Follow-up

Dr. Goodman,

Just wanted to follow up on my case, and appreciate your further guidance:

I have had complete genetic testing, and have negative results for both BRCA1/BRCA2 and the Lynch cancer genes. However, my family history is so strongly indicative of risk, my genetics Dr. has recommended that I be aggressively screened and treated as if I had tested positive. A negative result in my case is inconclusive; there is so much going on in my family -- science may not have caught up to what's happening with us.

As such, she has referred me to an Oncologist. (Finally! Two doctors later and I finally get in with the right guy), and he said that if I am not wanting to get pregnant, he'll do a total hysterectomy. It is scheduled for a short time from now.

An ultrasound from late October (three months after my cystectomy when the serous borderline tumor was found) showed perfectly normal ovaries, follicles and all. Small fibroid on the uterus is still there.

The permanence of the total surgery is freaking me out a bit, and I am now considering the impact of early menopause at 41. My question for you is:  Can you honestly say that the cancer risk negated by having the hysterectomy is of far greater benefit than all the risks posed by early surgical menopause? (cardiovascular, osteo, early dementia, etc)

I'm also still wondering about the Dr. going in and having a good look around / doing staging. My belly has blown out even more since the surgery, and I do wonder about metastatic cells elsewhere or ascites even though my organs are ok on the ultrasound. I'm still struggling with making this hysterectomy decision without understanding what stage I am / was. It seems like we have incomplete data. Thoughts?

I feel like the cancer risk is unknown but the menopause risks are certain. What are my chances of a tumor or cancer recurrence if I were to leave in one ovary? (I realize the genetics factor increases my risk, but I'm asking independent of that.) If I were to leave in one ovary, how often would you recommend I get followup ultrasounds?


This discussion is related to Staging surgery for Serous borderline tumor?.

[zoeb333]

The above post was followup to my original thread:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Ovarian-Cancer/Staging-surgery-for-Serous-borderline-tumor/show/1320482?personal_page_id=1711465#post_6359581