Very Large Endometrioma

rwhite1138
rwhite1138 Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Had a very large 7" diamater ovarian endometrioma removed Oct 5. My oncologist surgeon said it had 2 cancerous 1: growths inside so she biopsied my abdomen which came back negative. She wants me to do 6 rounds of chemo even though the cancer was contained in the cyst endometrioma and has not spread to my abdomen lymph system or anywhere else, All my blood cancer work comes back negative,

I want to decline the chemo but would like some input.

Comments

  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #2
    I do understand your
    I do understand your reluctance to embrace chemotherapy, but as someone diagnosed a year ago with late stage Ovarian Cancer, I would advise you to listen to your doctor, suck it up, and do the chemo. Ovarian Cancer has few symptoms. Ovarian Cancer tends to "come back". Ovarian Cancer is often deadly - more than 50% "often".

    It's your life and your body, but the chemo is not as bad as you might imagine and the hair will grow back. I don't want you to look back on this someday and wish to God you could go back and make a different choice.

    Carlene
  • rwhite1138
    rwhite1138 Member Posts: 2
    #3
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    I do understand your
    I do understand your reluctance to embrace chemotherapy, but as someone diagnosed a year ago with late stage Ovarian Cancer, I would advise you to listen to your doctor, suck it up, and do the chemo. Ovarian Cancer has few symptoms. Ovarian Cancer tends to "come back". Ovarian Cancer is often deadly - more than 50% "often".

    It's your life and your body, but the chemo is not as bad as you might imagine and the hair will grow back. I don't want you to look back on this someday and wish to God you could go back and make a different choice.

    Carlene

    thanks for your input. I
    thanks for your input. I have had everything removed, both ovearies, uterus and cervix. There is nothing for it to come back on. I figure the chemo will end up killing me before a return of the cancer.
  • vj1
    vj1 Member Posts: 150
    #4
    rwhite1138 said:

    thanks for your input. I
    thanks for your input. I have had everything removed, both ovearies, uterus and cervix. There is nothing for it to come back on. I figure the chemo will end up killing me before a return of the cancer.

    CHEMO
    I am far from being an authority but having the organs removed does not dismiss the fact that your cancer can spread. Review it thoroughly with your dr and get a second opinion if necessary. Do some research yourself via the internet. Sad to say but most of us have accepted chemo, some more than once, just to keep this monster at bay. Stay connected with this sight, great support and information.

    verna
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #5
    rwhite1138 said:

    thanks for your input. I
    thanks for your input. I have had everything removed, both ovearies, uterus and cervix. There is nothing for it to come back on. I figure the chemo will end up killing me before a return of the cancer.

    Hello rwhite
    You are one of the lucky ones here on this board because you have had surgery and have had 99% of your cancer removed. I say 99% because in my opinion by having the chemo it will scooter around inside of you andzap that 1% that may have missed the surgeons knive. I wish I could have had surgery to remove my cancer but I can't it is spread all over my peritoneum BUT I will opt for chemo everytime because I know how good it is and it works.

    The chemo won't kill you because the medications they offer you today to counteract the effects of the chemo are really good and you don't feel half as ill as you expect you will.

    Good luck with whatever you decided, Tina xx
  • kikiz
    kikiz Member Posts: 94
    #6
    vj1 said:

    CHEMO
    I am far from being an authority but having the organs removed does not dismiss the fact that your cancer can spread. Review it thoroughly with your dr and get a second opinion if necessary. Do some research yourself via the internet. Sad to say but most of us have accepted chemo, some more than once, just to keep this monster at bay. Stay connected with this sight, great support and information.

    verna

    Chemor
    I agree with Carlene and Verna. The Chemo is tough but you would always wonder "what if". Cells that spread to other areas are still Ovarian Cancer Cells. That was one of the first things I asked. Even if they find it in my liver, it is still most likely Ovarian cells, not liver cancer. That is why the different drugs for different cancers. If you get the 6 rounds now and they can catch any sneaky ones that are hiding, you may never have another recurrence. Many women do maitanance chemo even though there is no sign of it at the time.
    Hope all goes well with your decision and keep in touch.

    Lori
  • Lisa13Q
    Lisa13Q Member Posts: 677
    #7
    I am with the Ladies
    Here are the organs the cancer can return to: bladder, diaphragm, liver, pancreas etc. If it does recur, will you always wonder what if? The chemo won't kill you, especially if you're pretty healthy. Let me assure you the cancer can......ultimately of couse, this is your choice. I would just hate to see this monster return and you so regret an earlier decision..and it is a monster...
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #8
    It kind of sounds like no
    It kind of sounds like no matter what we say, you've already made up your mind not to have chemo.

    Just in case...here are my two cents:

    Diagnosed January 2010. Went for a gall bladder surgery consult (I'm 45, have NONE of the risk factors, have given birth, have been on birth control pills 20+ years). Ultrasound indicates fluid in abdomen.

    TV ultrasound indicates enlarged ovaries.

    CT scan indicates peritoneal carcinoma.
    Fast forward to February:

    ovaries-removed
    uterus-removed
    cervix-removed
    fallopian tubes-removed
    omentum-removed
    piece of bladder-removed
    piece of bowel-removed
    10 liters of cancerous fluid-removed

    Stage IIIC

    The doctor stated that 95% of the cancer had been removed. Optimal debulking.

    Second CT scan 4 weeks post surgery and 1 week before starting chemo showed that a 1.5 cm tumor had popped up.

    Have the chemo.

    Isn't your life worth it?

    Just my two cents.

    Leesa--last chemo June 24, currently growing hair and NED. CA125 is down from almost 10,000 before surgery to 12.
  • clamryn
    clamryn Member Posts: 508
    #9
    Yes to chemo
    My vote is to definitely do the chemo. I was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer 20 years ago. It was 1c. They took everything out and my doctor was so excited. He said that the cancer was all contained in the ovaries. He said he lifted them out and did not have to scrap any. No cancer in lymph nodes. However, it was in the fluid. At that time I took chemo pills. Don't ask me what they were because I don't remember. But I took them. Another lady diagnosed at the same time and had about the same situation I did, elected not to do the chemo. Guess what, her numbers started going up and she had to do it later.

    I went for 17 years NED. Reread my fourth sentence in the first paragraph. It came back. And it is from the original cancer. The hospital had all of my old records and compared them. So it can come back.

    Some of us feel that when we are taking the chemo.....we are safe. And, when we aren't taking something.....anything can happen.

    Whatever you decide.... we are here for you.

    Hugs to you
    Linda
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #10
    Don't decline
    the chemo. It will mop up any microscopic residue, and you may be be one of the lucky ones that never recurs. The 6 months that you have to endure the chemo ( and it is not that bad, really!) is so worth your life.

    kathleen❤
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #11
    Just about all of us didn't want chemo
    I can assure you that "NO" is the first thought for most people when they hear the word chemo. I'm going through this with my brother. He had a radical surgery this spring for pancreatic cancer and although the Drs. think they "got it all", they reccomend radiation and chemo. At first, he said NO!, that he had been through enough. Now that a couple of months have passed, he's coming around to the thought that he wants to live and have a chance to live cancer free. That is the point of chemo. I wish that for you, too.
    (((HUGS))) Maria
  • Mum2bellaandwilliam
    Mum2bellaandwilliam Member Posts: 412
    #12
    Mwee said:

    Just about all of us didn't want chemo
    I can assure you that "NO" is the first thought for most people when they hear the word chemo. I'm going through this with my brother. He had a radical surgery this spring for pancreatic cancer and although the Drs. think they "got it all", they reccomend radiation and chemo. At first, he said NO!, that he had been through enough. Now that a couple of months have passed, he's coming around to the thought that he wants to live and have a chance to live cancer free. That is the point of chemo. I wish that for you, too.
    (((HUGS))) Maria

    Please do the chemotherapy,
    Please do the chemotherapy, although you have had your ovaries removed it can come back as PPC. My mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer about 4months ago,she has had a hysterectomy many years ago but they left her ovaries, one of our first question was if the ovaries had been taken would be be sitting here now? And the answer was yes , even with your ovaries removed it develops into ppc. After her operation we found out that her ovaries were clear and that it was PPC all along, so it really wouldn't have made any odds anyway. But the point is if you have no ovaries it can develop into PPC the sister to ovarian.
    Please do it , take a few months it could save you years!
    Just to let you know mum is doing great on chemotherapy, she has felt sick a couple of times but only for a day, and to be honest she is so stubbon i think that was only because she thought she could do without t the anti sickness drugs. She has lost her hair but she looks great with her wig, my brother asked if she had had her hair done the first time he saw her in it!!!(genuinely!!!)she does get a little tired but only if she over does it on the garden and housework! (she can't resist!)
    This is the hardest thing I've ever been through, watching my mum, my best friend go through this.Don't do it to yourself and your family. Xxx

Discussion Boards