Debulking surgery: Robotic vs Laproscopic vs Traditional for Primary peritoneal cancer

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ginacook
ginacook Member Posts: 6
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi
I was just wondering if anyone out there has had surgery for PPC by any method other than traditional incision for debulking. My Mom is 86 and has had 4 chemo treatments of carboplatin (no taxol). Her gynicological oncologist has suggested that she have the debulking surgery with traditional incision. He can perform Robotic or Laproscopic surgery but says he cannot see as well with those. We know that she would be in the hospital for a minimum of 6 days vs two laproscopically or robotically. Any help or info or opinion would be helpful.

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  • nanapam
    nanapam Member Posts: 8
    #2
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    traditional
    I had traditional surgery in August for PPC. I'm 56 yrs old, have low grade cancer stage IIIc. I think traditional is still the best for eyeballing any small spots that can be seen and removed, but your Mom's age and health also have to be considered. I was in the hospital 4 days after my surgery. I had 3 rounds of Taxol/carbo before my surgery, and then 3 rounds after I healed a bit. I am now NED, but I know I must have microscopic disease. Chemo is not that effective on low grade cancers, so I can't hang my hat on that for further treatment. Just glad it is a slow growing cancer! Good luck on your Mom's surgery, whatever kind she has, and keep us posted!
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    #3
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    nanapam said:

    traditional
    I had traditional surgery in August for PPC. I'm 56 yrs old, have low grade cancer stage IIIc. I think traditional is still the best for eyeballing any small spots that can be seen and removed, but your Mom's age and health also have to be considered. I was in the hospital 4 days after my surgery. I had 3 rounds of Taxol/carbo before my surgery, and then 3 rounds after I healed a bit. I am now NED, but I know I must have microscopic disease. Chemo is not that effective on low grade cancers, so I can't hang my hat on that for further treatment. Just glad it is a slow growing cancer! Good luck on your Mom's surgery, whatever kind she has, and keep us posted!

    Sounds like the oncologist isn't comfortable with Da Vinci
    It takes a LOT of da Vinci surgeries before an oncologist is truly proficient at robotic surgery. If my surgeon said he was more comfortable doing a big abdominal surgery, I'd follow his advice or else shop for a different gyne-onc surgeon that specializes in robotic surgery and prefers doing it over doing open incisions. That being said, when I look at my huge belly scar, I wish I'd have had the Da Vinci, even though my chemo-oncologist said if he ever got cancer, he'd want to be opened up so everything could be lifted out and eye-balled. You may want to get a 2nd opinon on the type of surgery if your mother is frail, as the adominal surgery is really big surgery that takes a good while to recover from.

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