EVISTA and Ovarian Cancer

[LIBBY8]

Could my recurrence of Ovarian cancer be attributed to my taking Evista for a year? I had ovarian cancer  15 years ago and after surgery and chemo, and a "second look" surgery with multiple biopsies  was considered cured.I had a complete hysterectomy and the cancer seemed to be contained in my left ovary. Last winter I  found a lump in my left groin which was biopsied and diagnosed as ovarian malignancy. Neither my OB/GYN nor  the OB/GYN Oncologist/surgeon I was referred to could explain this  recurrence. I have had  a surgery to remove the tumor and surrounding lymph nodes in my left groin as well as exploratory abdomina l surger and multiple biopsies and 6 chemo treatments with taxol and carboplatin during 2008. I am no longer taking Evista, but while doing some research to see if I wanted to go back on it for my osteopenia, I found some references to a correlation between Evista and ovarian cancer and wondered if  that could have had a bearing on my case.  


This discussion is related to Evista and Ovarian Cancer.

[Sandymac]

Glad you had a good report... Please visit often and there is a wealth of information on this forum. Your input will be valuable also...

Take care,
Sandy

[LIBBY8]

Thanks to both for your replies. Both were very helpful along with some further research and  a visit to my oncologist today who agreed there was no connection between my taking Evista and the recurrence of my ovarian cancer. My Reynaud's symptoms have disappeared since I stopped it, however, so he agreed I should not resume the Evista. My checkup with the oncologist today was very good...CA125 was 6, I get my port out next week and don't see the oncologist again for 3 months. Since I am 74, I'd be happy with another 15 good years like I had with my last OC. The next 15 will be different in one respect since it will be spent  without my husband who died right after I had my first chemo.Family and friends are real life savers. This is a very good site. I wish I had found it sooner...Libby

[Sandymac]

I wondered about the connection between Evista and Ovarian cysts which have also been mentioned "together". However upon further researching and talking with my Gyn., no real correlation has been found. Also, Evista is an Estrogen "blocker" . It has been shown actually to prevent some types of breast cancer..I was placed on Evista 8 years ago after some suspicious mammograms , which fortunately turned out to be nothing. But it frightened me enough to want to discontinue the HRT. I was placed on Evista to help the "bone"issue and was told then that it had been studied but not "proven" to repel estrogen (which some breast cancers feed upon). The makers of Evista were never able to advertise as such, but since then, there has been a direct link ot fewer cases of some types of breast cancer in Evista users. When I asked my Gyn. about the connection between ovarian cysts (which I had) and Evista, she assured me that no absolute link has ever been proven and there are thousands of Evista users.. So, I'm guessing not. I would think that , as Pam said, that HRT would be more likely to be the culprit than "SERM" , which is what Evista is-- means .... Estrogen Receptor Modulator.. can't remember what the "S" stands for.. But it "repels" estrogen ..

In any event, I'm so sorry about your recurrence. Please keep us posted..
Sandy

[nyc lady]

I do not think that any drug, medication can cause the cancer to come back....but, if the cells are there, I believe, and just my personal observation, that estrogen can cause the cells to grow.  It happened to me and a few others on this forum would probably feel the same that I do, that taking HRT caused the cancer cells, or masses, or cysts to grow faster than they would have otherwise.
The thing is that they do not know what causes Ov Ca, but, the important thing to remember is that you did nothing to cause this to happen...nothing!!!!!  
I have also heard that lower grades OvCa, and I am guessing you were low staged as it was confined to one ovary, recur later in life...10-15 years vs within the first 5 years.
Good luck...and let us know how you are doing.
Pam