What is the connection to reoccurring bc and our ovaries?

2Floridiansisters
2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I think I read somewhere on here that with certain types of bc it can possibly give you cervical or ovarian cancer, am I confused or what? Can someone explain to me about the ovaries and why do you have them removed.

Thanks for the help, I want to learn as much as I can.

Ronda

Comments

  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398
    #2
    Don't Give
    Hi Ronda,
    It isn't that it gives us it, our chances of this kind of cancer go up is all. And the risk of getting breast cancer increases since you had it so your chances are greater of getting it again than it was the first time around. It is all a crap shoot but then isn't life...
    I am 14 year survivor and all one can do is try and do better than before. I believe cancer is that grab you shake you because we haven't been taking care of ourselves. The worry one has and then the ability to give so much to others can add to the stressful life. The more kids one has increases all of this and often women do it without the help of others. I don't know what people do? I only had one son and knew that is all I could handle and I was so right.
    I had stage 3, IDC with 11 out of 21 positive nodes and HER triple negative at 36 years of age and lucky to have been in very good shape. I had one breast removed at a time one year apart. Did chemo and radiation before removing the so called healthy breast that kept getting benign lumps, 3 removed before that was it and my mastectomy.
    I don't worry about those kinds of things and have to cope through the good and bad in my life and feel that is all one can do. Keep an eye on yourself and if illnesses go on for more than a month without signs of getting better go see someone. WE DO know our bodies and menopause is a great name to blame things on but that only goes so far. No one had to tell me I had cancer I knew it in the core of my being and just wished someone would have taken my being exhausted and aching body as signs of something going on.
    Early Medical intervention of all kinds is what is truly the key.
    Tara
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #3
    24242 said:

    Don't Give
    Hi Ronda,
    It isn't that it gives us it, our chances of this kind of cancer go up is all. And the risk of getting breast cancer increases since you had it so your chances are greater of getting it again than it was the first time around. It is all a crap shoot but then isn't life...
    I am 14 year survivor and all one can do is try and do better than before. I believe cancer is that grab you shake you because we haven't been taking care of ourselves. The worry one has and then the ability to give so much to others can add to the stressful life. The more kids one has increases all of this and often women do it without the help of others. I don't know what people do? I only had one son and knew that is all I could handle and I was so right.
    I had stage 3, IDC with 11 out of 21 positive nodes and HER triple negative at 36 years of age and lucky to have been in very good shape. I had one breast removed at a time one year apart. Did chemo and radiation before removing the so called healthy breast that kept getting benign lumps, 3 removed before that was it and my mastectomy.
    I don't worry about those kinds of things and have to cope through the good and bad in my life and feel that is all one can do. Keep an eye on yourself and if illnesses go on for more than a month without signs of getting better go see someone. WE DO know our bodies and menopause is a great name to blame things on but that only goes so far. No one had to tell me I had cancer I knew it in the core of my being and just wished someone would have taken my being exhausted and aching body as signs of something going on.
    Early Medical intervention of all kinds is what is truly the key.
    Tara

    good question, I have an
    good question, I have an idea but dont want to post because it may not be accurate. I am wondering if there is alink between certain types of breast cancer and ovarian also.
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #4
    I think some say that
    I think some say that because they are ER +, they have their ovaries removed to try and rid themselves of estrogen. BUT, you still have estrogen in your body and it is still being produced, even with your ovaries removed. I am sure someone else will explain this better than I am. I wouldn't have mine removed just for that reason.
  • greyhoundluvr
    greyhoundluvr Member Posts: 402
    #5
    Ronda
    I have heard the same thing - that some women have their ovaries removed because of the estrogen sensistivity in some cancers but my oncologist told me that really would not do any good because estrogen was still produced by the muscles and the body.

    She did tell me that if I was BRCA+ that I would have to have my ovaries removed because the BRCA also shows an increased tendency towards ovarian cancer and since that disease is so hard to detect, the surgery would be done prophylactically.

    Hope this helps...
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #6
    greyhoundluvr said:

    Ronda
    I have heard the same thing - that some women have their ovaries removed because of the estrogen sensistivity in some cancers but my oncologist told me that really would not do any good because estrogen was still produced by the muscles and the body.

    She did tell me that if I was BRCA+ that I would have to have my ovaries removed because the BRCA also shows an increased tendency towards ovarian cancer and since that disease is so hard to detect, the surgery would be done prophylactically.

    Hope this helps...

    greyhoundluvr all I know is
    greyhoundluvr all I know is I don't know anything about this cancer stuff, so I will keep asking dumb questions until I feel comfortable with the surgery decision I have to make. What in the heck is prophylactically?

    The reason I ask is I had a pap smear about 1 week before my mamogram and I was told the results are showing "ascus" whatever that is, beats me, so now I'm thinking, do I have cancer beginning on my cervix or on the ovaries?

    I hate this crap.
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #7
    Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome
    That's what the BRCA test is for -- women with mutations on BRCA 1 or 2 genes have a greater chance of both breast and ovarian cancer than the general population. This is true of men, too, in regard to breast cancer.

    Some people's family history of breast cancer is not due to BRCA mutations. Testing available to us right now can't yet detect other hereditary gene mutations. Clearly I have a family history, but my mother tested negative for BRCA.

    Even without the BRCA mutation, I'll have my ovaries and uterus removed anyway, because ovarian cancer is difficult to detect early. Also, we want to stop as much estrogen production as possible, since my cancer was estrogen-driven. (I gather that different doctors have different views on this. That seems to be true of every issue ...)
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #8
    2Floridiansisters said:

    greyhoundluvr all I know is
    greyhoundluvr all I know is I don't know anything about this cancer stuff, so I will keep asking dumb questions until I feel comfortable with the surgery decision I have to make. What in the heck is prophylactically?

    The reason I ask is I had a pap smear about 1 week before my mamogram and I was told the results are showing "ascus" whatever that is, beats me, so now I'm thinking, do I have cancer beginning on my cervix or on the ovaries?

    I hate this crap.

    Prophylactically means prevention
    Propylactically means prevention -- taking an action to prevent something, even though the something hasn't occurred yet. Like, getting a healthy breast removed because the other breast has cancer and the cancer is likely to show up in the healthy breast later. Or like prophylactics -- condoms -- prevent pregnancy.

    Call your ob/gyn and ask for an explanation of "ascus." You'll feel so much better knowing what's going on.

    I hate it, hate it!!!!!
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #9
    Christine Louise said:

    Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome
    That's what the BRCA test is for -- women with mutations on BRCA 1 or 2 genes have a greater chance of both breast and ovarian cancer than the general population. This is true of men, too, in regard to breast cancer.

    Some people's family history of breast cancer is not due to BRCA mutations. Testing available to us right now can't yet detect other hereditary gene mutations. Clearly I have a family history, but my mother tested negative for BRCA.

    Even without the BRCA mutation, I'll have my ovaries and uterus removed anyway, because ovarian cancer is difficult to detect early. Also, we want to stop as much estrogen production as possible, since my cancer was estrogen-driven. (I gather that different doctors have different views on this. That seems to be true of every issue ...)

    Oh I see now, Thank you Christine
    Now I understand what it means. See I asked because my sister died from bc in 1990 but I know she never had that BRCA1 or 2 test given, but my doctor sort of implied I might want to get it done.

    I think I would like to have this test and if it comes out positive then I most definitely want my uterous and my one and only ovary taken out. So far I know that I am ER+ PR+ and Her2/nue-

    and other than the type I have I know nothing else of this crud.

    Thanks for the explanation,

    Ronda
  • Barb A
    Barb A Member Posts: 123
    #10
    ER+
    My bc was ER+ and I was taking Tamoxifen. I also had a lot of trouble with uterine fibroids and my periods were horrible to deal with. My GYN said that Tamoxifen can cause uterine or ovarian cancer and with my problems, he recommended a hysterectomy. I could have left the ovaries, but he said as long as my bc was ER+, I should remove them too for less estrogen production in my body. ER+ tumors feed off estrogen.

    I'm sure others will explain it better.

    Barb
  • TawnyS
    TawnyS Member Posts: 144 Member
    #11
    I had a full hysterectomy
    I had a full hysterectomy the same day as my bilateral. My cancer was ER+100% and PR+100%. That means my cancer was hormone driven. More likely than not...with all the gynecological problems I have had in the past, being the type of breast cancer I had, my young age of 36....the chances of ovarian cancer for me was very high for the rest of my entire life. I also increased my survival rate with the hysterectomy. I was done having babies (only had 1 and had a tubaligation in 2003) so I figured why not if it increases my chance of survival over the long term and puts me at ease knowing I will not get ovarian, uterine or cervical cancer. I hope that helps. That's the way I understand it in my situation. Like someone else posted, it is so hard to explain and I want to be as accurate as I can. I am now 37 and my hot flashes from menopause are gone (just now to about 3 major flashes a day now from the Arimidex) and I DON'T HAVE A PERIOD!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!! I don't feel any less a woman with all that stuff gone. I know it is very emotional for a lot of women, but for me I was and still am okay with it. I'll be around all my friends in 20 years who are going through menopause and just be kicked back relaxing not having the flashes and sweats and irregular periods and all of them will be going through the change of life! We laugh all the time about that. : )
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #12
    TawnyS said:

    I had a full hysterectomy
    I had a full hysterectomy the same day as my bilateral. My cancer was ER+100% and PR+100%. That means my cancer was hormone driven. More likely than not...with all the gynecological problems I have had in the past, being the type of breast cancer I had, my young age of 36....the chances of ovarian cancer for me was very high for the rest of my entire life. I also increased my survival rate with the hysterectomy. I was done having babies (only had 1 and had a tubaligation in 2003) so I figured why not if it increases my chance of survival over the long term and puts me at ease knowing I will not get ovarian, uterine or cervical cancer. I hope that helps. That's the way I understand it in my situation. Like someone else posted, it is so hard to explain and I want to be as accurate as I can. I am now 37 and my hot flashes from menopause are gone (just now to about 3 major flashes a day now from the Arimidex) and I DON'T HAVE A PERIOD!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!! I don't feel any less a woman with all that stuff gone. I know it is very emotional for a lot of women, but for me I was and still am okay with it. I'll be around all my friends in 20 years who are going through menopause and just be kicked back relaxing not having the flashes and sweats and irregular periods and all of them will be going through the change of life! We laugh all the time about that. : )

    Tawny it sounds like you've been through hell
    You are so young to have to deal with all of that, you sound like a real trooper, hangin' in there day after day. I am going to discuss getting a hysterectomy next week, my appointment is on the 10th. I am going to a military hospital because my husband is active duty. So I don't really have a choice, unless they aren't equipped to do something then they send you out in town to a major hospital.

    The surgeon I see works in what's known as "general surgery", I've been told he's a good doctor, (we'll see) LOL but anyway I have no idea what his specialty is, I wonder if he is also skilled in how to do a hysterectomy, because if he is then I think I want it done.

    Thanks for sharing what you can, take care

    Ronda
  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #13
    2Floridiansisters said:

    Tawny it sounds like you've been through hell
    You are so young to have to deal with all of that, you sound like a real trooper, hangin' in there day after day. I am going to discuss getting a hysterectomy next week, my appointment is on the 10th. I am going to a military hospital because my husband is active duty. So I don't really have a choice, unless they aren't equipped to do something then they send you out in town to a major hospital.

    The surgeon I see works in what's known as "general surgery", I've been told he's a good doctor, (we'll see) LOL but anyway I have no idea what his specialty is, I wonder if he is also skilled in how to do a hysterectomy, because if he is then I think I want it done.

    Thanks for sharing what you can, take care

    Ronda

    One note about removing
    One note about removing ovaries: Don't get rid of them without weighing the pros and cons. There is evidence to show that ovaries, even after menopause, are beneficial in preventing heart disease and stroke. Don't jump the gun in getting rid of them. The pros of keeping them may outweigh the cons. You may not die of breast cancer but of heart disease and stroke.

    From what I've read, if you're BRAC1,2 positive, it seems it is wise to go ahead and get rid of them.

    Best of luck,
    dh
  • kederrick
    kederrick Member Posts: 7
    #14
    Breast cancer likes to
    Breast cancer likes to travel to the ovaries also. Particularly if you have the BRCA mutations. The mutations cause your breast cancer risk to increase by as much as 50 percent and ovarian by a significant amount also.

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