Advice / Answers please.

I wanted to echo the previous question concerning recurrence of stage 3 ovarian cancer.
Given that the general concensus of opinion is that once we experience a recurrence, realistically, cure becomes less of a possibility, rather chronic disease - is it just going to be the mere 25 or so % of patients that remain recurrence free for the time doted to remission (5yrs?) that make up the survival stats?
Are not these stats, that have had to have been based over a length of time, no longer really of much value several years later?
Also, what causes the cancer to reoccur? Is it cells left behind undetected after apparantly successful treatment? Or is it due to the same cancer acting up again because we possess this defect (whatever it may be)?
Lastly, I value your opinion on whether to continue treatment after a negative second look.
With the trend of chemo becoming less effective as the cancer can become more resistant to treatment, I am reluctant to continue whilst I show NED.
I wonder if "unnecessary" chemo eventually becomes as uneffective as resistance to antibiotics if we "abuse" it.
I appreciate your input and thank you for this informative service.

[Pharmacologist]

Cancer is a disease that is still being actively investigated and shall continue to be so over the next 20 years I expect.  It is becoming wider spread and more common around the globe.
We have developed some very good treatments and statistical analysis will show that longevity of affected persons is increasing due to these treatments.

There are many working to help those who are so unfortunate to be affected by the disease and I applaud those scientists.

I have a view of this from both sides as I am a qualified pharmacologist and also a son of a great mother who is presently suffering with the disease.

With this particular variant of cancer it is a fact that first line treatment is to remove the cancerous cells and therefore the ovaries.  This by the nature of the action means that recurrence is going to be in a different area.  for many this involves the lymph nodes as they are susceptable and numerous in this particular area of the body.  Others will have problems associated with bladder, bowel and intestine, purely because of the location and direct cell-cell contact with cancerous tissue.

The more numerous the metastases the more difficult it becomes to treat, likewise if spread involves the lymph nodes, it becomes impossible to carry out surgical removal (too complex).  Therefore, if there is recurrence, we see it is more likely that it will involve organs that are heavily required for sustaning life or that the organs involved offer an effective transport system for the cancerous cells to spread around the body to critical organs.  This action leaves methods of treatment behind in the 'race' and ultimately leaves us in the situation of 'incurable but treatable' disease state.

There will always be scientists working on novel treatments and there will always be a subset of those scientists working on 'miracle' cures, but as humans we tend to value life (most of us) and so making the most of what time we have is important, therefore developing maintenance treatments for the 'chronic' stage of the disease is worthy of effort and were much is focussed.

I value my life and I value that of my mothers. I wish to see her complete all those 'things' she wants to do and she herself sets realistic goals on an ad-hoc basis according to how her treatment is going.  I don't like to see anyone 'give-up' or resign themselves to the fact that an 'end' is coming.  It is for all of us, that is the nature of the 'life-cycle'.
Live every day as if there is no tomorrow, make the most of whatever you have and do.  Science will always be working to improve the situation, but it can only do so much.

Try not to become too drawn in by the 'statistics' of the situation and think of yourself.  Let the scientists consider the facts and figures, as they are simply used to determine where focus is required for future developments and to aid in enhancing public health in general.

I wish you all the best and hope that you really do make the most of everything you do, whether that be more treatment or not.  Do what YOU consider to be the 'right' thing for you !!

[jocko]

Thanks for your input. I wish your mother all that I wish for myself.
I am a child psychiatrist used to dealing with other peoples problems better than my own! Ashamed to admit that I was much more ignorant of cancer then I knew.
The general comment of recurrence regarding stage 111 cancer made me flip. I am doing all that I can to believe I am an individual that can beat this.
As for my future, I'm taking time out for now from work and most likely treatment, as my path reports are very encouraging. I think my body could do with a break.
I'm currently looking into diversifying my career, and why not palliative care.
Seldom in my experience have I seen such devotion.
Take care of yourself and your mother.