During hysterectomy, ovary accidentally sliced open for 2 inches

Aeaea
Aeaea Member Posts: 8
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Does anyone know if that lowered my survival odds, and by how much?

It seems likely that this would metastatize the cancer as well as spread it regionally by smearnig cancer cells on various internal organs as it was pulled out through my vagina.

Comments

  • Barbara53
    Barbara53 Member Posts: 652
    #2
    more info needed
    I think you're not hearing from anyone because we don't know what's happening with you. Did you have a hysterectomy for reasons other than ovarian cancer? If you have been diagnosed, do you know the stage at which your cancer was rated?

    In general, ovarian cancer stays inside the abdominal cavity. Except for peritoneal cancer, other types of "female" cancers like cervical and vaginal are very different from ovarian cancer. So, I would think it extremely unlikely that ovarian cancer cells would morph into cervical cancer cells because of passing contact.

    The purpose of chemotherapy is to attack residual cancer on a microscopic level, because it's always assumed that cancer cells are still in the body after surgery.

    You are totally right to ask lots of questions. Knowledge is power.
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #3
    I agree with Barbara that we
    I agree with Barbara that we need more info. I had OVCA, Stage 1C. That meant that while removing the ovary it ruptured. I believe that is the main reason my doctor recommended chemo. Nonetheless, I had EVERYTHING removed at that time, yet I had a recurrance 6 years later. So, I suspect some cells did spill into the pelvic cavity when the ovary ruptured, and probably sat dormant for a while.

    I would have the same concerns as you, but give us more info and maybe we can be of more help.

    Monika
  • Aeaea
    Aeaea Member Posts: 8
    #4
    mopar said:

    I agree with Barbara that we
    I agree with Barbara that we need more info. I had OVCA, Stage 1C. That meant that while removing the ovary it ruptured. I believe that is the main reason my doctor recommended chemo. Nonetheless, I had EVERYTHING removed at that time, yet I had a recurrance 6 years later. So, I suspect some cells did spill into the pelvic cavity when the ovary ruptured, and probably sat dormant for a while.

    I would have the same concerns as you, but give us more info and maybe we can be of more help.

    Monika

    Stage 3A
    I have stage 3A uterine cancer. My gyn/onc said it could be ovarian, but even under a microscope you can't tell the cells apart.

    Are the cells in the pelvic cavity still vulnerable to the chemo drugs circulating in the bloodstream, they're not "hiding" in the space inbetween the organs?

    I was afraid that it knocked me into stage 4 since in effect the surgeon spilled cancer cells into me.

    Would radiation kill the cells that escaped?
  • Barbara53
    Barbara53 Member Posts: 652
    #5
    Aeaea said:

    Stage 3A
    I have stage 3A uterine cancer. My gyn/onc said it could be ovarian, but even under a microscope you can't tell the cells apart.

    Are the cells in the pelvic cavity still vulnerable to the chemo drugs circulating in the bloodstream, they're not "hiding" in the space inbetween the organs?

    I was afraid that it knocked me into stage 4 since in effect the surgeon spilled cancer cells into me.

    Would radiation kill the cells that escaped?

    think positive
    Think positive, A. I'm not sure what Stage 3 means in uterine cancer, but in ovarian it would be assumed that cells were already pretty well distributed in the abdomen. A spill during surgery probably wouldn't matter much. Stage 4 is very different, in that the cancer has found homes in numerous spots including the lymphatic system. Even then, it's treatable.

    Radiation is different from chemotherapy. Radiation therapy targets a very specific spot in the body, whereas chemo makes the entire body inhospitable to cancer cells. Yes, they do hide out. We would all love to know how they do it.

    Concentrate on recovering from your surgery right now, and stop worrying about worst case scenarios. That will kill your spirit long before cancer takes down your body.

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