Papillary Serous Carcinoma

Thats the kind of ovarian cancer my mom has, which I think is the most common. Its a high grade cancer. I read the pathology report.  They found some of the cancer in hard yellow/tan nodules....I think one was pink another was clear....but it was found in the ovary, uterus, omentum.

They didnt find any in the lymph nodes....or at least in the ones they were able to take out since they cant take out all of them.

The doc said he got 98% of it out and sees some specs in her abdomen/diaphragm which is what the chemo is for.

The doc said the median survival time is 4 years....meaning 50% live longer than 4 years and 50% live less than 4 years.

My mother is 75 years old and I love her dearly.  Does she have a chance of being one of the lucky ones to live many years with this disease?  Is getting 98% out typical? Or do they usually get less out?  I heard the lastest treatments have been used the lasy 6 or 7 years so Im hoping thats not enough time to get the positive survival results to float through to the statistics.

Anyone have any thoughts or comments?  I wish theyd find a cure for this thing.

[MickeyVicki]

If her doctor was able to remove "98%" then he has removed all of the cancer that he could remove for her condition.  That is a great start.  The next step will be the chemotherapy.  If she responds well to the chemotherapy, then she has a good chance of  still being with you in the four years dictated by the doctor's statitistics.  At this point, the response to the chemotherapy will  be what determines her life expectancy.  It is the changes in chemotherapy treatment, both in new drugs and in the development of drugs to support the body while one is taking chemotherapy, that have extended the lives of people with cancer.  I know that this is not what you want to read, but I feel that I should remind you that if  she is 75 years old, then she has actually exceeded the life expectancy for her date of birth.  She has already been blessed with a long life.

[ConcernedInNY]

Maybe she already has exceeded her life expectancy.  But she is an incredible woman and the entire family still needs her and she has so much to live for.  Also, selfishly, I need more time with her - I love her.

No matter how old I am, I can never be prepared for something like this.  Like you said, she has exceeded her life expectancy.  Whats even more heartbreaking is to think of the 50 year old women....or even 40 year old women who are going through this.  My mom has adult children but I know other moms still have babies and are facing this disease.  Its horrible.

[ConcernedInNY]

The thing is, I work with numbers for a living...so perhaps thats why Im so freaked when I look at the statistics.....but youre absolutely right, no one can predict where anyone will fall within those statistics.  We have to wait and see.

My mom has always loved us unconditionally.  She is the caregiver of the family - the one who worries about everyone else and always prayed for the best for each of us.  Im finally mature enough to realize how important she is to me - this is one reason why I want her to have many more years.  I have so much to make up to her for.  For all the many years she has sacrificed for us, she deserves to have many more wonderful years with the family.  She has always wished for us to be happy and to have the best.  Well, I want HER to have the very best.  She is probably the most important person in my life.  The last few weeks I have been having flashbacks of my own life and I am in awe by how much my mother loves us. I also happen to be the youngest, so perhaps thats one reason why Im having such a hard time dealing with this.

She looks good though...so much like her old self that I find it so hard to believe she has this disease.  A few people I know happen to know someone with this disease and these women are surviving many years, even with a recurrence or two.  So I guess each individual is different.  Im hoping the survival rate is significantly higher due to the latest advances.  If a will to live and love for, and support from, a family has any bearing on this, then my mom has something going for her.

[ConcernedInNY]

Yes I am in Accounting.

I tell my mom almost every day now that I love her.  She tells me she loves me too.

A couple of times I have apologized for all the rotten things I ever said or did to her and for the times I have made her feel bad.  She told me there is nothing to forgive.  She told me boys are boys and they all do those kinds of things especially while growing up. I also told her how much I love her and I also told her that I hope she knows how much I love her and she told me she knows.

About the flashbacks I have been having...well theres one moment in my life when I was starting kindergarten...my mom did something for me that day to make it a little easier for me...I told her about that moment and how much it meant to me...it took her a few minutes to remember what I was talking about, but then she remembered that moment too.  She chuckled because she didnt realize that that particular moment had such an impact on me and that I have thought of that moment many many times over the years.  But I think it made her happy that I told her.

After her surgery when she was waking up...one of the first things she asked my dad was how I was doing.  Can you believe it that she was still worried about ME at a moment like THAT?

[milashka]

I have the exact same cancer, stage 3C. My surgeon said he was able to remove all of the visible cancer and I have had 4 out of 6 chemo treatments. My tumor marker dropped from 946 to 19 after the 2nd treatment. My chances of surviving more than 5 years are 50%. Coin toss, he says. I am 43 years old and up to now have been very healthy, non-smoker, etc. Still, just a coin toss. Not what you want to hear halfway through life.

I talked to other women receiving chemo and found that they throw the 50/50 prognosis at all cases, it seems. There was a woman 10 years older than me, with one remaining tumor, who has been a smoker and has other health issues. One would think my chances are better but apparently they are not. Either they really don't know or the cancer just doesn't discriminate. Or both.

It drives me nuts not knowing which side my coin is coming down on but it's no use pushing numbers. I am trying to live in the now and take it one step at a time. Now is all anybody has...the past is gone and the future is not here yet. Nobody knows what the future holds.

Still would like to know how others have fared with this kind of cancer.

[Nan3002]

Praying for your mom, i am going through the same thing right now and i so badly need my mom around much longer and cant imagine not having her, she is the only one i can turn to when i  have a problem so im having a hard time with this too
Thinking about your mom

[brel]

Your family will be in my thoughts and prayers! Best wihes

[melinda2007]

my mother has just turned 70.she has been diagnosed with serous cancer.it started in her uterus moved into her abdomen,lungs,and possibly in her liver.it was discovered in the 4th stage.they said they cannot remove it.they can just prolong her life with radiation,and chemo.what does this all mean.what kind of life expectancy is she looking at?

[Christa54]

Your love for your mom certainly shines through.  I'm so glad you can express it to her; these will become precious memories for you.

We all deal with this disease in our own way.  I relay on my faith and the support of my friends and family.  I'm now dealing with my 3rd recurrence since being diagnosed 2 yrs ago at the age of 51.  It has metastased into my brain and appears that despite the gamma knife procedure, the tumors continue to grow.  Apparently once an area has been gamma knifed, you can't repeat it.

I'm not ready to give up yet, taking chemo and trying to make the best of each day that I've been given.  My goal is to stay alive until my son's wedding in September.

I commend each of you for your spirits; may God bless you!

Christa

[marysgirl2008]

my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on sept.15th,2008. just 15 days before my birthday. she had a full hysterectomy done on the 18th. the doctor told us she got all the cancer, and her lymth nodes were also clear. shes awaiting chemo now, she should start in a about 2 weeks.
my mom is my best friend and i know shes going to beat this because she beat breast cancer 10 years ago. thats right 10 year breast cancer survivor.i guess all we can do now is hope and pray real hard.  

[jilly440]

A related discussion, Uternine cancer was started.