Serous Borderline Tumor - complete staging surgruy?

[rainsunshine]

I had a 3 to 4 cm paratubal cyst (near the fimbriated end) removed Nov 7th. and the pathology report came back as "

Serous Borderline Cystic Tumor. Capsule is Intact.

Grade 1/3
Tumor on external surface: negative
extent: limited to ovary
Lymphatic channel/ vascular invasion: negative

Is there anyway to tell if this is LMP or the other more serious kind? what does Grade 1/3 mean?

The surgery was done by an ob/gyn...the procedure is cystectomy only and no sample of other organs...should i consider a complete staging surgery by a gyn-oncologist?

Is it safe to have a baby? Is it true patients treated by cystectomy were 3 times more likely to recur than those treated by oophorectomy?

Is paratubal tumor different than an overian tumor?

Sorry i have so many questions i am really anxious i am awaiting for your answer...thanks so much for your help.

[rainsunshine]

The Gyn-oncologist's notes just say the ovary, tube, and uterus looked normal...and they think that a cystectomy is a appropriate treatment since i want to have a baby...i am really worried...i totally agree with you...Looks benign is not good enough...

I am so confused:((((

[melenzbee83]

Hi,
I think it is important to have staging done DEFINITELY as it will tell you if the borderline tomour has spread like it had in my case in the form of non invasive implants. I would get them to do scrapings of your uterus to check all this out. "looks" benign is not good enough..did they not test it? You may be lucky and everything may have been contained but staging is def important. I am working with the two best gyno oncologists in Australia they also meet reguarly via conference and talk to overseas specialists too. They automatically test anything and stage it when completing laporoscopies or removing tumours etc. It is your body and you need to do what you need to , to feel reassurred and live a life that is not filled with constant worry :)

[rainsunshine]

Hi Mel,

Yes it is Serous Borderline Cystic Tumor according to my phthology report.

I had a laporoscopy done by my ob/gyn to remove the tumor. He didn't check lymph nodes, appendix, and uterus etc becuase the tumor looked benign.  

Now i am seeing a gyn/onclogist and she didn't recommend any staging that's why i am worried...How would i know everything else is ok?

I dont want to make something out of nothing...but i dont want to miss the best opportunity to treat the tumor either...Not sure if a complete staging surgrery is necessary

Thanks alot for your message and Merry Christmas to you too:))))

rs

[melenzbee83]

Hi,
Can i just confirm is your cyst serous borderline ovca? Sorry im a little confused.
I had a laporoscopy done by my gyno who took samples of a tumour on my ovary and removed cysts and endometriosis.

The results then came back as serous borderline ovca so i then went to a gyno oncologist and had my right ovary removed and appendix, staging, and scrapings of all my uterus and checked my lymph nodes. They did not need to sample other organs, my doctor did say that they looked healthy though. They would normally just take biopsies of your ovaries and utuerus not other organs.

I will check on here again soon to see what you said.

I think you can relax for now and try NOT  to worry.
Merry Christmas x

[rainsunshine]

Hi Mel,

Thanks for your input.

Just wondering..did you do a complete staging surgery the first time or you did the staging as a second surgery after borderline tumor is confirmed?

It seems my gyn-oncologist doesn’t worried about it at all…she suggested me to do whatever I was planning to do ( …having a baby..) just come to see her every six months…

The reason I am worried is that the cyst was thought to be benign at the time of the surgery…so they did not sample other organs…

Am I worried too much…or should I listen to the gyn-oncologist?

[melenzbee83]

Hi,
You definitely need staging from a gyno oncologist so that is your next move. I was also diagnosed with serous borderline tumour when i was 22. Borderline does mean LMP as far as I know . . . well thats what my specialist told me but it is hard when a gyno oncologist did not do the staging as they will give you stage I-IV and whether its type a,b or c. You are very lucky that it is limited to the ovary though, normally this indicates a very good prognosis and low reoccurence rate but like i said im not a doctor just going off my own personal experiences and what my two specialists have told me :) Im not sure what grade 1/3 means i am only familiar with stage 1-Iv and types a,b or c.

you should have your gyno oncologist when doing staging to complete a histology as this will tell you what the borderline tumour consists of and whether it is the type likely or unlikely to turn invasive. (sorry i cant remember correct terminology for it, but i researched it myself and requested it done)

Keep us posted.

Mel x