Surgery or not

[positivepolly]

I was diagnosed with Ovarican Cancer Stage 3c in Oct. 2006 age 47.  It was inoperable so I have done 8 rounds of taxol/carbo and 4 rounds of avastin.   My last CT Scan shows no cancer and my ca125 is 5.  Yeah.   My Dr. has given me the choice to have surgery or do a maintenance chemo.  He says the outcome is the same.  My original goal was to shrink the cancer and have surgery.  Now I don't know if the outcome is the same what to do.  Not that anyone really knows what the outcome is.  Do I have the surgery?   It is this whole mental thing of making the right choice.  So confused    

[rmarie]

I would be confused also.  What does he mean when he says the outcome would be the same?  I had the surgery, did 6 rounds of carbo and taxol and recurred.  I just had a second surgery and start chemo again.  
I would get a second opinion, write to the Dr. forum, or see another GYN/ONC and find out what they recommend.  Me I think I would want all the stuff gone. Good luck

[freshair]

Wow, your cat scan shows no cancer. And your CA125 is at such a good level for not doing surgery!! What was your CA125 before chemo if I may ask? I know as a medical fact that when surgery is performed cells drift off.

Why were you inoperable? Do you have peritoneal ovarian cancer?

If I was in your situation I would not do surgery and wait a bit and do the maintenance chemo. You may have surgery in the future if need be. Ask your doctor that. This is new to me. I may be wrong I don't know but it sounds promising.

[Kimchi]

I agree with freshair, if it were me, why have the surgery if doctor says outcome will be the same.  Seems that your treatment may have taken care of the problem...I have read numerous time but can't verify it, that once you open up the body, the cancer cells spread.. I thing it's great that your numbers are so low and that scan is clear.I would just stick to the chemo (yes I know it's nasty)...Keep us posted

[TOTJ]

1st, I don't have cancer. While I was researching ovca, I read a very interesting article by an young ER doctor diagnosed with ovca. She said she approached her treatment with a very long term view - something in your original post seemed to match the memory of what I read. She reasoned that her future w/ ovca was quite long, and that her body energy should be convserved as much as possible. So, she avoided 2nd look surgery etc with view that her body needed "surgery reserves" for the future. She did her chemo starting with smaller veins furthest from the core, despite the pain, knowing that once the midline veins started to breakdown, it would be quite hard to back up and use the smaller veins. I wish I could remember where I read this. I don't know if it answers your question - ultimately, you will decide what is best for you.