Need help for recurrent Isolated recurrence in lymph node

[indrasis123]

My mother has had clear cell carcinoma that was diagonosed after total hysterectomy in march 2006. She was disease free for 21 months after receiving Cisplatin and Taxol. them a small mass in her omentum which was surgically removed and received doxil +cycophosphamide. Now after 7 months She had Isolated recurrence in her 1 lymph node (3c,x2cm) anterior to Aorta.Doc did not bother to treat and waited 3 months and CA 125 elevated to 536 from 128. Node became 3.2×4cm with another 2 very small nodes(1.5×2.2). She is now under Gem+Carbo.
Would she need a surgery for better prognosys Or Chemo can do the work alone as She is totally against surgery now.
Please Help.

[dian07]

I am sorry you and your mom are having to go through this again.  I wonder if surgery is not being suggested because of the location of the node, or, because the cancer is already in the lymphatic system.  I would think the chemo will reach all of your mom's lymph nodes where surgically that is not possible.  Please give your mom all the support you can muster, but, don't forget to take care of yourself as well.  She needs you to be healthy so all she has to concentrate on is herself.
Peace.
dian

[indrasis123]

THanks dian for your reply. But her surgeon is suggesting a surgery but mom is opposing surgeon's idea as She would not like to take the pain of surgery again.
Regards
Indrasis

[momofsandj]

If the cancer is recurring again then it is doubtful the surgery will accomplish much -- there must be some free cells hiding dormant that come back -- my docs have been against surgery since my initial surgery because my recurrences are isolated with no spread and they say it will come back anyway.  I have three working as a team and they all concur.  So if the chemo works to shrink it then the surgery may not really add any value except to slow it down a little bit (or cause a faster spread if it lets more cells float around loose from the tumors)
Of course I'm not a doctor -- these are just my thoughts and experiences

Jeanne