Surviving Endometrial Cancer
- Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Camille Meyer, 55, may be known for majorly spicing things up on the franchise show, but in actuality appears to be enjoying a more settled life after beating endometrial cancer in 2013, going through divorce, and remarrying in 2018.
- After finding out she had stage 2 endometrial cancer, a type of uterine cancer, Meyer underwent a radical hysterectomy, surgery that removed her uterus and reproductive organs. With stage 2, the disease has not spread beyond the uterus, but cancer has been found in the connective tissue of the cervix.
- The impact of new combination therapies on advanced endometrial cancer is a significant breakthrough for treating the disease. The combo treatment hits cancer with a double whammy by boosting the body’s immune response against cancer cells while also disrupting the cancer’s DNA repair mechanisms.
The former model and dancer, also known as Camille Grammer, was married to actor Kelsey Grammer from 1997 to 2011 and married lawyer David C. Meyer in a romantic Hawaii ceremony in 2018. She shares daughter Mason, 22, and son Jude, 19, with Grammer.
Read More“I showed Mason a screen shot of us walking into the party and she said ‘Omg! How fun. For half a second ywahhhh!’ Haha. It was a larger than life venue, I kind of miss the more intimate house parties.”
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However, Meyer said she enjoyed herself despite some one-on-one time with Richards getting cut, which of course she couldn’t help but share with fans to let them have at it with their own theories. “This party was impressive. We had fun! I filmed more than was shown this season. I filmed a scene catching up with Kyle at her house. Just me and her and yes Mauricio was there. We talked about a lot of things but it never aired.”
“Oh well. That’s show biz ??,” she added. Kyle Richards and husband Mauricio Umansky have famously had a very complicated split and separation over the past year, with many of their costars weighing in on the relationship drama.
“When you were on Camille, it was so much more entertaining and interesting!” one fan wrote in the comments of when she was more of a series regular.
“Camille, need you back full time!” echoed another supporter. “Or, you need your own show! Seasons 1 and 2, are my favorites because you are in them!”
Camille Meyer’s Endometrial Cancer
Camille Meyer has survived two cancer diagnoses: endometrial cancer in 2013 and skin cancer in 2017.
After finding out she had stage 2 endometrial cancer, a type of uterine cancer, Meyer underwent a radical hysterectomy, surgery that removed her uterus and reproductive organs.
Understanding the Risks and Symptoms of Uterine Cancer
Following the procedure, Meyer’s rep told Us Weekly at the time, “The surgery went very well and she is expected to make a complete recovery following a significant recuperation period.”
The rep also explained that Meyer “was at elevated risk due to genetic issues and has been diligent about regular check-ups and monitoring which explains the early detection and rapid treatment.”
For her skin cancer scare, Meyer was diagnosed with a common type called squamous cell carcinoma, which was thankfully caught relatively early and she was declared in remission after going through surgery.
What Is Endometrial Cancer?
Endometrial cancer first forms in the inner lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, according to the American Cancer Society.
“Endometrial cancer starts when cells in the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus) start to grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer, and can spread to other parts of the body,” the ACS explains.
“The uterus is a hollow organ, normally about the size and shape of a medium-sized pear. The uterus is where a fetus grows and develops when a woman is pregnant.”
During a woman’s menstrual cycle, the hormone estrogen causes the endometrium to thicken and, if there is no pregnancy, the hormone progesterone causes the endometrial lining to shed and become the menstrual flow.
This year, approximately 66,200 people will be diagnosed with this type of cancer, as per the ACS.
It’s important to note that there are a few kinds of endometrial cancer, also called endometrial carcinoma. Those types include:
- Adenocarcinoma, which is the most common
- Uterine carcinosarcoma or CS
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Small cell carcinoma
- Transitional carcinoma
- Serous carcinoma
Stages of endometrial cancer are divided into the following:
- Stage 1: Found in the uterus only.
- Stage 2: Has not spread beyond the uterus, but cancer has been found in the connective tissue of the cervix.
- Stage 3: Spread beyond the uterus and cervix, such as to the outer layer of the uterus, the fallopian tubes, the ovaries, ligaments or vagina. Stage 3C means the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the pelvis or near the aorta artery.
- Stage 4: Spread beyond the pelvis, such as to the bladder, bowel wall, abdomen, or groin lymph nodes.
In an earlier interview, Stanford Gynecologic Oncologist Dr. Diana English said there are several conditions that may predispose someone to get uterine cancer.
“These patients might not be thinking about this, their primary care providers may not be speaking to them about this,” Dr. English explained. Those conditions are:
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (which is marked by the absence of regular periods)
- Obesity
- Hyperandrogenism (elevated male sex hormones)
- Lynch Syndrome
New Hope for Advanced Endometrial Cancer
The impact of new combination therapies on advanced endometrial cancer is a significant breakthrough for treating the disease. Patients are living longer, healthier lives.
“For a long time, patients with early-stage endometrial cancer generally do very well with a combination of surgery, maybe some radiotherapy,” says Dr. Shannon Westin, a professor in the department of gynecologic oncology and reproductive medicine at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.
“However, there’s a population of patients that are diagnosed at a later stage, stage three or four, or that have their cancer come back after initial therapy. And those patients have had a really hard time,” she adds to SurvivorNet.
Exciting New Combination Therapy Gives Hope To Women With Advanced Endometrial Cancer
According to Westin, the latest treatments combine immunotherapy with standard chemotherapy plus a drug that prevents cancer cells from fixing their own DNA.
The results are encouraging, especially for patients who have late-stage endometrial cancer or their disease has come back.
How Does the Treatment Work?
The new combo involves two drugs:
- Durvalumab (brand name IMFINZI): As an immunotherapy drug, it powers up the body’s immune system so it can better identify and attack cancer cells. Doctors often use durvalumab alongside chemotherapy.
- Olaparib (brand name LYNPARZA): This PARP inhibitor, a type of drug that helps treat some cancers by blocking an enzyme called PARP that helps repair damaged DNA in cells. Olaparib destroys cancer cells, especially cells that already have trouble repairing their DNA. It is often, but not always, used as an add-on to durvalumab.
The combo treatment hits cancer with a double whammy by boosting the body’s immune response against cancer cells while also disrupting the cancer’s DNA repair mechanisms.
“The combination of durvalumab and chemotherapy, with or without olaparib, could redefine the standard care for advanced endometrial cancer, providing new hope for patients who previously had limited options,” Dr. Westin explains.
Contributing by SurvivorNet staff
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