Ovarian Cysts after Breast Cancer

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scaredagain
scaredagain Member Posts: 4
in Breast Cancer #1
This is my first post to this website support community. Today I found out I have a ovarian cyst. I was diagnosed with BC in 1998 with two tumors and spread to my lymph nodes (biopsy and radical mastectomy all done in one surgery) I chose the most aggressive treatment available: a clinical trial that called for high dose chemo every two weeks (3 doses of three drugs, Adriamyacin, Taxol, and Cytoxin. My nurse said I was getting 4X the standard doses. I also had radiation treatments after the chemo.

I see my gyn. in two weeks. Hopefully it is benign, but I guess time will tell. I plan to ask for a biopsy, because when I was diagnosed with BC, THAT was when I found out that a previous mammogram had shown "areas of calcification. . .it looks benign". Had I been told I had any abnormality on my mammogram, I might have insisted on a biopsy. But I was not informed at that time to know that I should always ASK FOR A COPY OF THE RADIOLOGIST REPORT AND DON'T JUST RELY ON YOUR OB/GYN TO TELL YOU YOUR MAMMOGRAM WAS NORMAL.

Live and learn. I guess none of you know if my cyst is benign. How could you? I just have to wait and try to not worry.

Alice

Comments

  • BioAdoptMom
    BioAdoptMom Member Posts: 358
    #2
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    I am praying that you get
    I am praying that you get GOOD news from your GYN!

    Nancy
  • NJMom10
    NJMom10 Member Posts: 176
    #3
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    Praying for you Alice
    Praying that all will be o.k. Alice.
  • ladyg
    ladyg Member Posts: 1,577
    #4
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    Welcome Alice
    Sorry for what you are going through but you will find lots of support here. I will keep you in my thoughts and send you some positive energy to help with the worry.

    Hugs,
    Georgia
  • Lynn Smith
    Lynn Smith Member Posts: 1,264 Member
    #5
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    ladyg said:

    Welcome Alice
    Sorry for what you are going through but you will find lots of support here. I will keep you in my thoughts and send you some positive energy to help with the worry.

    Hugs,
    Georgia

    Kidney cyst
    I have a kidney cyst and my urologist isn't concerned.I am 64 and he said 50% of the population get them after 60.I read the same thing.I had a uterine fibroid tumor(they are benign) but had it removed and a total hysterocomy about 16 years ago. I told them to take everything.The tumor started growing.It needed to come out.

    My friend has a fibroid tumor on her ovary and it is benign.She is a 16 year bc survivor and just found out about the tumor 3 months ago.

    I hope things will turn out good for you .Usually cysts are benign. I have one on my breast where I had the cancer tumor.I wonder about having it out but they watch it.

    Best of luck. Hope you find out soon and no long waiting period to get things done.

    Lynn Smith
  • scaredagain
    scaredagain Member Posts: 4
    #6
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    Lynn Smith said:

    Kidney cyst
    I have a kidney cyst and my urologist isn't concerned.I am 64 and he said 50% of the population get them after 60.I read the same thing.I had a uterine fibroid tumor(they are benign) but had it removed and a total hysterocomy about 16 years ago. I told them to take everything.The tumor started growing.It needed to come out.

    My friend has a fibroid tumor on her ovary and it is benign.She is a 16 year bc survivor and just found out about the tumor 3 months ago.

    I hope things will turn out good for you .Usually cysts are benign. I have one on my breast where I had the cancer tumor.I wonder about having it out but they watch it.

    Best of luck. Hope you find out soon and no long waiting period to get things done.

    Lynn Smith

    Thanks for the replies
    Thank you to all who replied to my first post. I'm trying to relax and not worry until I have more information about this cyst. Not that easy initially, especially at night.
    Alice
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #7
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    ladyg said:

    Welcome Alice
    Sorry for what you are going through but you will find lots of support here. I will keep you in my thoughts and send you some positive energy to help with the worry.

    Hugs,
    Georgia

    Welcome to the site Alice. I
    Welcome to the site Alice. I am praying for you.


    Hugs, Leeza
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #8
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    First, thank you for doing
    First, thank you for doing the clinical trial. I did 6 rounds of Taxotere, Cytoxin, and Adriamyacin three weeks apart, starting Aug of 2010. My doc said the chemo worked, and now I have someone to thank for it!

    I think you're right to ask for a biopsy. Please come back and let us know how you're doing. I'm sending positive thoughts and hoping you'll find some peace.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • mjjones453
    mjjones453 Member Posts: 155
    #9
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    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    First, thank you for doing
    First, thank you for doing the clinical trial. I did 6 rounds of Taxotere, Cytoxin, and Adriamyacin three weeks apart, starting Aug of 2010. My doc said the chemo worked, and now I have someone to thank for it!

    I think you're right to ask for a biopsy. Please come back and let us know how you're doing. I'm sending positive thoughts and hoping you'll find some peace.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    Welcome!
    Alice, I have been struggling with Ovarian cysts since last year. I know that I have had them before BC, but since being on Tamoxifen, which I am not sure if it has attributed to them growing in size or not. I have gone of the Tamoxifen to see if the amount of pain I was having would go away, but it hasn't. I do know that almost all cysts are not cancerous, But sometimes they can be; they usually go away with your periods. But, mine have not. I feel like I have two grapefruits in my ab, pushing things out of place. I am unsure what is going to happen next, but Don't worry to much, just follow up with the Dr.
    Mary
  • Survivor73
    Survivor73 Member Posts: 135
    #10
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    mjjones453 said:

    Welcome!
    Alice, I have been struggling with Ovarian cysts since last year. I know that I have had them before BC, but since being on Tamoxifen, which I am not sure if it has attributed to them growing in size or not. I have gone of the Tamoxifen to see if the amount of pain I was having would go away, but it hasn't. I do know that almost all cysts are not cancerous, But sometimes they can be; they usually go away with your periods. But, mine have not. I feel like I have two grapefruits in my ab, pushing things out of place. I am unsure what is going to happen next, but Don't worry to much, just follow up with the Dr.
    Mary

    me too
    Hi There. I too have just been told that I have a mass in my ovary...it was found during a ct scan that was looking for something else.

    Let me know what testing they do. I am currently in the middle of treatment for bc...so I don't know if this will delay anything...have us scheduled on Monday next week...so we'll see.

    Hope they are both just cysts...that would be a good answer...

    Take care...I'm thinking about you.
  • cathyp
    cathyp Member Posts: 376 Member
    #11
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    Survivor73 said:

    me too
    Hi There. I too have just been told that I have a mass in my ovary...it was found during a ct scan that was looking for something else.

    Let me know what testing they do. I am currently in the middle of treatment for bc...so I don't know if this will delay anything...have us scheduled on Monday next week...so we'll see.

    Hope they are both just cysts...that would be a good answer...

    Take care...I'm thinking about you.

    ovarian cysts
    My ovarian cyst was found after complaining of a strange period 2 mos after starting tamoxifen. I had a dbl mx for IDC (breast cancer caused from radiation treatments for Hodgkins Lymphoma in 1989 and 1994). I too had mammos that should calcifications 2 years before my mx. ASK FOR YOUR REPORTS! The radiologists reading my mammos knew I had previous rads and should have recommended a biopsy. If I was smart enough to get copies, I hope I would have insisted on a biopsy.
    Anyway, after the cyst was found we did a CA-125 that was elevated for ovarian cancer. The cyct was benign but my levels continued to rise. I had so many TV US and invasive testing with repeat CA-125 levels for 2 long years. Quality of life sucked during this time. Finally, I had a hx and removed the last ovary w/a cyst within a cyst on it. All benign. 4 months later my CA-125 is normal!! So...all this testing can snowball. CA-125's are not black and white and most cysts do turn out to be benign. Have you had the BRAC testing done?
    My best wishes to you, I hope you get your answers soon and everything is ok!
    Cathy
  • scaredagain
    scaredagain Member Posts: 4
    #12
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    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    First, thank you for doing
    First, thank you for doing the clinical trial. I did 6 rounds of Taxotere, Cytoxin, and Adriamyacin three weeks apart, starting Aug of 2010. My doc said the chemo worked, and now I have someone to thank for it!

    I think you're right to ask for a biopsy. Please come back and let us know how you're doing. I'm sending positive thoughts and hoping you'll find some peace.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    Linda
    You are the first person ever to thank me for entering a clinical trial for breast cancer! You are most welcome. Since standard treatments offered me a 50% survival rate (age 45 when I was diagnosed), I decided a clinical trial was my only option to obtain the harshest treatments possible.

    Thank you for letting me know you appreciate that grueling time in my life. I hope you are doing OK considering what you've been through.

    Take care,
    Alice
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #13
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    I've Had Cysts for Years
    It's very common. Your ob/gyn should be able to tell from the ultrasound if it's a cyst that looks suspicious or if it's just a common cyst that women get off and on throughout their lifetime.

    I actually have one that hasn't gone away and it's coming upon two years. I'm seriously thinking about having removed as it keeps getting more painful as time goes on. I'm convinced that the Tamoxifen was a huge factor in causing it. Cysts are a somewhat common side effect. However, they usually go away on their own. It's more of an annoyance and I'm sick of having pain every month!

    Anyway, though you have every right to be concerned, I wouldn't worry too much! I'm sure everything will be ok.

    Best,
    Sally
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #14
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    mjjones453 said:

    Welcome!
    Alice, I have been struggling with Ovarian cysts since last year. I know that I have had them before BC, but since being on Tamoxifen, which I am not sure if it has attributed to them growing in size or not. I have gone of the Tamoxifen to see if the amount of pain I was having would go away, but it hasn't. I do know that almost all cysts are not cancerous, But sometimes they can be; they usually go away with your periods. But, mine have not. I feel like I have two grapefruits in my ab, pushing things out of place. I am unsure what is going to happen next, but Don't worry to much, just follow up with the Dr.
    Mary

    Praying for you Alice!

    Praying for you Alice!

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