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Hi everyone.  I had my surgery on Tues, got home from the hospital on Saturday and am just now online.  During the surgery the frozen section showed borderline malignancy.  The doctor removed the ovary, tube, uterus, appendix and some of the omentum(?).  I guess my appedix was stuck to the ovary.  The results showed that the cyst did contain cancer, but the other biopsies were clear.  The doctor called in a gyn/onc during the surgery and he checked what she did and said he would not remove lymph nodes.  The doctor (not onc) staged the cancer as 1 A.  My question is... what now?  I am going to go to the onc. for his opinion, but my surgeon said we will keep checking and I will have a CAT Scan to see if it has traveled.  She said I had lots of adhesions to my bowel and wants to see if that is related.  Do you think I should see if I should have chemo to make sure that they got everything?  At least then I will feel like I am doing something.  Thanks for all of the info and support.

maur5 · Answer

I re read the forum and just realized you were already diagnosed with cancer, how are you doing?

maur5 · Answer

So do you have the results have you had your surgery how did it go?  Hope everything came back fine

maur5 · Answer

did any of you guys have any idea prior to surgery that you had ovarian cancer?  or did the docs pretty much just prepare you prior to surgery for the possibility?

Anna-maria74 · Answer

The prognosis for stage 1A is exellent. Its hard to see a cancer diagnosis as good news but it is certainly the very best it could be for a malignancy. I did read somewhere that although surgery is not always recommended with stage 1 as it is confined to the ovary there are sometimes microscopic cells that escape the ovary. Did the washings come back clear? Saying that Nat would know far more than me about stage 1

Anna x

Nat2 · Answer

My doctor was very concerned about the size of the cyst - 25cm, he explained the surgery and the procedure if the frozen section came back as malignant as they need to remove a lot more and take biopsies - so need your approval beforehand.  He said that he didn't think it was cancer and I should not worry myself that most cysts particulalry in my age group are benign.  I don't think that he gave me false information - just the facts at the time.  I did however have a hunch that it was not all going to come up smelling like roses.

Anna-maria74 · Answer

The way they kind of look at it is 'ovarian cancer can't be ruled out'! So its lean towards benign as most cysts are but prepare for the worst - but without dwealing on the possibility to much

Anna x

Nat2 · Answer

Hi,  sorry to hear about your diagnosis.  If your cancer is staged 1a this means it is confined to the ovary / cyst and there should be no need for chemo as it has been removed.  They might give you different advice once they have done the CAT scan. By the way they remove the appendix as standard if the frozen section comes back as borderline as it can cause problems in the future (doc never explained what type of problems). How are you dealing with the news - it's hard to take in, I actually think I'm just starting to come to terms with it now - 2 months later and half way through my chemo - but again it could just be the chemo making my emotions haywire!

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