24 year old family member diagnosed with ovarian cancer

[bzmed]

I have a 24 year old family member that was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  I don't have a lot of information at this time but this is what I know:

- it has spread from the ovary at least to the uterine area - don't know at this time how much further if at all

- she is saying they are waiting for surgery until early summer because her immunity is low and she needs to stop smoking.  In the interim they have prescribed medication to help build her immunity.

I have a couple of general questions:

1. Do younger women generally have more favorable outcomes for this type of cancer? Or is being that young a disadvantage in ovarian cancer?

2. Would waiting for the surgery be something a doctor would really suggest with such a serious cancer?

3. She mentioned chemotherapy or radiation after the surgery - what is generally the length of follow up treatment to surgery?

4. Would a surgeon normally do a minimally invasive surgery or would they need more visibility and do a larger incision?

5. Can the cancer be the thing that lessens a person's immunity or would it more likely be from something else like an infection or virus not associated with the cancer?

Any information you can share would be greatly appreciated.

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi There,
I would love to answer you carefully and with the right information I can do that. Could you please get a copy of the pathology report and type it in here?
then I will be able to give the information that is relevant to your family member
thank you very much
best wishes

[bzmed]

Thank you.  I will try to get that.  She is in another part of the state and I am not sure she requested a copy.  I will ask her to do that and hope that she will request it if she doesn't have it.

Many thanks!