirmed that the writer and translator, originally from Finland, had advanced uterine cancer.
Ms Sillanpaa is now in remission after undergoing more than 30 grueling rounds of treatment.
Reija Sillanpaa thought she was approaching ‘the change’ after noticing subtle changes in her menstrual cycle in 2017. But in late 2018, the 37-year-old, who lived in London, suffered from lower back pain, long heavy periods and bouts of exhaustion. Pictured is Mrs. Sillanpaa in Finland, a year before her diagnosis
Tests later confirmed that the writer and translator, originally from Finland, had advanced uterine cancer. Ms Sillanpaa is now in remission after undergoing more than 30 grueling rounds of treatment. Pictured, Ms Sillanpaa after shaving her head
Discussing her ordeal, she said: ‘Luckily I had a GP who sent me straight away for further tests.
‘Unfortunately, I know far too many people whose diagnosis was delayed because a doctor didn’t think uterine cancer was possible, usually because of their young age.
‘I am so grateful that my GP was not one of that group of medical professionals because by the time I was diagnosed, the cancer had already spread outside the uterus and was in stage three.’
According to Cancer Research UK, around 9,000 British women are diagnosed with the disease every year.
It is the fourth most common cancer in women in Britain.
The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 66,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the US this year.
According to Cancer Research UK, around 9,000 British women are diagnosed with the disease every year. It is the fourth most common cancer in women in Britain. Ms Sillanpaa said: ‘I wasn’t surprised, but I was terrified. My doctors couldn’t tell me if I would survive. The hardest part was telling my parents, brother and sister who were all still in Finland.’ Pictured is Ms Sillanpaa during chemotherapy
It mainly affects women who have gone through menopause, with high estrogen levels being the main risk factor.
Obesity and use of HRT can lead to high levels of the hormone.
The first symptom is usually abnormal vaginal bleeding.
This could be bleeding that occurs after menopause, an unusually heavy period or bleeding between periods.
Patients may also experience vaginal discharge, which appears pink or dark in color.
Because the symptoms are distinctive, uterine cancer is often caught early, meaning most cases can be cured.
But like other cancers, the disease can spread to surrounding organs – often the intestines and bladder – if symptoms are not noticed. At that point it becomes difficult to treat.
Only 15 percent of women with advanced uterine cancer will survive the cancer for five years or more, says Cancer Research UK.
Ms Sillanpaa said: ‘I wasn’t surprised, but I was terrified. My doctors couldn’t tell me if I would survive.
‘The hardest part was telling my parents, brother and sister, who were all still in Finland.
‘I think they would have liked me to go back to Finland for my treatment, but they also knew I was getting the best care at the Royal Marsden.’
She added: “I didn’t handle it well at first. I splurged and bought a lot of beautiful clothes that I had always considered out of my budget.
“I figured if I was going to die, I might as well use my credit card first.”
‘Luckily I came to my senses before I spent too much money. The next phase was to learn as much as possible about uterine cancer.’
She also started a blog to share her experiences and connect with cancer survivors and others like her who battled cancer. Ms Sillanpaa said: ‘Writing about it (my cancer) and talking to others has definitely helped me process my thoughts and feelings.’ Pictured is Ms Sillanpaa earlier this summer
In the months after her diagnosis, doctors were also told she had Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that increases the risk of certain cancers, including colon, ovarian and pancreatic cancer. Ms Sillanpaa now undergoes regular colonoscopies to detect any changes in her body. Pictured is Mrs Sillanpaa on a cycle ride in front of the Royal Marsden
She also started a blog to share her experiences and connect with cancer survivors and others like her who battled cancer.
Ms Sillanpaa said: ‘Writing about it (my cancer) and talking to others has definitely helped me process my thoughts and feelings.
‘I was of course relieved and happy when the doctors told me that I had no symptoms, but it was also a strange feeling.
“When your life consists of a series of hospital visits for treatments for most of the year and then they suddenly stop, you kind of feel like, ‘What now?’
‘Especially when I was still free and my days suddenly had no structure anymore.
‘Most people around you expect everything to return to normal. (But) after cancer there is no way back to normal.
‘I always wonder if new aches and pains could be a sign that the cancer is returning.’
In the months after her diagnosis, doctors were also told she had Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that increases the risk of certain cancers, including colon, ovarian and pancreatic cancer.
Ms Sillanpaa now undergoes regular colonoscopies to detect any changes in her body.
She said: ‘People need to stop thinking of womb cancer as a cancer in older women.
‘You can get uterine cancer at any age and GPs should always refer people with menstrual changes for further checks.
‘If your doctor does not give you a referral, insist or go to another GP. Don’t take no for an answer.
‘Also, anyone who has cancer associated with Lynch syndrome, such as uterine cancer or colon cancer, should consider genetic testing.’