Need some help

[petunia0580]

My mother just called and said she has ovarian cancer.  The Doctor called after the CT scan yesterday and he consulted after a few more tests to say she had "ovarian cancer and it looks like it's in her lower stomach area"....
She will get immediate surgery and chemo (Merry Christmas right?)
I am so upset and no answers from her - the doctor was vague or maybe she didn't hear anything after that....
What does this sound like to you?  
She has had a loss of appetite for a month and was put on water pills because her blood pressure and potassium was slightly high.  She has no pain or discomfort, no urinary problems.  She had a hysterectomy in the 70s but left her ovaries.
Please shed some light on this for me....does it sound promising or not??? As far as prognosis - we have none yet and it's killing me....

[petunia0580]

Thank you all for such wonderful advice - I admire you all for your strength and your courage---I pray you all have good health in the new year.
I will re-post a follow up today under a new heading:  Follow up to mother's OC

[crecco]

All of the women above have given you very good advice. Like a few of them, it can't be stressed enough, please have some one go with your mother to her Dr. apts, because after the word cancer, you don't tend to hear much else.  I also learned something myself. Thank you SimplyStar, I always wondered why my onc thumped on my abdomen and just never thought to ask. It seemed like an almost what, primitive way of examining. And now I know. The best of luck to your mom and may she come through all of this just fine.  Chris

[rmarie]

Sometimes in the presence of ascites, they do chemo first and then the surgery.  That would be another reason you want your mother seen my the Gyn/Onc.  Tell you mother you understand her desire to just get it over with, we have all felt that way, however she wants it to be done in a way that gives her the best chance.  The Gyn/Onc is the one that can do that for her.  We all waited a period of time for our surgeries, My first one was a couple of weeks, the second was over a month - seemed like ten years.  Keep us posted, your SIL and OB are correct to be upset.

[SimplyStar]

when the doctor " thumps" the abdomen area, he/she can hear the dull sounds of ascites { fluid }  this alone can cause loss of appitite, you don't say how far you live from your Mother, who she has to be with her?  From all you say though I agree with all of the above posts, she does need an Onocologist and perhaps at the very least a second opinion from one.  this is nothing to second guess on, a few days delay on the surgery will not hurt, and will work for her if done the right way.  Good luck

[Angie_Lou]

I have another comment regarding your second post on the breast cancer issue.  First, my CT was suspicious enough to be considered Ovarian Cancer (OVCA.)  When I consulted with the gyn/onc (the one I decided to have my surgery performed by), she described what kind of Chemo I would be on if it was OVCA.  She made a comment that until (after surgery) the pathology report came back, they wouldn't know for sure what type of cancer I may have.

With that, my mind went back to my deceased mother's condition (she had breast cancer back in the mid-80s) and I asked "My mother had breast cancer, so are you saying that breast cancer could just latch onto my ovaries?"  She said it is possible.  My cancer was OVCA and I was treated accordingly.  However, nothing is ruled out until the pathology report comes back.

Sorry I didn't write this all in one post.  Angie

[Angie_Lou]

I agree 1000 percent (not just 100 percent) with everything Jan has written.  Your mother must consult immediately with a Gynecologic Oncology (gyn/onc) doctor if it is "suspicious enough to be ovarian cancer."

My additional comment; If it is physically possible for you to go with her to the gyn/onc appt, please make the effort and take a tape recorder (or even paper & pen) with you so that you & your mother can go over everything that was discussed later in the same day when you both can absorb what was said.  If no one can go with her, at least make sure she takes a tape recorder so she can play it over the phone to you and talk with you about it.  Note: the tape recorder suggestion was actually mentioned many times by a very sweet young woman on this forum (brownie3321.) So, I do not take credit for this great suggestion, but pass it along because I'm sure brownie3321 would have if she had been on this post already.

Right now, your mother needs your help and if she is just settling on what her gyn is telling her, you take control and go further with it.  She really needs someone to be proactive about this and it sounds like it will be you.

My best, Angie  

[Jan214]

I am so sorry.  Marie is right, you hear the "C" word and you don't hear anything after that.  
I don't usually advise people to wait when it comes to this, but in this case my best advice is to put the brakes on now.  All of your concerns are valid and your mother should not have surgery until she sees a gynecological oncologist.  Given her history it would be criminal for a regular ob to do the surgery.  I understand that your mom just wants to get it over with, but her chances of a better outcome would increase dramatically if she had a gynonc doing the surgery.  I am sending a few links one is on gynoncs and one is on things you should know.
http://www.stvincent.org/ourservices/oncology/locations/gyn/default.htm
know.http://www.oreilly.com/medical/news/ovarian_ten_things.html


This is probably against forum rules and I apologize to dian07 for usurping her words but I haven't seen her post lately so I have pasted here something she always says because my chemo brain can't say it as well as she does.

"One thing I will say...YOU HAVE ONLY ONE CHANCE TO GET THIS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME....your mother needs to be seen by a gyn/oncologist.....not because it is cancer....whether it is or not your mom's chances of a good result is multiplied over and over by having the right specialist doing her surgery and watching over her.....she needs a gyn/oncologist....it is imperative"

Please read the links I sent you and than take it from there.  I can tell you that not one woman on this forum would advise any differently.
Your family will be in my prayers,
Jan

[petunia0580]

Thank you for all your advice and kind words.  I was surprised when she told me that they would do surgery right away when she has not talked to an oncologist of any sort.  The OB that examined her is not oncology related but said he will have "another doctor" in the operating room in case there was any "problem" (whatever he meant by that - she didn't know).  My SIL works for my OB and was relaying all that I knew to her.  My OB is livid that my mother was sent to a regular OB and no one from Oncology will even talk to her before the surgery.  I have so many questions and my mother just wants to "get it over with"....(which I understand).  She had breast cancer 10 years ago and no one is saying anything about that.....my OB said it can be breast cancer tissue in the ovaries??   Needless to say, I didn't sleep well last night nor do I think I will for a while....I can only imagine how my mom feels.  
I think what concerns me the most is when they "thumped her" they said that there is water under the "stomach"? and under the lungs.....how do they know that from "thumping?"  my SIL said that's stage 3 or 4............I'm just sick.......anything you can add about all this???

[AliceZan]

After the surgery you will have a better idea of what type of cancer that is and if it speaded to some other areas.  Do not get hung on the idea that it is a cancer and how long she has to live with it. Just make sure you are there with her and that she knows you are there to support her.

Best regards
Alicia

[rmarie]

Hearing them say the word cancer, does turn your brain off, and you hear very little after that.  They were the most dreaded words I head from my Gyn as he discussed who I wanted for Gyn/Onc.  So your mother not hearing it all, is not abnormal.  It sounds like the CT was only one of the test that was done, she probably had a transvaginal ultrasound and possibly a CA 125 which is a blood test done if there is a suspicion of ovarian cancer.  jun is correct the only certain way of knowing that whether it is cancer or not, is with a biopsy, however the Doctor's do not use the word lightly, so be prepared.    Is she seeing a Gyn/Onc? if not she needs to, and he/she is the person you want doing the surgery.  They give us the best chance of surviving.  
What your mother needs to do now, or you can, with her permission, call the office and ask more questions, get a copy of all her tests.  Maintaining copies of your scans and blood work is recommended for patients.  You mom is entitled to have copies of all her diagnostic tests.  That way she and you have an idea of what they are referring to, and you can think of the questions that you want to ask.  
You do want to take one thing at a time, Gyn/Onc, surgery, diagnosis and then if it is cancer chemotherapy. As far as a prognosis, there is none even if they diagnose cancer, they are working at turning cancer into a chronic disease, with the new chemotherapy agents.  All my best to you and your mom, we are here for you, this is a tough, scary time.  Been there.  I truly hope they are wrong.

[junamgen]

Please take a deep breath. The final dx of OVCA is from Pathology report of tissue form surgery, not from CT scan.  Please don't jump to the conclusion too early.  Even it is, we are all here to help you out and there are so may options Dr can do to treat OVCA. I was dx OVCA 3C last Nov at age 43.  I just past one year birthday.   I would think right now the most important thing is to find a good GYN/Oncologist for your mother's surgery.  Please keep us posted.   peace
jun