OVARIAN CANCER TO LIVER

mopar
mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
For those of you out there who have experienced ovarian cancer that spread to the liver, I have a few questions:
1. What stage of ovarian did you have?
2. What were the symptoms of liver cancer before it was confirmed?
3. What types of treatments have you or are you receiving for the liver cancer?

My CA125 is rising and I have pain on the right side below the ribs that moves to the back. I am EXTREMELY concerned and my CT scan for OVCA follow-up is not until next Thursday. I've put a call in to my doctor's PA to see if she can fax a lab request for bloodwork that might give me some information. I don't know if I'll hear back from her today, but I really wanted to get this blood work done tonight or tomorrow.

Any insight you can give me would be helpful. Initially, I was concerned it might have returned to the pelvic area as before, since I have pain on the lower right side also. But now I had this thought about the liver and I'm just looking for info and some hope.
Thank you all so much.
Monika

Comments

  • floridajo
    floridajo Member Posts: 480
    #2
    Mopar, i have no experience with what you asking, but I'll be praying that it's nothing. I was having pain in the same area back in October, they did all kinds of scans and tests. It turned out to be my gallbladder that is enlarged, but not enough to warrant surgery. Hang in there,,,maybe you can get the ct scan moved up sooner. I'll be praying and thinking of you...smiles and (((hugz)))..Joanne
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #3
    floridajo said:

    Mopar, i have no experience with what you asking, but I'll be praying that it's nothing. I was having pain in the same area back in October, they did all kinds of scans and tests. It turned out to be my gallbladder that is enlarged, but not enough to warrant surgery. Hang in there,,,maybe you can get the ct scan moved up sooner. I'll be praying and thinking of you...smiles and (((hugz)))..Joanne

    Thank you, Joann. Right now I'm feeling so much anxiety - I never felt this way with the intial cancer and the recurrant. I've been doing some paperwork in front of the computer so I can refresh this page periodically. I was so pleased to see a response to my post. Thank you, thank you so much. God bles you for being an intercessor for me.
    Monika
  • hampdengirl
    hampdengirl Member Posts: 8
    #4
    Hi
    I can tell you that my mother has Stage III Ovarian Cancer. She had her third surgery about 8 years ago - it had spread to the surface of her liver along with her spleen, intestines, stomach etc. Even though it was on the liver, it was not liver cancer, it was Ovarian Cancer. They removed part of her intestines, her spleen, part of her stomach and part of her liver. From that point on, she received chemotherapy. She is still here today - 13 years after being diagnosed and up until just recently, she has enjoyed a very good quality of life. So, even in the worst case scenario as I've shown here - there is hope. The liver can regenerate itself which is a miracle! I am sending you my best wishes and I will pray that you have the VERY BEST scenario. Please know that I care.
  • Keelie
    Keelie Member Posts: 97
    #5
    Hi Monika, I feel so badly that you are having to go through all of this worry. It's the pitts!!! I looked on a web-site, Medicine.net and they list symptoms and tests that can be run. It looks like a 'marker' test is the alpha-fetoprotein - ALP - that can be a 60% diagnostic tool. However, that number can also reflect people with cancer of the ovaries. Also, go to the National Institute of Cancer site, it looks very helpful. Some symptoms listed are weight loss, fullness, bloating, loss of appetite, and tenderness in that area. Also, they mention people often will look jaundice, either in the skin or eyes. As worried as you are, I would DEMAND that the doctor order some lab tests, so that you can get some information right away. These doctors have no right to let us hang out there to dry. They should want to jump at the chance to let us know what we need to know. How would they like to be in our situation. No one deserves to go into a week-end with this level of worry. The Naturopathic doctor that I use to go to used a lab called Quest Diagnostics. As I came to learn, I believe that any person off of the street can go there to have any test you desire. There probably is some tests that have to be read by your doctor, I don't know. And, they probably aren't even everywhere. I've been so desperate sometimes, that I've thought of getting a second opinion CA-125 test at Quest Diagnostics. Shows you how stressed out I can get. Monika, just make it happen MONDAY! Do not take "No" for an answer. We're all dealing with enough already! We all love you, MM
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #6
    hampdengirl said:

    Hi
    I can tell you that my mother has Stage III Ovarian Cancer. She had her third surgery about 8 years ago - it had spread to the surface of her liver along with her spleen, intestines, stomach etc. Even though it was on the liver, it was not liver cancer, it was Ovarian Cancer. They removed part of her intestines, her spleen, part of her stomach and part of her liver. From that point on, she received chemotherapy. She is still here today - 13 years after being diagnosed and up until just recently, she has enjoyed a very good quality of life. So, even in the worst case scenario as I've shown here - there is hope. The liver can regenerate itself which is a miracle! I am sending you my best wishes and I will pray that you have the VERY BEST scenario. Please know that I care.

    MM Thank you so much! It's times like this I wish we could all somehow meet in person. But this is the next best thing. I feel all the hugs and prayers coming through. I agree about pushing for tests - that's why I've called the doctor's office to step this up.
    HAMPDEN - I've read your other posts. Thank you so much for reconfirming the HOPE for me, for ALL of us. I've read about your mother's situation and it gives me more hope to know that she endured and so can all of us. Again, thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
    MM - I go to Quest for my CA125. Unfortunately, they are closed tomorrow. Otherwise, I would go there if I could. I have the fax number to our local hospital where I can have the doc fax a request and I can go there 24/7. Hopefully, they'll respond to my request.
    Until later, my love to all.
    Monika
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #7
    Dear Monika, I felt so bad for you to be so worried. Remember you have had two surgeries now so some of the pain is from adhesions. I was diagnosed as Stage 3c grade 3 and have always had cancer on my liver. I guess right after the initial surgery and chemo it didn't show up for a short period of time.

    I hope they get the lapwork orderrd for you so can have some peace.

    PLEASE right at this moment take a deep breath...breathe in all the prayers, support and positive energy we are sending you. It is going to be okay.

    Please rest in our love and prayers. I'll check the board in the morning to see if you got your labwork ordered or not - Or please send me an email, I will be holding you close in prayer.

    Prayers N Hugs Bonnie
  • collins
    collins Member Posts: 69
    #8
    Dear Mopar,

    Wishing you the best and hope your rising ca is nothing serious. Dealing with not knowing is almost worse than the disease. Let us know as soon as you find out what is going on.

    collins
  • JanQ
    JanQ Member Posts: 236
    #9
    Monika, I am so sorry, but I know how you feel.
    I just received news from my cat scan that I have Pleural effusion ( fluid buildup in my lungs)so the first place I go is to the internet and all it says is it can be cancerous cells ect... I have not talked to my dr. yet my mother-n-law works at the hospital and got the report for me, so I'm not sure what any of it means, but I know how you feel, I am trying not to worry but I can't help it. So all I know to do is go to the Lord.. Lord you know where we are and how we feel,we need peace that passes all understanding and I ask this in your name Lord. Give us peace and Lord heal our bodies.You know you are in my thoughts and prayers!
    Jan
  • collins
    collins Member Posts: 69
    #10
    JanQ said:

    Monika, I am so sorry, but I know how you feel.
    I just received news from my cat scan that I have Pleural effusion ( fluid buildup in my lungs)so the first place I go is to the internet and all it says is it can be cancerous cells ect... I have not talked to my dr. yet my mother-n-law works at the hospital and got the report for me, so I'm not sure what any of it means, but I know how you feel, I am trying not to worry but I can't help it. So all I know to do is go to the Lord.. Lord you know where we are and how we feel,we need peace that passes all understanding and I ask this in your name Lord. Give us peace and Lord heal our bodies.You know you are in my thoughts and prayers!
    Jan

    Jan Q.

    I had Pleural effusion in Jan 2005 and was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia and was diagnosed with oc. I had a mass in the omendem. I had surgery and IP chemo. I was in complete remission for 9 months and tumors were found in the pleural wall last september. I am now on a study using carboplatin and topopecan. Let me know what they find out. Best of wishes and I hope that it is not cancer. Not all pleural effusions are cancer and are only pnemonia. Keep in touch.
  • paula2
    paula2 Member Posts: 162
    #11
    Monika, I am so amazed at the similarities and the support that happens here.
    My ct turned up a little cancer back on the liver dome and near the aorta again, but lots of new stuff in the abdomen, near the colon, left side, where I've been having a lot of pain since Tues. The liver didn't pain me this time. When I had it on the liver en mass, two years ago, it was constant pain... a first recurrance, (after 3 1/2 years), it was diagnosed with a ct assisted needle biopsy, that confirmed o.c., not a new cancer. It was treated with carbo/taxotere and the remission was immediate, after 2 treatments, and lasted 9 mos. I went to tamoxifen after it returned to the liver again (diagnosed by a ct scan), and the remission was another 5 mos. The ct in June showed liver, aorta, and abdominal spread. I had some liver pain then. You know about the doxil reaction i had and the Aromasin. This took away the liver pain and lowered my ca 125 for 6 mos. Thursday, with this huge new finding, I started on Topotecan at the oncologists suggestion and got about a 50% reduction in pain overnight. Thank God! I think the pain is the worst part. of the whole cancer trip..it makes me afraid and the fear gets in the way of positive thought.

    I'm sending many positive thoughts your way as you wait for your results. This is an incredible support system here. I thank all of you ladies who take time to participate and share your lives. It makes such a difference to know that others are living with the disease and functioning so well. I'm proud of us all.

    Prayers and Hugs!
    Paula2
  • lizper
    lizper Member Posts: 199
    #12
    Hi Monica, let me introduce myself. I'm a caregiver for my Mom who was dx with OVCA stage IIIB october 7th 2005, she is currently in remission that we know of... she will be having her doctor's visit this Wednesday to see what he says about all the tests she has been taking. I have been reading lots and lots of the postings here for about 2 months but I couldn`t find out how to reply.. so I'm familiar with your case and admire the strength you have had for the past 6 years right? You are so lucky to have found your cancer at an early stage. My Mom's cancer was dx to be on the liver, diaphragm, near colon at the time. She had a big tumor which was removed but no debulking surgery, she had 6 round of carboplat plus bristaxol for 6 months then a 2nd look surgery were out of 10 biospsies 2(diaphragm and somewhere in abdomen)turned out positive for inplant not actually tumors but cancerous cells is what I understood.. so she had 2 more chemos(same kind)her last one was July 5th 2006 and from that day on I live stressted, worried, sad, frustrated, etc... I tell this all to you since you have been through a lot and I can tell you are well informed. My Mom's symptoms before dx were constipation that got worse by the day until she was swollen up the she said she had lots of pain when she went to the bathroom. I only noticed she had yelloish skin. I notice that you worry that your CA 125 is going up,but it is low numbers so I'm confused.. my Mom's Dr. says that as long that it is limit not to worry?? Should I in July she had 12, in Nov. 10 and now 16?¿ What do you think. I appreciate your opinion.. I have been living so so depressed since her dx, she is everything to me, eventhough she is 75 I always thought she would live until 80-85, I'm only 31 and 7 months pregnant.. All my life I have imagined her enjoing her granchildren and now I worry everyday that she at least makes is to my baby's delivery because of the shocking low % of survival for stage III patients. I will pray that your Ct Scan comes out perfect, please stay calm. A big Hug for you.

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