Snajada~Am choosing 2 answer U here since U R writing on a very old post that's not very active!

LorettaMarshall
LorettaMarshall Member Posts: 662 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1

Dear Mike:

So that others might see your letter and respond, I am putting it here on a new topic forum all your own.  I see that you have written before, but you haven’t received a reply.  That’s because you answered on a topic line that began 8 years ago, and most on that link have not posted recently.  I see that there have been over 66,000 exchanges between patients during that time.  As I have stated often before, if you see someone you would like to correspond with, if you will check their “about me” page by clicking on their ID blue block on the left side of the screen, you can see if they have posted anything recently.  It happens quite often that people really are seeking an answer, but they may be placing their comments on an “inactive post”.  For instance, you wrote to Tinker, but she hasn’t posted anything since June of 2015.  So just so others will know more about you, I will post your letter here.  And if you want to ask other questions in the future, if you will return to this post which will be “current”, others will be able to correspond more easily.

You also posted here on April 22, 2017 and I don’t see a response. 

https://csn.cancer.org/comment/1578606#comment-1578606

“My mother has Primary peritoneal cancer - Apr 22, 2017 - 9:58 pm

Hi : I hope the best for you...My mother was diagnosed with Primary Peritoneal  Cancer in July 2016..She took chemo(4 cycles) , then did surgery (then chemo again for another 3 cycles)--Her  CA 125 was normal ( 20 )--We were very happy. She stopped chemo for a couple of months, but then CA125 went up to 80, and we were nervous.. She just started a different drug (Doxil) last week  and I hope the best for my mother to recover.  If anyone has any experience with this type of cancer (Primary Peritoneal or Ovarian), please share the treatment plan(s) you had from your experience or anything you like to share ...I wish the best for all of you...Thanks a lot!!”

So here will be my remarks to you.  Originally I was diagnosed with Peritoneal Carcinomatosis in November of 2012.  Three weeks later I sought a 2nd opinion at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.  There exploratory surgery was performed and cancer was also found in my ovaries.  Most likely, the ovaries are the origin of my cancer, and it had already spread elsewhere in my abdominal cavity.  So both medical facilities diagnosed me as a Stage IV patient.  Since Peritoneal Cancer and Ovarian cancer are treated with similar drugs, for practical purposes, my treatments have been traditional ones of Carboplatin and Paclitaxel (Taxol).  So early in 2013, I had a 6-treatment regimen.  The drugs were given by IV and were 3 weeks apart.  Now, presently I have had 3 different chemo regimens with the same drugs.

 I’ve also had Cytoreductive Surgery in Pittsburgh on July 1, 2013.  They were not able to remove all my tumors, but it did reduce my CA-125 count to well below 35 which is a normal count even for persons who have no cancer.   Surgery involved removing my gallbladder, ovaries, fallopian tubes, spleen, omentum and resectioning of my intestines.   You say that your mother has had surgery.  So I’m not certain what type of surgery your mother has had.  Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hysterectomies are not the same type of surgery.  In my case, surgeons removed as much cancer as they could, and removed “non-essential” organs to which the cancer would eventually spread. 

In 2014, I had targeted radiation on 3 tumors that had invaded the Caudate Lobe of my liver.  That radiation treatment totally eradicated those tumors.  Thank the Lord. 

          Just this past Thursday, I went to see my oncologist as I always do on a monthly basis.  My last chemo series ended in January of 2017.  Now it’s only been 4 months, and my CA-125 count jumped from 40 in April 2017 to 106 on May 18, 2017.  In my case, this means that more cancer is forming, but until I have another CT or PET/CT scan, I won’t know the full extent of new growth.  Neither will I know what treatments my oncologist will recommend.  He has spoken to me about the possibility of entering a clinical trial.  Clinical trials are just that—trials that are ongoing to determine if certain combinations of drugs may have a better effect on tumors than the traditional ones now most often prescribed.  And carboplatin and taxol are traditional chemo drugs that work well on many Ovarian or Peritoneal Cancers.  Now I have not taken DOXIL, so I couldn’t comment on that.  But since you asked if anyone would share their treatment plans for either Peritoneal or Ovarian cancer, I thought I should share my progress so far.  I’m still blessed to be living 4 ½ years more than I first imagined, so I shall not complain. 

          Yes, that’s disappointing because I usually go around 10 months between chemo treatments to try to “knock back” the number of tumors floating around in my abdominal cavity.  So this coming month, I will just have to “wait and see” what happens.  I fully expect it to have risen quite a bit, and so I may not have the luxury of a 10-month treatment-free interval this time around.  However, with God’s help, I am still calm and at peace.  I’m doing all I can do and the rest is up to Him.  We can commune with the Lord in our spirit and when I place my total trust in Him day by day, I continue to be at peace, although obviously I would rather be totally healthy, as we all would.  But life doesn’t allow us to choose our lessons, does it? 

          Now Mike, I’ve given you my treatment plan thus far because my diagnosis revealed cancer in the Peritoneal fluid in my abdomen as well as in my ovaries.  You might benefit by web references I shared in a letter to “Varun”.  So rather than repeat them all here, you can access them at the reference below my name. 

          It should go without saying that we ladies groan and sigh every time we read another letter about another person who has been diagnosed with any type of cancer.  As for me I know that many prayers are being said on my behalf.  Each time I write a letter, I do ask the Lord to give that person wisdom to make the best choices.  I’m truly sorry that you are having to witness the suffering of your mother and I pray that the treatments she is going to once again be enduring will be effective in killing many of the “villainous tumors” which we all have and hate!  There should be others to answer your letter as well because I have read about others that have taken DOXIL as part of their treatment.  I will give you some links that will give you all the information you need to know about this drug, as well as a reference for Peritoneal Cancer.   So at least you will know more about the uses and side effects.  Now your mother will not experience all of the possible side effects but there are no “good” ones in the list, so just be forewarned. 

          I’m sure that many who read your letter will say a prayer for her, and for you as well Mike.  Hopefully, others will be able to share their experience with DOXIL. 

Most sincerely,

Loretta

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1.  https://www.aacrfoundation.org/CancerTypes/Pages/PDQs/Ovarian-Epithelial--Fallopian-Tube--and-Primary-Peritoneal-Cancer-Treatment-PDQ.aspx?gclid=CI_SysKigNQCFZGFswodsCAE0A

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2.  https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/chemotherapy/oncolink-rx/doxorubicin-liposomal-doxil-r

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3.  http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/doxorubicin-liposomal.aspx

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4.  https://csn.cancer.org/comment/1581741#comment-1581741

My letter to “Varun” that has several additional references that you might like to read.

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