Chance of Reccurance?

I am 24, was dx with stage 3a, grade 1 serous papillary ovca. I had six rounds of taxol/carbo and have been in remission w/ a CA125 of 4 for 6 months. I read on an earlier thread that almost everyone with stage 3 has a reccurance, but isn't that a rather general statement? After my TAH/BSO I had a CA125 of 19, there was no lymph involvement and no residual disease. CA125 dropped to 4 after the first chemo treatment. With this in mind, what are my chances of reccurance? I know it isn't a perfect science, but I would like a statistic. DO I have a 50% of reccurance? 75%? 30%? I don't know why I want to know this, but it will give me some peace of mind to have an idea what the prognosis is for people in my specific situation. Thank you for any information you can give me.

[jocko]

From what I have come to understand, even though nothing is sure in life, with your low grade tumor, plus the non involvement of lymph nodes etc... your risk of a reccurance would be comparitively low. My onc says if he must put a figure on my case it would be less then 50%. Even if that means 49% its still 51% against. I was stage 2 - 3, depending the dr, but always grade 3.

[jocko]

It freaked me out too.
I'm not in denial of the risks, but I'm feeling really great to have got this far , so good against all odds. I really hope the bubble doesn't burst.
Good luck to you.

[stellamae]

Thanks for that answer. From the research I've done, that is what I've come to understand, but the answer to someone's question below (and I paraphrase) "nearly everyone with third stage ovarian cancer has a recurrance, it is just a matter of when" really freaked me out. Take care.

[Pharmacologist]

Certainly don't believe that you WILL have a further problem, but likewise please do not take the view that you are in the clear and don't need to have follow-up monitoring or that you shouldn't prepare yourself and family for future episodes of chemotherapy and treatment.

My mother was stage 3 ovarian, they treated and 'cured'.  She was clear for 2 years and then it returned as lymphatic (even though there had been no indication it would spread via metastases).
The fact that we were prepared that it might come back meant that when it did, we rolled straight into action and didn't waste time being shell-shocked (as we had been the first time around).

Always be optimistic but at the same time be realistic too.

Recurrence is a possibility and one that should be prepared for in order to keep the 'upper-hand' over the disease.