help?

naomilansing
naomilansing Member Posts: 11
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
hi.
i recently had surgery to remove two tumors. i was told that they were 'borderline malignant,' and that i was really lucky that the malignancy didn't spread... but no one ever told me that i had cancer.
the only incidents that i've read about and were similar to mine were about people who do have cancer.
so i'm just wondering....do i have cancer?
i'm really curious because i want to know what kinds of things to expect for the future. if anyone has any ideas or personal experience, it would be greatly appreciated.
thanks!

Comments

  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #2
    SURGERY
    Hello:

    Where were the tumors located? Did you have a gynecologic oncologist? I would get a copy of your surgical report and any other tests you've had done - your are entitled to a copy. Maybe you can let us know more details. Right now, it's so hard to say. I've never heard of 'borderline' malignant. That would make me want to know more so that I know what to do from here on, what to look out for, etc. If you can give more detail that would be great.

    We'll be waiting to here.

    Hugs & Prayers,
    Monika
  • TDodds68
    TDodds68 Member Posts: 29
    #3
    mopar said:

    SURGERY
    Hello:

    Where were the tumors located? Did you have a gynecologic oncologist? I would get a copy of your surgical report and any other tests you've had done - your are entitled to a copy. Maybe you can let us know more details. Right now, it's so hard to say. I've never heard of 'borderline' malignant. That would make me want to know more so that I know what to do from here on, what to look out for, etc. If you can give more detail that would be great.

    We'll be waiting to here.

    Hugs & Prayers,
    Monika

    Surgery
    On my initial reports during surgery on May 7th that is exactly what was put on my report showing at least borderline malignancy the true results came back a couple of weeks later showing it was malignant cancer not only on the 15cm tumor on one ovary but the one 1.8 cm one on the right ovary and also the fluid in the abdomin was malignant. I just finished my 2nd chemo treatment last Thursday. The first one was horrible they had me do Taxol/Carboplatin I was alergic to the Taxol they put in me in the hospital 4 days and tried to rechallenge after doing lots of steroids but still had major reactions so now they are just doing the carboplatin. I was told the reason they had that on the report from surgery is that the test they do during surgery is not 100% accurate only the main one is completely 100% true.
  • saundra
    saundra Member Posts: 1,370 Member
    #4
    Information
    you need to get copies of all surgery and lab reports....pathology reports etc. and get your doctor to explain it to you until you understand. With the reports you can get information from the internet. SAUNDRA
  • Cindy54
    Cindy54 Member Posts: 452
    #5
    saundra said:

    Information
    you need to get copies of all surgery and lab reports....pathology reports etc. and get your doctor to explain it to you until you understand. With the reports you can get information from the internet. SAUNDRA

    From What I Remember
    about the borderline malignant issue. At the cancer center I was talking with someone one day who told me they had said she had a tumor removed with all the biopsies and they called it borderline malignant, meaning the tumor had cancer cells that were malignant, but because it had not spread to anywhere or anything, it was borderline. It had the potential to become cancer. She was just as confused and said a nurse told her it definitely was considered cancer, but because it had not spread outside of it's "borders" they called it borderline. It could have stayed the way it was for a time to come or it could have spread.I don't know if this helps at all. I would think you still have to be monitored with lab work at least. That is what she does every three months. The next time I see her I will ask how things are going for her. Cindy
  • Cindy54
    Cindy54 Member Posts: 452
    #6
    Cindy54 said:

    From What I Remember
    about the borderline malignant issue. At the cancer center I was talking with someone one day who told me they had said she had a tumor removed with all the biopsies and they called it borderline malignant, meaning the tumor had cancer cells that were malignant, but because it had not spread to anywhere or anything, it was borderline. It had the potential to become cancer. She was just as confused and said a nurse told her it definitely was considered cancer, but because it had not spread outside of it's "borders" they called it borderline. It could have stayed the way it was for a time to come or it could have spread.I don't know if this helps at all. I would think you still have to be monitored with lab work at least. That is what she does every three months. The next time I see her I will ask how things are going for her. Cindy

    Update
    Have talked with my friend at the Cancer Center. She was told it was ovarian, but if you had to have ovarian this was the one to have as it has a 99% survival rate. Hers was an epithelial(?) cancer that had malignant cells. Probably if she had waited, it would have become something more, so she was very lucky.She is currently being monitored by the CA125 levels. And because she had a gyno do her original surgery via laproscopy, the gyno/onc was afraid that after he did the staging surgery there were still some cancer cells that had got loose. So she has six rounds of chemo to do as a precaution. Hope some of this helps. Hugs, Cindy

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