CA125

Hissy_Fitz said:

NED = "no evidence of
NED = "no evidence of disease", per clear CT (or other) scan and a normal CA125. It is the same thing as remission. We call it "dancing with NED". Nothing like a little cancer humor, right?

Statistically, 80% of all women diagnosed with late stage (stage III or IV) OC will have a full remission after first line chemo. After that, it's a waiting game, and the odds are, we will all have a recurrence, eventually. Most will recur within one year. After two years, you have a great chance of being NED forever, about a 75% chance, in fact. It's the not knowing what the future holds that makes me crazy. I think that's why I can't ignore the stats. I am trying to prepare myself for a recurrence, because that's what happens in the majority of cases.

But don't panic until you know for sure. There is plenty of time for that afterward.

Will you stay with Kaiser for treatment after you go on Medicare? I would have a huge problem with their policy regarding MY information. I call in the afternoon, after my CA125 is drawn in the morning, and the nurse gives me the result. The day they decide I don't have a right to know what my numbers are, that's the day I change doctors.

Carlene

Tethys41 said:

I Beg To Differ
Rosemarie,

I can't imagine how awful it is to have this going on with your CA-125. Hopefully it is just a glitch. I dont' agree, however, that you have no control over what goes on in your body. I was diagnosed with stage IIIc ovarian cancer a year and a half ago. I did the surgery and the chemo, but I also did a lot of integrative treatments and alternative stuff. I have posted the information below in another post, but will post it again for your benefit.

I work with a naturopath who had stage IV ovarian cancer 20 years ago. She treated herself and is healthy today, but still carries around the tumors, so is very careful about what she eats and does. I am doing what she does to keep me from having a recurrance. A few things you may want to consider:

No sugar! Only stevia, xylitol, occasional agave.
Only grass fed and finished meat. All organic, hormone and antibiotic free.
We don't eat any soy that isn't fermented (including no tofu). Too much like hormones which can aggravate some cancers.
No iron supplements. Iron can aggravate cancer.
No gluten. My naturopath believes that there is a link between gluten intolerance
(which she beleives most of the population has to some degree) and cancer.
No grains except millet, quinoa, and buckwheat. Rice has too much sugar and is acidic.
Resveratrol is a great antioxidant. I was advised not to take resveratrol for two days
before and two days after chemo, and to discontinue CQ-10 for the whole time I was
having treatments.
Also, no using plastic food containers (glass only); no plastic water bottles; no plastic
wrap; no non-stick cookware.
Reduce stress and do what it takes to get a good nights sleep every night,
take 20 mg melatonin before bed. Get regular exercise.
No alcohol or caffeine, except for green tea. She also recommends Tulsi tea.
I received (an am still receiving) IV C throughout my chemo treatments (60 - 75grams each).
Also nutirional IVs. On days I don't receive IVC, I take 1,000mg of liposomal vitamin C or
liposheric vitamin C or a supplement called BIOfizz, which tastes better than the other
two.
2 grams of curcumin daily. If on chemo, don't take two days before and after treatment.
5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.
4 grams of fish oil daily.
Eat cruciferous vegetables 5 times per week.
Eat a lot of raspberries.
Dark chocolate (80% or more) is actually okay.
Cinnamon with meals helps keep the blood sugar under control, which is important.
The "Cancer Fighting Kitchen Cookbook" is a great resource. Anti-Cancer is another great book.

My Gyn/Onc says he has patients who are in remission, who's CA-125 are as high as 190 and they have opted not to do chemo again. I don't know, if they are doing anything in it's place. I've heard of doctors giving the vitamin C IV's in place of chemo. I'm not advocating that you pass on chemo if your doctor advises it. I am saying, however, that there are things you can do now that should stop it in it's tracks. There is also a product, that is rather expensive, but it is supposed to kill cancer. It's called Haelan 951. You can Google it to find out more. I am taking it now because my naturopath says it kills the cancer stem cells that my have survived chemo.

My naturopath has had her CA-125 go as high as 55 if she is not following this plan, but it goes back down if she sticks to it. So, as I said, I don't believe that you have no control over what is going on in your body.

Good luck to you,
Kate