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Low Malignant Tumer Potential - Stage 1C

Hi - I had a TAH in 2006 and they found the washings were malignant but it had not invaded my ovaries.  What does stage 1C mean?  My CA125 was 504 prior to surgery and the tumer was 7x4".  Is that considered cancer?  The reason why I am asking is I worry about breast cancer and other problems.  I have developed a severe case of fibromyalgia since the surgery and have never really felt good.  Also what's the difference between surgical menapause and natural menapause as to how long it lasts.  I have gained weight and I can't seem to get it off.  When I exercise my body hurts so bad I am literally in bed for two days.  My life has not been the same.  Is there help for me?
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Avatar universal
It sounds by your title that you had the same cancer I had, Low Malignant Potential (also called Borderline) ovarian cancer.  I was diagnosed in 2002.  My tumor was a little bigger than yours (I believe it was around 6x8 cm) but my CA125 was only elevated a little at 66 - everyone is different.  I had just the affected ovary and tube removed first with a TAH a couple years later.  My washings were clear.  I had a 2nd opinion on the pathology and it was confirmed to be LMP Stage 1a.  Because you had positive washings it was staged at 1c.  I only had surgery, chemo is not recommended for LMP.  But I also had follow-ups every 6 mons for 5 years and a yearly CT scan.  Regarding a higher risk of breast cancer - you may want to talk with your dr about that.  I don't take Estrogren Replacement therapy because I was concerned about breast cancer, but that is my personal decision my gyno wanted me on estrogren.  My family dr respected my decision, especially since I have hot flashes very rarely and have not had a lot of menapause symptoms.  To my knowledge menapause lasts the same for surgical as apposed to natural.  Natural one starts slowly, while surgical is instant.  For the fibro you'll need to ask your doctor.  hope I helped
Good luck.
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Avatar universal
I think you should be seeing your gynecologist, or better yet your oncologist, regularly.  He/she should answer your questions.   If you had ovarian cancer, the doctor would usually want you to repeat the CA125 blood test regularly as well.  There is no such thing as zero possibility of a recurrence.  

You should also have a copy of the pathology report from your surgery.  You may need a dictionary to understand it, but it should tell you precisely what they found.  I've seen the term "low malignant potential (LMP)" but I don't know personally what that means.  If they've used that term to you, you need to have more information about that.  

I don't know that there's a connection between chemo and fibro, but I'm sure there's a lot of information about fibro on MedHelp -- and generally on the internet.  You may need a doctor who doesn't think fibro is "in your head" to treat those symptoms as well.  I have a friend who has it, and she has a regular exercise program prescribed by her doctors at Chicago's Rehabilitation Institute.  She thinks that exercise helps.  

Good luck.  
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Avatar universal
Hi Patti,
Uterine cancer at 1C is when according to staging men that it had infiltrated only half of your uterus muscle. Your tumour CA125 indicates the level of activity of tumour cells at that time. From what you have written some cells from the abdomen were also found when they washed out the abdomen during surgery. This is no big deal, they do this as a matter of course to identify and classify what type of growth you had.
I assume you had some chemotherapy as you state you have some fibromyalgia symptoms now. Stage 1C means it had not spread to other organs. Full recovery at this staging is really high. If you are worried about anything regarding any reoccurence, see your Gp and ask for a CA125 again if you intuitvely feel you have developed any digestive or bowel symptoms. This will put your mind at rest.
Surgical menapause is caused by having both ovaries removed during surgery. This results in lack of female hormones just like normal menapause only it is more sudden. I had my first hot flush that lasted all night a week after surgery. The up side is no more PMT ! Weight gain is normal during menapause and putting on weight around the middle seems to be the norm. This is difficult to shift. My Dr suggested I eat smaller meals and to keep active. After any surgery and with fibromyalgia symptoms your activity probably is not where it used to be. I have had to accept a change in body image and age gracefully at only 46 years of age, but I am still breathing. Hope this helps.
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398758 tn?1248220291
It sounds like you need some information. I'll answer some of your questions, since I was also stage 1C.

"Stage 1C" means, yes,  cancer. It is a highly curable stage, with a survival rate of about 90% for the first 5 years.

Surgical menopause just means that menopause was immediate, due to surgery.  I didn't find it to be bad at all.  I went through chemo and tried to keep myself in the best shape possible, so it was fine.  It has been three + years since then, and I don't have any symptoms any more.

I have a sister-in-law with fibromyalgia.  She found that exercising in a warm therapy pool is the best way for her to get exercise without hurting from the workout.

Best of luck to you.
Kathy
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