Lymphedema and CA125

shortstuff
shortstuff Member Posts: 79
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi all. Here's a wierd question for you. Has anyone experienced lymphedema and if so, did it affect your CA125? I have lymphedema in my right leg due to removal of lymph nodes in the groin area. I've been having carboplatin and doing fine, CA125 dropping after each of four treatments so far, then I started getting physical therapy for the lymphedema to drain the excess fluid and this time my CA125 went up. I'm wondering if all this excess lymphatic fluid flowing through my body could cause my CA125 to rise. I'll be seeing my oncologist on Thursday but I'm all freaked out about the rise in my CA125 until then. Do you think just stirring up all that fluid from my leg could cause it? Just wondering. I'll let you know what my onc. says on Thursday, meanwhile, if anybody has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. Thanks all.

Polly

Comments

  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #2
    Hi Polly, how much did your ca125 increase? Was it a significant amount. I know lots of things can cause the increase and hopefully its not the cancer doing it.

    Are you coming to group tomorrow? There is a woman from by Mora coming for the first time. We havent' met yet, she was diagnosed this summer and we have been visiting on the phone. Someone gave her my name and number. :-)

    Hope to see you there and doing much better.

    Hugs N Prayers Bonnie
  • paula2
    paula2 Member Posts: 162
    #3
    Hi Polly, Have you been having massages? I once had to cancel a massage because the therapist said that it would cause the cancer to spread through the lymphatic system if it was in the lymph nodes. Good luck, I hope you get some answers soon.
    Paula2
  • groundeffect
    groundeffect Member Posts: 639 Member
    #4
    Polly, I had deep vein thrombosis which caused my right leg to swell before my surgery and chemo. It was a symptom of my cancer(s)-I had both uterine and ovarian cancers, and my body was going into overdrive trying to fix itself, producing much too much coagulation. It went away quickly once I was treated with blood thinners. How was your lymphedema diagnosed? Did you have an ultrasound done on your leg? I'll be curious to hear what your oncologist has to say.
  • shortstuff
    shortstuff Member Posts: 79
    #5
    groundeffect said:

    Polly, I had deep vein thrombosis which caused my right leg to swell before my surgery and chemo. It was a symptom of my cancer(s)-I had both uterine and ovarian cancers, and my body was going into overdrive trying to fix itself, producing much too much coagulation. It went away quickly once I was treated with blood thinners. How was your lymphedema diagnosed? Did you have an ultrasound done on your leg? I'll be curious to hear what your oncologist has to say.

    Yes, the first thing they did was an ultrasound of my leg to rule out a blood clot. My Oncologist says that it could possibly be from the lymphatic fluid flowing through my body since I also had a fever the day after they started the treatment for the lymphedema. So she is just proceeding as usual and will do another CA125 after my next chemo and hope that it goes down. Otherwise it could mean that the chemo isn't working but it's been dropping all along after each chemo until they started that lymphedema therapy so I think it is related to that. I'll let you know when I have my next CA125. Thanks for your responses. Polly

Discussion Boards