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Advanced ovarian cancer
Help! I am worried sick about my mother in law. She has been feeling unwell since October. She has had a barium enema, a CT scan and a CA-125 result of 112.
She was first refered to the hospital for a bowel problem, they've told her she has cancer and the scan showed up a large cyst on her ovary and initially that she had two in her pelvis. They referred her to gyni who told her that she has more than three cysts and one of them was 9cm.
She's waiting to see a proffessor next week and they want to try Chemo to shrink the cancer some time after that. Is it normal to wait that long and to be passed backwards and forwards? Does the blood test mean ovarian cancer? Why aren't they operating on her first? I'm not stupid and figure that this is not good news at all? Could anyone offer anything positive?
She was first refered to the hospital for a bowel problem, they've told her she has cancer and the scan showed up a large cyst on her ovary and initially that she had two in her pelvis. They referred her to gyni who told her that she has more than three cysts and one of them was 9cm.
She's waiting to see a proffessor next week and they want to try Chemo to shrink the cancer some time after that. Is it normal to wait that long and to be passed backwards and forwards? Does the blood test mean ovarian cancer? Why aren't they operating on her first? I'm not stupid and figure that this is not good news at all? Could anyone offer anything positive?
My mother died with ovarian cancer. My sister is in stage 4 ovarian cancer. I don't want to be rude and am not sure if Im in the right place to ask some questions of others who are familar with ovarian cancer. If this isn't the right place maybe someone would point me in the right direction. Thanks Gingy
I agree that she might not have told me everything. She told me last night that she had been drip fed this information. Maybe she's doing the same to us. She is being so positive about all of this that we don't want to ask any questions in case we change that.
She told me that she'd always been able to talk to me about anything and that I was a good listener. That is all I can do.
When I first found about about this last week, the rest of the family hadn't been told. I know it must have been really difficult for her telling me but I'm sure that it was much more difficult for her telling her children (my brother in law only knows a limited amount. We are having a family dinner on Friday). I know she's finding it really difficult discussing this with her children. She doesn't want them upset or worried and doesn't want to be a burden. We,ve offered to do the gardening but she won't let us because we've got enough to do!
I've always been very open with her and told her that she didn't have to go through this by herself. This cancer is something that we will all have to get through together. I've been through this before with my grandmother who died of breast cancer, grandfather died of stomach cancer and my mother who has had breast and cervical. She's been in remission for 20 years so have experienced both sides of the coin. I've just read over what I've just said and am sorry for being so morbid. I know that at the moment she seems to be positive and as long as we can keep it like that the better. The immediate family have pretty much been told now (in varying detail drip fed over a few days)
I have three children, my eldest daughter is nine and they are so close, best friends. I have a five year old daughter and a 20mth son. She doesn't want me to stop her from seeing them (which I would never do). We've always had so much fun with them and I think that will be a welcome release for her when she wants that. We've agreed that our eldest daughter be told a very limited amount later on if the chemo affects her badly.
I've just been on the phone with my sister in-law. It doesn't look good at all. She met her mother and friend yesterday and she was told that my brother in law should be told as much as we know! Do we know everything? Does she? Maybe the doctors aren't telling her everything?
She told my father in law (they are seperated but still good friends) that she had cancer, several growths and they didn't know were the cancer had originated some of them were in her stomach. Can anyone tell me if this raised CA125 indicates ovarian, she's post menapausal, one of the 'cysts' on her ovary. Can they be so sure that this is cancer from a CT scan
She told me that she'd always been able to talk to me about anything and that I was a good listener. That is all I can do.
When I first found about about this last week, the rest of the family hadn't been told. I know it must have been really difficult for her telling me but I'm sure that it was much more difficult for her telling her children (my brother in law only knows a limited amount. We are having a family dinner on Friday). I know she's finding it really difficult discussing this with her children. She doesn't want them upset or worried and doesn't want to be a burden. We,ve offered to do the gardening but she won't let us because we've got enough to do!
I've always been very open with her and told her that she didn't have to go through this by herself. This cancer is something that we will all have to get through together. I've been through this before with my grandmother who died of breast cancer, grandfather died of stomach cancer and my mother who has had breast and cervical. She's been in remission for 20 years so have experienced both sides of the coin. I've just read over what I've just said and am sorry for being so morbid. I know that at the moment she seems to be positive and as long as we can keep it like that the better. The immediate family have pretty much been told now (in varying detail drip fed over a few days)
I have three children, my eldest daughter is nine and they are so close, best friends. I have a five year old daughter and a 20mth son. She doesn't want me to stop her from seeing them (which I would never do). We've always had so much fun with them and I think that will be a welcome release for her when she wants that. We've agreed that our eldest daughter be told a very limited amount later on if the chemo affects her badly.
I've just been on the phone with my sister in-law. It doesn't look good at all. She met her mother and friend yesterday and she was told that my brother in law should be told as much as we know! Do we know everything? Does she? Maybe the doctors aren't telling her everything?
She told my father in law (they are seperated but still good friends) that she had cancer, several growths and they didn't know were the cancer had originated some of them were in her stomach. Can anyone tell me if this raised CA125 indicates ovarian, she's post menapausal, one of the 'cysts' on her ovary. Can they be so sure that this is cancer from a CT scan
Hi Marie, I'm so sorry for the turmoil you are going through. I am a bit confused on what you have said. Does she have a cancer in her bowel or abdominal area or have they said ovarian cancer? The only way to know for sure of a malignancy of an OVARIAN CYST is a surgical biopsy. So If they are saying OVARIAN cancer before a biaopsy it is just a guess, educated or not. If they have biopsied other masses and the ovarian cysts are an incidental (accidental, not the main reason for a test but shown on a test) then that is another issue and most are benign. I am a big pusher of the quote, "anything that tickles the tummy will tickle the ca125." Lots of things mess with it. Is your MIL postmenoposal? That makes a big difference in that particular test.
The gals here are great. You can ask just about anything and someone will have personal experience. The internet can be of great help, too, especially if you already know what you are dealing with. MOst all of us have found this site in a time of great fear and uncertainty but this is the most caring group of ladies you could hope to find to help get you through this trying time.
Give us more info if you want and the great gals here will jump on and help you understand some of this new stuff you are trying to decifer. Cindi
PS It is great your DMIL has such a caring DIL! She is lucky already!
The gals here are great. You can ask just about anything and someone will have personal experience. The internet can be of great help, too, especially if you already know what you are dealing with. MOst all of us have found this site in a time of great fear and uncertainty but this is the most caring group of ladies you could hope to find to help get you through this trying time.
Give us more info if you want and the great gals here will jump on and help you understand some of this new stuff you are trying to decifer. Cindi
PS It is great your DMIL has such a caring DIL! She is lucky already!
Thankyou so much for your comments.
I have been very worried since she said 'cancer', chemotherapy, 9cm cyst, 2 cysts in the pelvis, several cysts. She was supposed to be having a laparoscopy? to check that it hadn't gone into the bowl. We overheard her tell someone that she had one under her liver. My husband and I have thought of little else since she told me a week ago.
I wanted to find out as much as I could on the net and have driven myself into a right state. I feel encouraged that it might not be as bad as I thought it was
I have been very worried since she said 'cancer', chemotherapy, 9cm cyst, 2 cysts in the pelvis, several cysts. She was supposed to be having a laparoscopy? to check that it hadn't gone into the bowl. We overheard her tell someone that she had one under her liver. My husband and I have thought of little else since she told me a week ago.
I wanted to find out as much as I could on the net and have driven myself into a right state. I feel encouraged that it might not be as bad as I thought it was
If she does have ovarian cancer the 9 cm 'cyst' isn't that huge - mine was around 8 cm and I have heard of others much larger. Its also common to have other small tumours in other parts of the peritoneum - very characteristic. If they are proposing chemo before surgery that isn't that unusual also - it can make the surgery more effective if they can shrink the main tunour especially if it is pressing on other organs. Her CA125 isn't that high - mine was in excess of 700 and others are in the thousands - its very individual. She may of course not have cancer just cysts, so make sure she has a 2nd opinion if you want to be sure, and go to a gynaelogical oncologist experienced in 'debulking' for surgery, not a gynaecologist, as well as also seeing a specialist oncologist who works only in the ovarian field if possible. It's very important to get the right clinicians in whom you have trust. I sincerely hope things are better than they seem at the moment, but if not give her courage and hope. Looking back over this it sounds a bit too bossy! You may already be doing lots of these things - if so, apologies. Hope you don't read it like that - just want to give you some reassurance and some benefit from the mistakes people like me made in the early days. Very best wishes.
Welcome to the site! I can "hear" the concern in your voice. I would like to tell you that 99% of ovarian cysts are benign. Also, anything going on in there is liable to effect the ca125. We have all been through the hurry up and wait procedure, so don't feel bad about that. Also, someone will be along with far more info than I have so keep checking in. You both are in my thoughts and prayers. Godspeed
~Tascha
~Tascha
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