Surgery June 15

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sandysp
sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1
I passed blood late April and on May 4th was diagnosed with Invasive Squamous Cell Cancer of the Anus. I had a CT scan that revealed multiple masses in the pelvic bowel. I am T2N1 anal cancer and was scheduled for chemo and radiation treatments, but had to see the GYN surgeon first. He scheduled surgery asap and said I may come out same day but maybe not and then went on to very grimly point out that I could have extensive surgery or they could just close me up. I signed a Health Care Proxy, had an Ultra Sound and did my Pre-op all the same day. It all seems unreal. I asked him if the tumors could be squamous cell and he said yes. I know the anal cancer is very rare, does anyone here have squamous cell cancer of the vagina and or ovaries? I had cervical cancer and a hysterectomy when I was 26. I am now 61. There is a connection between the anal cancer and the cervical cancer. But is there a connection between cervical cancer and ovarian cancer when the cervical cancer was in situ and completely removed 34 years ago? Sorry if I sound out of it. I researched anal cancer and joined the survivors on this sight, but am in over my head completely in the GYN area. It sounds like I won't know anything until I wake up from surgery.

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  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #2
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    Wow
    You sure have a lot to deal with. Welcome. My thoughts and prayers go out to you.

    Karen
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #3
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    Dear Sandy Good Lord, I
    Dear Sandy

    Good Lord, I cannot even imagine WHAT you must be going thru! I believe the connection between cervical cancer & anal cancer is that HPV infection. As far as I know, ovarian cancer is not associated with HPV.

    You may have been referred to the gyn/onc doc because they are the experts in the debulking surgery--you will probably have two surgeons working with you.

    Do you know if you are going to have a colostomy (the "bag")? Or might that not be necessary?

    In any case, once you come out of surgery, you will have a game plan. Until then, get the Anticancer book by Servan-Schreiber so you can get on the anticancer diet while you are waiting for surgery. From your posting, I cant figure out if you have started on chemo yet--that should shrink the tumors to help the surgery go better.

    Hoping for a good outcome for you,

    Carolen
  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #4
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    carolenk said:

    Dear Sandy Good Lord, I
    Dear Sandy

    Good Lord, I cannot even imagine WHAT you must be going thru! I believe the connection between cervical cancer & anal cancer is that HPV infection. As far as I know, ovarian cancer is not associated with HPV.

    You may have been referred to the gyn/onc doc because they are the experts in the debulking surgery--you will probably have two surgeons working with you.

    Do you know if you are going to have a colostomy (the "bag")? Or might that not be necessary?

    In any case, once you come out of surgery, you will have a game plan. Until then, get the Anticancer book by Servan-Schreiber so you can get on the anticancer diet while you are waiting for surgery. From your posting, I cant figure out if you have started on chemo yet--that should shrink the tumors to help the surgery go better.

    Hoping for a good outcome for you,

    Carolen

    Good luck
    Hope your surgery goes well and no more CANCER!!!,,val
  • Radioactive34
    Radioactive34 Member Posts: 391 Member
    #5
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    I do not have much to say
    I do not have much to say beyond..relating that when I found out I had cancer, there was nothing anyone could really do to make things better. I appreciated the hugs. I was thankful for the prayers but I was in a vacumn. Somedays I am still in that vacumn.

    The things that could make things better were concrete answers. Very few people had the answers. We will be here waiting with you for those answers.

    R34 ..Yoli
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #6
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    Radioactive34 said:

    I do not have much to say
    I do not have much to say beyond..relating that when I found out I had cancer, there was nothing anyone could really do to make things better. I appreciated the hugs. I was thankful for the prayers but I was in a vacumn. Somedays I am still in that vacumn.

    The things that could make things better were concrete answers. Very few people had the answers. We will be here waiting with you for those answers.

    R34 ..Yoli

    Looking for answers
    Dear Yoli

    I think that must be one of the hardest things about being diagnosed with OVCA: No one has the answer to so many questions and especially to the question "will it come back?" I am learning to live in the moment and just take everything one day at a time. Like someone in a 12-step program recovery program.

    My daughter has polycystic ovaries (but hasn't decided to try to have children yet) and when I read your story of your history with PCOS, I started to worry about HER future. Thank you for sharing your story here.

    If I had to get this diagnosis so that I would be forced to learn about OVCA and then prevent HER from getting the same thing, then it has all been worth it for me.

    (((more hugs)))

    Carolen
  • AussieMaddie
    AussieMaddie Member Posts: 345 Member
    #7
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    Hi Sandy,
    want you to know
    Hi Sandy,

    want you to know that I will be sending lots of my very best wishes for you on the 15th.

    I didn't know that there was a connection between anal and cervical cancer. I have only heard of a connection between Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and cervical cancer (or was that uterine cancer?) I know that I always wondered about my own vulnerability for that because I had HPV in my youth and had to have surgery on it twice - but it seems to have had no follow up in my case. I was reading in my doctor's surgery that there is now available for young women, under a certain age, a vaccine for (cervical cancer I think).

    I do remember that although my mother died from complications related to cancer of the lung, she did have squamous carcinoma of the larynx, but not of the anus. Both her cancers were related to smoking. I believe it when you say that anal cancer is rare. I've never heard of it before seeing part of a series of tapes made for tv - and, as far as I know, all watchable on YouTube, of the actress, Farrah Fawcett's journey through anal cancer. I don't know if it would help you however because it recounts her very harrowing journey and she didn't survive it. Would be good if you could find other people who *did* survive it.

    I hope that you do. If you don't find people in these forums who survived it, I would Google 'anal cancer survive' to see what turns up. You might be surprised at how some people have survived. I know that my own cancer has a poor prognosis but have found others who have lived with it for many years after diagnosis. You never know. No-one does.

    Thinking of you ..

    AussieMaddie
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #8
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    HUGS, SANDY
    My heart (AND prayers) go out to you. Sorry that I can't answer your questions, but just wanted you to know that I'll be thinking of you and praying that you come out of the surgery hearing better news than you anticipated.
    Monika
  • Pam Kiley
    Pam Kiley Member Posts: 18
    #9
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    Thinking of You
    Hi Sandy, So sorry you are going thru all this!! I will be praying for you. I had Breast cancer so cannot give u information, but all cancer is terrifying. You've been hit by so much in very little time, it must be overwhelming! I read poems by Mary Oliver, one struck me as I was going thru treatment, The Journey. All this is a journey we never wanted to take. The unknown is so frightning, but sounds like your in good hands medically, amd you are always in the palm of Gods hand. I wish you the best Sandy. Will keep you in my prays everyday! Keep singing Sandy! Be Well, Kiley
  • sandysp
    sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
    #10
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    AussieMaddie said:

    Hi Sandy,
    want you to know
    Hi Sandy,

    want you to know that I will be sending lots of my very best wishes for you on the 15th.

    I didn't know that there was a connection between anal and cervical cancer. I have only heard of a connection between Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and cervical cancer (or was that uterine cancer?) I know that I always wondered about my own vulnerability for that because I had HPV in my youth and had to have surgery on it twice - but it seems to have had no follow up in my case. I was reading in my doctor's surgery that there is now available for young women, under a certain age, a vaccine for (cervical cancer I think).

    I do remember that although my mother died from complications related to cancer of the lung, she did have squamous carcinoma of the larynx, but not of the anus. Both her cancers were related to smoking. I believe it when you say that anal cancer is rare. I've never heard of it before seeing part of a series of tapes made for tv - and, as far as I know, all watchable on YouTube, of the actress, Farrah Fawcett's journey through anal cancer. I don't know if it would help you however because it recounts her very harrowing journey and she didn't survive it. Would be good if you could find other people who *did* survive it.

    I hope that you do. If you don't find people in these forums who survived it, I would Google 'anal cancer survive' to see what turns up. You might be surprised at how some people have survived. I know that my own cancer has a poor prognosis but have found others who have lived with it for many years after diagnosis. You never know. No-one does.

    Thinking of you ..

    AussieMaddie

    All the best
    Thanks.

    There is an anal cancer survivor discussion board on this site that is only a year old. I am beginning to call Charlie's Angel St. Farrah! She really helped people like me with her story.

    I wonder if squamous cell cancer when it is internal is hpv related. It is supposed to be a skin cancer existing outside the body. When it is internal, I beleive there is an hpv connection but these are controversial matters in the medical community and I have no scientific talents, only an uneducated intuitive intelligence.

    In any event, squamous cell is supposed to be very weakened by radiation. So there is hope.

    Thank you for sharing about hpv. It is a virus we need to watch carefully for the sake of our children and grandchildren. My father had hpv and his mother died from uterine cancer. I may have been born with the virus. I never had warts, but had a few of outbreaks of genital herpes usually when under a lot of stress that lasted a few days. I was told my first outbreak that it was viral and sexually transmitted. That was in the 70's. Not much has changed but I'm wondering still if I wasn't born with it or at least a predisposition to catching the virus. This version I here is hpv16.
  • sandysp
    sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
    #11
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    mopar said:

    HUGS, SANDY
    My heart (AND prayers) go out to you. Sorry that I can't answer your questions, but just wanted you to know that I'll be thinking of you and praying that you come out of the surgery hearing better news than you anticipated.
    Monika

    Pap smear was negative for cancer
    Thank you for your prayers. My pap smear is negative for cancer so I can go into surgery ruling out vaginectomies or vulvectomies - (these procedures actually exist!). Whew! What else is there I don't know about - like debulking? I guess there is a lot I don't know and that is probably a good thing right now.

    All the best to you.
  • sandysp
    sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
    #12
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    Pam Kiley said:

    Thinking of You
    Hi Sandy, So sorry you are going thru all this!! I will be praying for you. I had Breast cancer so cannot give u information, but all cancer is terrifying. You've been hit by so much in very little time, it must be overwhelming! I read poems by Mary Oliver, one struck me as I was going thru treatment, The Journey. All this is a journey we never wanted to take. The unknown is so frightning, but sounds like your in good hands medically, amd you are always in the palm of Gods hand. I wish you the best Sandy. Will keep you in my prays everyday! Keep singing Sandy! Be Well, Kiley

    I love poetry and will look
    I love poetry and will look up Mary Oliver. Thank you. And you are also in my prayers now.
  • sandysp
    sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
    #13
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    Radioactive34 said:

    I do not have much to say
    I do not have much to say beyond..relating that when I found out I had cancer, there was nothing anyone could really do to make things better. I appreciated the hugs. I was thankful for the prayers but I was in a vacumn. Somedays I am still in that vacumn.

    The things that could make things better were concrete answers. Very few people had the answers. We will be here waiting with you for those answers.

    R34 ..Yoli

    You are right. It is like a
    You are right. It is like a vaccuum sucking up my energy and my thoughts, my primary relationships. It is also like a big wake up siren to remember to be kind and do what I love with my whole heart and turn away from negative people without apology or remorse only prayer.
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #14
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    sandysp said:

    Pap smear was negative for cancer
    Thank you for your prayers. My pap smear is negative for cancer so I can go into surgery ruling out vaginectomies or vulvectomies - (these procedures actually exist!). Whew! What else is there I don't know about - like debulking? I guess there is a lot I don't know and that is probably a good thing right now.

    All the best to you.

    Debulking surgery
    Dear Sandy

    First of all, let me say YAY! that your cervix is healthy. I had a healthy cervix before the debulking surgery and asked the gyn/onc surgery if I could keep it.

    Now, I have to remember to report on the MRI scan history form that I did not have a TOTAL hysterectomy...the radiologist had to guess that what he saw on the post-op MRI scan was a cervix (good for him, he guessed right).

    I was very concerned about the adhesions that form post-operatively after the debulking surgery. I think all kinds of weird stuff goes on in the abdomen/pelvis like lymphedema, lymphoceles and pockets of fluid called seromas, too.

    Anyway, 6 weeks post op (after I felt that I was healed up inside) I began doing gentle massage on my abdomen (it's called visceral massage) to stretch the adhesions hoping to prevent bowel obstructions in the future. Massage therapists are reluctant to massage any areas where there is known cancer--however, I figure that the massage I was doing was not going to spread cancer because it was nothing compared to the dissection that went on with the debulking surgery.

    Keep us posted--I think we are a really nice group of survivors on this discussion board--probably some of the MOST caring people of all the discussion boards at this ACS web site,

    Carolen
  • sandysp
    sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
    #15
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    carolenk said:

    Debulking surgery
    Dear Sandy

    First of all, let me say YAY! that your cervix is healthy. I had a healthy cervix before the debulking surgery and asked the gyn/onc surgery if I could keep it.

    Now, I have to remember to report on the MRI scan history form that I did not have a TOTAL hysterectomy...the radiologist had to guess that what he saw on the post-op MRI scan was a cervix (good for him, he guessed right).

    I was very concerned about the adhesions that form post-operatively after the debulking surgery. I think all kinds of weird stuff goes on in the abdomen/pelvis like lymphedema, lymphoceles and pockets of fluid called seromas, too.

    Anyway, 6 weeks post op (after I felt that I was healed up inside) I began doing gentle massage on my abdomen (it's called visceral massage) to stretch the adhesions hoping to prevent bowel obstructions in the future. Massage therapists are reluctant to massage any areas where there is known cancer--however, I figure that the massage I was doing was not going to spread cancer because it was nothing compared to the dissection that went on with the debulking surgery.

    Keep us posted--I think we are a really nice group of survivors on this discussion board--probably some of the MOST caring people of all the discussion boards at this ACS web site,

    Carolen

    no cervix
    I had a hysterectomy in 1976 for carcinoma in situ so I don't have a cervix but I was worried about vaginal cancer and I guess this pap smear coming back negative for cancer means it is "only" ovarian cancer I may have to worry about besides the anal cancer. Treatment for anal cancer has been postponed for indefinitely, it seems, until the results of Wednesday's surgery are in.

    Thanks for you prayers. And yes, Cancer survivors are wonderful to have a chance to communicate with particularly at this time. I am very grateful for this board.
  • sandysp
    sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
    #16
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    I woke up from surgery and went home same day
    Thank you for all your comments and well wishes.

    I am back to "just" being a stage 3A anal cancer person.
    All the tumors (one grapefruit size) were benign.

    I am one lucky duck,and appreciate my life more than ever.

    I am going into this anal cancer fight feeling lucky that I'm only fighting this and not ovarian cancer too.

    I had a great surgeon and Sloan Kettering treated me great.

    All the best to everyone here. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #17
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    sandysp said:

    I woke up from surgery and went home same day
    Thank you for all your comments and well wishes.

    I am back to "just" being a stage 3A anal cancer person.
    All the tumors (one grapefruit size) were benign.

    I am one lucky duck,and appreciate my life more than ever.

    I am going into this anal cancer fight feeling lucky that I'm only fighting this and not ovarian cancer too.

    I had a great surgeon and Sloan Kettering treated me great.

    All the best to everyone here. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

    What great news! I'm very
    What great news! I'm very happy for you that you don't have another cancer to fight and are home healing up from your surgery already.
  • clamryn
    clamryn Member Posts: 508
    #18
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    sandysp said:

    I woke up from surgery and went home same day
    Thank you for all your comments and well wishes.

    I am back to "just" being a stage 3A anal cancer person.
    All the tumors (one grapefruit size) were benign.

    I am one lucky duck,and appreciate my life more than ever.

    I am going into this anal cancer fight feeling lucky that I'm only fighting this and not ovarian cancer too.

    I had a great surgeon and Sloan Kettering treated me great.

    All the best to everyone here. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

    Great news
    So glad to hear some good news on this board. When I read your original post, I didn't know what to say. You were facing so much. You sound like you have such a great attitude Sandy. Keep the good news coming. I will definitely keep you in my prayers.

    ((((A big hug to you))))

    Linda
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #19
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    clamryn said:

    Great news
    So glad to hear some good news on this board. When I read your original post, I didn't know what to say. You were facing so much. You sound like you have such a great attitude Sandy. Keep the good news coming. I will definitely keep you in my prayers.

    ((((A big hug to you))))

    Linda

    Very good news! What a
    Very good news! What a relief this must be for you. I am really happy to hear this. Thanks for posting.

    (((HUGS)))

    Carolen

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