Stage II OVC post chemo cyst in L pelvic

BeataM
BeataM Member Posts: 5
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi Ladies:

Cudos to all of you. As I was reading some posts, I admire you for strength and determination to fight this dis-ease.

I have been diagnosed with stage II bilateral ovarian ca in Oct 2010, had total hysterectomy and ovaries removed in Nov 2010. Started in carbo/taxol and just completed 6 rounds in March 2011. CT scan of April 13 showed 5cm cystic structure in L pelvis with minimal amt of free fluid in pelvis. Otherwise, CT scan normal. CA 125 at 9.5. I am to see my onco surgeon this weekend for determination and treatment.

Worried that it might represent a recurrence. Hoping that it's just postop seromatous cyst. Any impressions, advise, counsel, please.

Thank you.
Beata

Comments

  • LaundryQueen
    LaundryQueen Member Posts: 676
    #2
    Accessory spleen
    I don't know if a "splenule" would show up as a cyst or a nodule but it is an extra piece of spleen tissue that can show up near the spleen or stuck on a piece of bowel. If you look up splenule online, you will see that it is often biopsied as suspected cancer.

    There is always a small amount of free fluid in the bowel/pelvis. I think it is there so that the organs don't get stuck together.
  • lulu1010
    lulu1010 Member Posts: 367
    #3
    My story is a lot like yours!
    I was diagnosed with PPC in Aug 2010 and treated with some Carbo and then had surgery Dec 2010. In Jan 2011 I was started on Carbo/Taxol and about a month ago I developed a fever and right pelvic pain. The scan showed a cyst but no new cancer. They tested the fluid which was negative for cancer cells. I had a drain placed and treated with antibiotics and now I am back on track. I know how scared you are but chances are it is just a cyst. I think they called mine a lymphocyst.....it was where they had removed a lymph node. Here's hugs to you and prayers it is just a benign cyst and you can get back to treatment and be well soon!
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #4
    lulu1010 said:

    My story is a lot like yours!
    I was diagnosed with PPC in Aug 2010 and treated with some Carbo and then had surgery Dec 2010. In Jan 2011 I was started on Carbo/Taxol and about a month ago I developed a fever and right pelvic pain. The scan showed a cyst but no new cancer. They tested the fluid which was negative for cancer cells. I had a drain placed and treated with antibiotics and now I am back on track. I know how scared you are but chances are it is just a cyst. I think they called mine a lymphocyst.....it was where they had removed a lymph node. Here's hugs to you and prayers it is just a benign cyst and you can get back to treatment and be well soon!

    You can probably relax
    I think no one worries much about small cysts...and you are probably right that it could be trapped fluid. With all the scarring that goes on after de-bulking surgery, I'm surprised we don't hear about more such cysts.

    Keep us posted.
  • BeataM
    BeataM Member Posts: 5
    #5
    Lymphocyst
    Thank you for your comments! I ended up having an ultrasound yesterday which confirmed a lymphocyst on the very left side of pelvis. I'm relieved.



    Beata
  • LaundryQueen
    LaundryQueen Member Posts: 676
    #6
    BeataM said:

    Lymphocyst
    Thank you for your comments! I ended up having an ultrasound yesterday which confirmed a lymphocyst on the very left side of pelvis. I'm relieved.



    Beata

    lymphocysts and lymphedema
    Beata: I am so happy to hear that your cyst was determined to be benign. I think that there is probably some lymphedema also happening in the pelvis after the extensive debulking surgery we all went through--how could there NOT be?

    Although lymphedema is associated most often with post-mastectomy survivors, I am convinced lymphedema is also a sequela of OVCA.

    The reason I believe this is that I had an area of thickening on the left side of my pelvis/abdomen (where the tumors were the WORST) that greatly improved after I asked the massage therapist to work on my belly recently.

    I had been massaging my belly to stretch the adhesions and stopped when I felt "normal" again. I have since resumed the belly massage.

    If the thickening were scar tissue or malignant tissue, it wouldn't have gone away so I can only guess that it is lymphedema...which no one ever talks about. Oh well...
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980 Member
    #7
    LaundryQueen said:

    lymphocysts and lymphedema
    Beata: I am so happy to hear that your cyst was determined to be benign. I think that there is probably some lymphedema also happening in the pelvis after the extensive debulking surgery we all went through--how could there NOT be?

    Although lymphedema is associated most often with post-mastectomy survivors, I am convinced lymphedema is also a sequela of OVCA.

    The reason I believe this is that I had an area of thickening on the left side of my pelvis/abdomen (where the tumors were the WORST) that greatly improved after I asked the massage therapist to work on my belly recently.

    I had been massaging my belly to stretch the adhesions and stopped when I felt "normal" again. I have since resumed the belly massage.

    If the thickening were scar tissue or malignant tissue, it wouldn't have gone away so I can only guess that it is lymphedema...which no one ever talks about. Oh well...

    I saw a lymphodema specialist when my ankles swelled a bit.
    Some of my cancer mets are in my lymph nodes plus I had 25 lymph nodes removed in my original surgery, and I had some ankle swelling during my first remission. I got a referral to a certified lymphodema specialist and it turns out I do have mild lymphodema in my ankles that I can control by wearing compression socks daily. (BTW: compression socks today look just like dressy trouser socks and make your legs feel WONDERFUL!) But, more interesting, she told me that many women with gynecologic cancers have lymphodema in the lower pelvic and groin area. (I had some swelling there a couple days after a 12-hour flight to Greece, and she said that was surely lymphodema.) She recommended that I wear compression garments for the pelvic region also. It's funny; I thought wearing loose clothing would be best for any swelling, but the opposite is true. For lymphodema (which is incurable and needs to be controlled in the EARLY stages and not wait until it gets bad!) you need to "push back" on the lymph system using compression and/or massage. So here is your excuse to wear Spanx and look svelt all the time! I am serious. I like to be comfortable and don't wear Spanx all the time, but when I do, I know I am helping keep pelvic lymphodema under control AND helping my vanity with my 'compressed' flat stomach.
  • srwruns
    srwruns Member Posts: 343
    #8
    I have been getting regular
    I have been getting regular lymphedema therapy for the past two months even though I only had extremely slight swelling. I am doing it as a preventative. I also had a lymphocyst after surgery but it eventually resolved on its own. I am also eligilble for a lymph pump which when attached to something that looks like inflatable overalls pumps air and makes a sequential compression up my legs and past my abdomen. Like a massage!
  • BeataM
    BeataM Member Posts: 5
    #9
    lindaprocopio said:

    I saw a lymphodema specialist when my ankles swelled a bit.
    Some of my cancer mets are in my lymph nodes plus I had 25 lymph nodes removed in my original surgery, and I had some ankle swelling during my first remission. I got a referral to a certified lymphodema specialist and it turns out I do have mild lymphodema in my ankles that I can control by wearing compression socks daily. (BTW: compression socks today look just like dressy trouser socks and make your legs feel WONDERFUL!) But, more interesting, she told me that many women with gynecologic cancers have lymphodema in the lower pelvic and groin area. (I had some swelling there a couple days after a 12-hour flight to Greece, and she said that was surely lymphodema.) She recommended that I wear compression garments for the pelvic region also. It's funny; I thought wearing loose clothing would be best for any swelling, but the opposite is true. For lymphodema (which is incurable and needs to be controlled in the EARLY stages and not wait until it gets bad!) you need to "push back" on the lymph system using compression and/or massage. So here is your excuse to wear Spanx and look svelt all the time! I am serious. I like to be comfortable and don't wear Spanx all the time, but when I do, I know I am helping keep pelvic lymphodema under control AND helping my vanity with my 'compressed' flat stomach.

    Compression garment
    I think Spandex is a great idea and will definitely partake. Thank you for that tip!

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