Debulking

[mudgett]

My mom is seeing her Gyn oncologist next week to discuss debulking surgery.Can anyone tell me what this may involve and also what is the usual recovery period.Does this surgey have any likelyhood of making the cancer spread?
                                                          Thanks
                                                                 Lisa

[sophie66]

I'm encouraged to hear how well you did with this surgery, but I'm wondering how old you are.  The doctor is wanting my 83-year-old mother to consider this, but she is having more scans and another chemo on December 5.  He had originally wanted to think about doing the surgery December 14, but my sister and I did not want to ruin her holidays....so we are postponing this discussion until after the first of the year.  She is Stage IIIC and 83.

[vegas2cr]

Debulking surgery is used in combination usually before or after chemotherapy.

I had chemo first, then they took out,... cervix, uterus, both fallopian tubes, ovaries, appendix and what they call the omentum apron.. and I had a bowel resection.. I am 59 and a type 1 diabetic for over 44 years,  within 3 weeks I was driving and by 6 weeks I was doing almost everything. Without this debulking surgery the cancer would have killed me long ago..

Has your Mom had chemo? has she been staged yet?  

I am stage iV and doing well..

[crecco]

Debulking surgery is a surgery to rid the body of as much cancer as possible. If she has ovarian cancer, this will probably mean a hysterectomy and removal of any other cancer that they might find. The ususal recovery period is pretty much the same as for any other surgey, roughly 6 weeks. With a good surgeon (make sure that it is a gynecological oncologist if it is in fact ovarian cancer) the chances are very small that it would help the cancer progress.
Please take a list of these and other questions with you and go tohe Dr with your mom.
    Chris