Recurrances

What is the highest number of recurrances have you seen a woman have form ovarian cancer?

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi Gail,
The term "recurrence" means that a cancer has grown back after a period of time when no cancer was detected (by exam, blood work, x-rays). Sometimes it is possible with surgery and/or chemotherapy, to completely remove the recurrent cancer. This is most likely to occur in two situations:
1- when the recurrence is isolated. For instance, there is a spot in the spleen and no place else
2- when the cancer recurs after two or more years of remission. When cancers are sensitive to being killed by chemotherapy, a complete remission is likely.

In the setting of an isolated recurrence, it is possible for many years to pass before another recurrence is seen.

For women who experience a recurrence in many areas of the abdomen at the same time, they have a high risk of experiencing another recurrence within 6 to 12 months.

Of course, each woman's story and experience is unique. Another common experience is to live with cancer for many years (I have taken care of women who have lived with persistent cancer for 5 to 10 years) and to keep the cancer from causing symptoms with chemotherapy.

Why do you ask this question?
take care

[gail47]

I have heard women say that they do not want to keep taking chemo the rest of their lives in order to live.  They think that if the cancer don't kill them then the chemo will.  I myself have too much to live for and I will take chemo the rest of my life if its God's Will.  Also my mother died from ovarian cancer and she choose not to have chemo only radiation.  I wonder if she would still be here with us today if she had. I did not know a lot about her situation because a lot of things she keep hidden from me and my sisters. She always talked bad about chemo before she had cancer and it was only because of the bad things people had told her.

[akg]

Dear Gail,
My experience is that most women when confronted with a recurrence want to try treating the cancer again. As long as a treatment is reasonable and effective, we can work hard to try and alleviate side effects. I also think supportive interventions such as acupuncture, massage, and other therapies can help lighten some side effects such as pain, neuropathy, depression, anxiety.

It is a very deep, existential choice - whether to continue with therapy when a cancer cannot be cured. It is important to carefully think about these issues each time the situation arises.

It must be hard to think about what your mother went through.
take care