6th Chemo Today, but May Have to Endure a 7th

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Sara2011
Sara2011 Member Posts: 78 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1
I was diagnosed with an ovarian cancer and have gone through Taxol/Carboplatin chemo over the past 4 months, 6 rounds so far. My CA 125 jumped after the first chemo from 170 to 446. It has gradually been coming down after each chemo session, but my doctor is concerned as to why it has remained high (even though it is coming down) when I was diagnosed stage 1c. Today is was at 43. She is sending me for another CT scan and then we will discuss whether I will need to have another treatment. After today's chemo, I would think that 43 number should go even lower by the next appointment. It doesn't seem like these numbers are all that high considering how high these numbers can be in later staged cancer. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced something like this and did you have additional rounds. Do they want the CA 125 number to be at 0? Thanks for your input.

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  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #2
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    Hi Sara
    May I first compliment you on your party spirit hat... way to go! Most ONCs look for the CA-125 number to be under 30. Single digits to low teens seems optimal. By the way, 1C is very good for most of us don't find our diagnosis till were 3C or 4. My advice, follow your ONCs advice and if you need more chemo, go for it for I'll bet you have lots more partying to do.
    Welcome and (((hugs))) Maria
  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #3
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    Sara
    Love your spirit ! I agree your onc is the expert . It is odd the numbers didn't drop at first . Wouldn't you rather do an extra chemo now rather than a whole course six months from now. It certainly isn't easy by any means , but we are here for any help .
    Colleen
  • LaundryQueen
    LaundryQueen Member Posts: 676
    #4
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    Cafewoman53 said:

    Sara
    Love your spirit ! I agree your onc is the expert . It is odd the numbers didn't drop at first . Wouldn't you rather do an extra chemo now rather than a whole course six months from now. It certainly isn't easy by any means , but we are here for any help .
    Colleen

    I think everyone is so
    I think everyone is so different. Some women have a lot of cancer going on yet their CA-125 remains relatively low. I have read of some women whose CA-125 is over 30,000. You might be someone who just has a little bit of cancer but makes a disproportionate amount of CA-125.
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #5
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    Cancer type
    Sara,
    Do you happen to know the name of the type of ovarian cancer you were diagnosed with?
  • Sara2011
    Sara2011 Member Posts: 78 Member
    #6
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    Tethys41 said:

    Cancer type
    Sara,
    Do you happen to know the name of the type of ovarian cancer you were diagnosed with?

    Cancer Type
    Yes, I was told it was an epithelial ovarian cancer. If my oncologist advises another round of chemo, I will certainly go ahead with that. I guess I was just suprised since my CA 125 numbers seemed to be going in the right direction. Yes, I was very blessed to have had this caught in a stage 1c. I have found it's good to keep a healthy sense of humor....thus the collander party hat that was put on my bald head at Christmas dinner! Thanks for your responses, this is a very encouraging group of women on this site and I hope for each of you the best.
  • dizzymouse
    dizzymouse Member Posts: 14
    #7
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    Sara2011 said:

    Cancer Type
    Yes, I was told it was an epithelial ovarian cancer. If my oncologist advises another round of chemo, I will certainly go ahead with that. I guess I was just suprised since my CA 125 numbers seemed to be going in the right direction. Yes, I was very blessed to have had this caught in a stage 1c. I have found it's good to keep a healthy sense of humor....thus the collander party hat that was put on my bald head at Christmas dinner! Thanks for your responses, this is a very encouraging group of women on this site and I hope for each of you the best.

    Experience for Carboplatin

    Hi:

    I am scheduled my chemo next week. with Taxol/Carboplatin. May I ask your experience for Carboplatin chemo. What is the side effect ? Any allergy for carboplatin ? Please help. Thank you

  • scatsm
    scatsm Member Posts: 296 Member
    #8
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    dizzymouse said:

    Experience for Carboplatin

    Hi:

    I am scheduled my chemo next week. with Taxol/Carboplatin. May I ask your experience for Carboplatin chemo. What is the side effect ? Any allergy for carboplatin ? Please help. Thank you

    Dizzymouse

    Most of us have been treated with carbo/taxol as first line treatment. It amazes me how much variation there is in side effects. Some women breeze (a relative term) through. Others, like me, feel pretty awful. I was tired, achy, nauseous, had neuropathy and was generally down for a week, then started to feel better. By the time 3 weeks were over, I felt pretty good, only to have another treatment. I had 4 rounds, then surgery, then another 4 rounds. The good news is that once it was over, I felt better and better!

    I did have an allergic reaction to carbo at treatment #8, but they slowed the infusion and I was fine. When I was treated for my first recurrence with gemzar, I had a reaction and ended up in the hospital for 4 nights...now that was unpleasant! 

    Just try to keep your eye on the long term...even if you feel sick, it won't last and you will feel good again!

    Wishing you an easy chemo!

    Susan

  • dizzymouse
    dizzymouse Member Posts: 14
    #9
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    scatsm said:

    Dizzymouse

    Most of us have been treated with carbo/taxol as first line treatment. It amazes me how much variation there is in side effects. Some women breeze (a relative term) through. Others, like me, feel pretty awful. I was tired, achy, nauseous, had neuropathy and was generally down for a week, then started to feel better. By the time 3 weeks were over, I felt pretty good, only to have another treatment. I had 4 rounds, then surgery, then another 4 rounds. The good news is that once it was over, I felt better and better!

    I did have an allergic reaction to carbo at treatment #8, but they slowed the infusion and I was fine. When I was treated for my first recurrence with gemzar, I had a reaction and ended up in the hospital for 4 nights...now that was unpleasant! 

    Just try to keep your eye on the long term...even if you feel sick, it won't last and you will feel good again!

    Wishing you an easy chemo!

    Susan

    Scatsm

    Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I will keep post and update. Hope everything is ok . Again, Thank you!

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