How i can Keep an eye on my Mother Ovarian Cancer Treatment

ahmad-1
ahmad-1 Member Posts: 11

Dear All,

Mother was diagnosed by Ovarian Cancer that has been spread outside the instestines as well. Anyhow Laprotomy taken place in which sugeon took out maximum cancer out of her and suggested to go for Chemotherapy to further melt down the cancer inside her.

We then decide to go for treatement: Killing Cancer Cells through Snake Venom

its been 15 days that she is using the medcines for the same treatment. Apearently its going fine now, but i need you guyz to help me in telling few tests or some ways through which i can keep checking the effectiveness or results of this treatment. 


As far my knowledge we can do the Following:

  1. CA-125
  2. Monthly CT Scan
  3. Abdoimnal Ultrasound

Tell me if these three methods are good to keep an eye on growing cancer cells? 

or

tell me if there are some other methods of checking. Further i am also concerned about monthly CT Scan because i have heared that CT Scan's rays can be dangrous.

 

I shall be very thankful for you suggestions. 

 

Regards,

Ahmad

Comments

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,351 Member
    ahmed, going on the premise

    ahmed, going on the premise that this is not a scam/phishing, "killing cancer through snake venom" and why select words are bold, but I will say in the event anyone else comes along, the CA125 is usually a good 'marker' for OC.  A monthly CT is probably going overboard and I am not sure what doctor would order something like that, but I guess there may be some out there.  Can't speak about the ultrasounds.  

    My two cents:  Make sure your mother is working with a gynecologic oncologist. 

     

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    CA-125

    Hi Ahmad,

    It sounds like you might live in India or some country other than the US.  Typically, in the U.S., during treatment the doctors monitor the effectiveness of treatment by measuring the CA-125 before each chemo treatment.  They really don't do monthly CT scans and you are right, that would be a lot of radiation.  Is your mother receiving Carboplatin and Taxol? I understand your concern about these drugs being snake venom, they are toxic, but, in the case of ovarian cancer, these drugs have a very good success rate for first line treatment of ovarian cancer.

    I hope your mother is doing well.

  • ahmad-1
    ahmad-1 Member Posts: 11
    Tethys41 said:

    CA-125

    Hi Ahmad,

    It sounds like you might live in India or some country other than the US.  Typically, in the U.S., during treatment the doctors monitor the effectiveness of treatment by measuring the CA-125 before each chemo treatment.  They really don't do monthly CT scans and you are right, that would be a lot of radiation.  Is your mother receiving Carboplatin and Taxol? I understand your concern about these drugs being snake venom, they are toxic, but, in the case of ovarian cancer, these drugs have a very good success rate for first line treatment of ovarian cancer.

    I hope your mother is doing well.

    thanks for your kind reply.

    Can you please elaborate me what is Carboplatin & Taxol ? are they used in Chemo? or these two medicines are other than chemo drugs?

     

    Thanks.

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,351 Member
    ahmad-1 said:

    thanks for your kind reply.

    Can you please elaborate me what is Carboplatin & Taxol ? are they used in Chemo? or these two medicines are other than chemo drugs?

     

    Thanks.

    ahmad, Carboplatin and

    ahmad, Carboplatin and Paclitaxel (also known as Taxol) are common chemo drugs used for ovarian cancer.  Taxol can be hard for some people and patients are monitored when they are taking it because of the side effects.  When some people have a reaction to the taxol they will substitute it with a second type.  

    Chemotherapy is constipating so taking a stool softner in recommended.

  • ahmad-1
    ahmad-1 Member Posts: 11
    edited January 2018 #6

    ahmad, Carboplatin and

    ahmad, Carboplatin and Paclitaxel (also known as Taxol) are common chemo drugs used for ovarian cancer.  Taxol can be hard for some people and patients are monitored when they are taking it because of the side effects.  When some people have a reaction to the taxol they will substitute it with a second type.  

    Chemotherapy is constipating so taking a stool softner in recommended.

    thanks for your kind reply.

    Thanks, Further can you help me in selecting deit or foods that can not trigger cancer growth ? 

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    Diet

    Hi Ahmad,

    Cancer is caused by a combination of toxins in the body and lack of proper nutrition.  There are different theories about the best diet for cancer patients, but I have had great success, under the guidance of an oncology nutritionist. 

    She recommends eating a lot of organic vegetables, primarily those that grow above ground, rather than root vegetables, but some of those in moderation.  Root vegetables tend to be starchy and I keep my carbohydrate consumption low.  She also recommends eating animal products like meat and eggs, from animals that are organically raised, without hormones.  For beef, it should be grass fed and grass finished, meaning they don't fatten the animals with grains.  Grain fed animals result in meat, which is inflammatory, which promotes cancer growth.  She recommends eating low carb, therefore no grains or beans.  No processed foods, no soy, no sugar, very little fruit - only occasional berries or low sugar apples.  Essentially, I eat a low carb, Paleo diet.  There is a lot of information online about the Paleo diet, which might help you with ideas.  But I do eat a lot of vegetables, more than in the typical Paleo diet, and eat smaller portions of meats. 

    I hope this helps.

  • ahmad-1
    ahmad-1 Member Posts: 11
    edited July 2018 #8
    CA 125

    Hi All,

    After 6 Chemotherapies my Mother results falls from almost 1200 to 67, As we all know that normal range of ca 125 test is 0 - 35

    but after 7th Chemo the results are same even bit higher as yesterday i got ca 125 result =80

    I want to know why the result was not decreased after 7th Chemo as it was suppoosed to fall in noraml range. 
    I worried please help.

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    CA-125

    Hi ahmad,

    Good to hear from you.  Thanks for the update.  How soon after the 7th chemo did you Mother have her CA-125 tested?  Sometimes it will go up not long after a treatment because the chemo has killed off some cancer cells that end up in the bloodstream, elevating the number.  If it has been a few weeks since her last treatment, then presumeably, she still has some cancer activity going on, but that can't really be determined until she has a follow up scan.   Will she be receiving more chemo?  Will she be having a scan to assess the situation?  I never give up hope because things often don't turn out as we expect them to.  I hope your Mother is feeling well.  

  • ahmad-1
    ahmad-1 Member Posts: 11
    Tethys41 said:

    CA-125

    Hi ahmad,

    Good to hear from you.  Thanks for the update.  How soon after the 7th chemo did you Mother have her CA-125 tested?  Sometimes it will go up not long after a treatment because the chemo has killed off some cancer cells that end up in the bloodstream, elevating the number.  If it has been a few weeks since her last treatment, then presumeably, she still has some cancer activity going on, but that can't really be determined until she has a follow up scan.   Will she be receiving more chemo?  Will she be having a scan to assess the situation?  I never give up hope because things often don't turn out as we expect them to.  I hope your Mother is feeling well.  

    CA 125

    Hi Tethys,

    • CA 125 tested after 15 Days of 7th Chemo
    • Yes She will be receiving more Chemo.
    • Doctor Said after 8th Chemo we will go for scan.

    Thanks, Hope i answered all your above concerns.

     

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    Good Plan

    Hi ahmad,

    It sounds like your mom's doctor has a good plan for her.  Hopefully, a few weeks after her last chemo, her CA-125 will be normal and her follow up scan will be clear.  

    I will be thinking of you both.

  • ahmad-1
    ahmad-1 Member Posts: 11
    Tethys41 said:

    Good Plan

    Hi ahmad,

    It sounds like your mom's doctor has a good plan for her.  Hopefully, a few weeks after her last chemo, her CA-125 will be normal and her follow up scan will be clear.  

    I will be thinking of you both.

    Feet problem

    Hi, 

     

    It's been a while I was looking for your pieces of advice and I am very much thankful for your kind responses. Well, this is to inform you that my mother has now cured from the Disease and its been 6 months till her Last Chemotherapy. CA125, LFT, RFT, CBC, all neutralized. 

    Now the issue is My Mothers Feet, she has a problem moving her feet fingers, She cant feel her Feet feels like swollen, and cold and it is very irritating for her she has problem with walking and even this issue become immense when feet got under direct air of Fan or AC. 

    we told this issue to our doctor several times but he is saying that this kind of issue arrives due to Chemo, and weakness. He is saying to take some Multivitamins & Mythicobal tablets but there no progress so far.

    I hope i make the condition clear if there is any questions then you can ask. I want your advice on this issue.

     

    Thanks.

  • Chuck Z
    Chuck Z Member Posts: 22
    Neuropathy

    Hi Ahmad

      The numbness that your mother is experiencing with her feet is called neuropathy. Which is common for those who have undergone chemo treatments. My wife tried everything they said try to reverse the affects following her treatments. Nothing worked. Some of it went away over a period of  time on its own. But we were told generally speaking. That whatever neuropathy that you still have six months after your last treatment. Does not go away. And my wife found that was to be the case With hers. The numbness in her hands slowly went away. But her feet stayed numb until the day she passed away. Also, I'm glad to hear that your mother is NED. But stay vigilant when it comes to the follow up blood work and scans. My wife went almost six years. Before she had her first reoccurrence of the ovarian cancer.

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    ahmad-1 said:

    Feet problem

    Hi, 

     

    It's been a while I was looking for your pieces of advice and I am very much thankful for your kind responses. Well, this is to inform you that my mother has now cured from the Disease and its been 6 months till her Last Chemotherapy. CA125, LFT, RFT, CBC, all neutralized. 

    Now the issue is My Mothers Feet, she has a problem moving her feet fingers, She cant feel her Feet feels like swollen, and cold and it is very irritating for her she has problem with walking and even this issue become immense when feet got under direct air of Fan or AC. 

    we told this issue to our doctor several times but he is saying that this kind of issue arrives due to Chemo, and weakness. He is saying to take some Multivitamins & Mythicobal tablets but there no progress so far.

    I hope i make the condition clear if there is any questions then you can ask. I want your advice on this issue.

     

    Thanks.

    Neuropathy

    Hello Ahmad,

    I am so happy to hear your mother is doing so well.  Congratulations to her.  

    As Chuck said, her problems are most likely related to the treatments she received for ovarian cancer.  I am posting some notes a member from another group gathered from the experiences of othe members.  In addition to the suggestions below, I have heard that hyperberic oxygen therapy is helpful in addressing neuropathy  Good luck to your mother.  

    Neuropathy The following information on treating neuropathy was compiled from numerous ovarian cancer sisters who received many of these suggestions from their naturopath, oncologists, and/or other patients. Not everything works for everyone and, in some cases, patients have to try several therapies before finding one that works. General consensus is B vitamins and L-glutamine are most often recommended. I don’t know that much about neuropathy but expect the root cause may relate to the potential cure – i.e. if you have neuropathy from cancer or chemotherapy (as I did) that could benefit from a different cure than neuropathy caused by some other issue. Each of the letters below represents a suggested therapy – for example some women take B6 and L-glut, some take B12 only, etc. I hope you can find some relief here.  a. Vitamin D3 deficiency? i. http://www.livestrong.com/article/496661-vitamin-d-peripheral-neuropathy/ This is one of many articles indicating there may be a link between D3 deficiency and neuropathy. Most cancer patients are deficient in D3 yet we are rarely checked. My ND was the first doctor ever to check D levels (blood test is called 25(OH) or 25 Hydroxyvitamin D). At MSKCC, Dr. Deng from their Integrative Medicine Department told me they test breast cancer patients for D deficiency but not ovca. Why? Who knows. ii. Reference range is 30-100 ng/mL – I try to maintain at least 70 ng/mL (when diagnosed I was at 33 and had already been taking 5,000 IU a day for about 6 months) iii. I take 10,000 IU of D3 (not D2) a day during warmer/sunnier months and 20,000 IU in winter – non-cancer patients may not require as much – pays to check levels at least 2-3x a year iv. This is an important vitamin (hormone) for many, many reasons including immune support, bone health and much more – best of all, it’s really inexpensive and the test does not cost much – worth checking and even if it doesn’t help neuropathy, if you are deficient, I believe it is important to remedy this asap b. B6, 100-300 mg plus L-glutamine (see below for suggested dosing) c. B12, 2000 mcg (usually hydroxocobalamin or methylcobalamin, do not take cyanocobalamin) plus Lglutamine (Note: methyl is either sublingual or intramuscular – need to inquire about this form) d. L-glutamine powder, 500 mg, 2-3x a day e. Here is an older study on L-glutamine and neuropathy: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18698011 f. Acetyl-l-carnitine and R-alpha lipoic acid g. Magnesium i. Various forms: Epsom salt baths, magnesium spray topical, CALM (magnesium citrate) drink h. Calcium helps some patients but need to be careful with calcium supplementation i. Acupuncture comes highly recommended if you can find a good practitioner j. IV- ALA (alpha lipoic acid) in conjunction with acupuncture - this recommendation comes from one of our more avid and remarkable researchers – her mom had neuropathy from carbo/taxol. She received IV-ALA and acupuncture concurrently and reportedly saw improvement overnight with just one treatment. If opting for oral ALA, the R form is recommended vs plain ALA. It’s possible the above IV treatment also included some B vitamins but I can’t find confirmation other than my friend’s post where she stated this but didn’t have a record of which Bs, if any, were in the IV. k. Magnesium oil, ½ c, in warm bath soaking for half an hour every other day l. B12/B6 injection day before treatment (for future reference but hopefully never needed!) m. Icing fingers and toes during chemo (again, if ever treated again – works for some, not others) n. Another friend received a “chemo packet” which included the following: Vit E 400 IU daily; Vit D 400- 800 IU daily; omega-3 fatty acids; Magnesium oxide 250 mg twice a day; Acetyl L-carnitine 500 mg twice a day w/ food; alpha lipoic acid 300-1000 mg daily w/food; glutamine 1 g up to 3x/day w/ food; cocoa butter applied to affected areas 2x/day with gentle massage; menthol creams 2x/day; tonic water a glass every evening or when cramping occurs. Phew!! Disclaimer ~ the above is not meant as medical advice. I am sharing information that other cancer patients have indicated helped them with their own neuropathy. Please consult with your doctor before adding any of the above listed supplements or therapies to your treatment. Thank you.

  • ahmad-1
    ahmad-1 Member Posts: 11
    edited June 2019 #15
    Chuck Z said:

    Neuropathy

    Hi Ahmad

      The numbness that your mother is experiencing with her feet is called neuropathy. Which is common for those who have undergone chemo treatments. My wife tried everything they said try to reverse the affects following her treatments. Nothing worked. Some of it went away over a period of  time on its own. But we were told generally speaking. That whatever neuropathy that you still have six months after your last treatment. Does not go away. And my wife found that was to be the case With hers. The numbness in her hands slowly went away. But her feet stayed numb until the day she passed away. Also, I'm glad to hear that your mother is NED. But stay vigilant when it comes to the follow up blood work and scans. My wife went almost six years. Before she had her first reoccurrence of the ovarian cancer.

    Neuropahty

    Thanks for your Suggestions.

     

    Appreciated 

  • ahmad-1
    ahmad-1 Member Posts: 11
    edited July 2020 #16

    Hi,

    I am sad to tell you all that today C-125 Test results are Higher than expected the Normal Range is Up31 and My mothers latest report's result is "91" 

    In past few months, She eats a bit more sugar than usual and Mutton (Meat) as well. I am very worried its very heartbreaking news for me. Please suggest and tell me is it that much alarming as previously or can it be managed or curable?

    Doctor's Appointment is in next week! so I am curious about what possible outcomes can be what are your remarks on this.

     

    Thanking in anticipation.

  • ahmad-1
    ahmad-1 Member Posts: 11

    Hi, 

    After 5 Month & even after taking medication (Xeloda 500Mg) Bi Monhtly. The Latest CA 125 Test raised to 150.

    Please advice how sever this increase is and how to make it stable ?

    Thanks.