Samples from surgery

When the oncologist takes samples during initial surgery with a patient with advanced ovarian cancer, what are they looking for?  My sister's oncologist said the results of the samples/pathologist's report just confirmed his staging and that she has cancer.  Isn't there more information to be gained from the pathologist's report?

[bmcd]

My daughters path report confirmed the type of cancer, the stage of the cancer and the grade of the cancer.  Hope this helps.

Take care and God Bless,
Bob

[lucymullis]

Lila,
I'd like to recommend you join http://groups.msn.com/OvarianCancerNetworking. This is a forum, too.  The facilitator sends a "Teal Box: to new members of the board.  This box contains books and other information that gives good information about Ovarian Cancer and has excellent patient info.  Hope this helps.

[OnlyLady]

I, too, have heard that they can determine the best chemo "cocktail" to use by testing the cancer cells they remove in the initial surgery.
I only wish someone had told me about that 2 years ago when I had MY surgery.  Would have answered alot of questions that I have now.
Jan

[Helmar]

Hello...I think if you ask, they can also assay the tumour to see what type of chemo would be best suited to treat your sister. I didn't know at the time I was dx that this could be done. Could be worth asking her Oncol.
Hope she is feeling better. *hugs*..Helmar.

[Cagney2712]

Your sister can always get a copy of the pathology report so that she, and you, can see for yourselves exactly what it says about every "sample" that was examined. All I had to do was stop by the medical records dept at the hospital where I had my surgery, sign a release form, and they gave me both my surgery & pathology reports in just a few minutes. It's a good idea to get copies of those sorts of things anyway just to have it for your own records.