average remission/anything else after first round chemo?

[4mom]

Hello-


My mom just finished her 6 rounds of taxol and carbo last week for stage IIc ovca and got her first CT scan results and everything is clean! She handled the chemo pretty well- just a little fatigue and numbness in her joints. My question is has anyone done anything after the first line chemo- antibodies, taxol maintnence, or anything after being finished? She went for a second opinion at Johns Hopkins and the doctor said she feels that my mom is clean and should just go for her scans every 6 months. Anyone else had stage II and what is the usual process if any? What is the average remission at this stage?

Thanks in advance,

a worried son

[milashka]

I think the approach differs from patient to patient. If the tumor marker was a good indication of disease and response to treatment, then keeping an eye on that number every 1-2 months is a good idea. They say the number rises a few months BEFORE a CT scan can detect tumors. Of course for some women the CA-125 is not a good indicator, but I think that's not too common.

As I said, for me it's CA-125 every 2 months and CT scan every 6 months. Of course, if I EVER feel that anything is "off" I can always go to my oncologist in-between check-ups - he really encourages that which I like. I have needed to do this so far but it's reassuring to for once have a doctor who takes me seriously! His first question always is: How do you feel? Any changes? Anything?

I think the doctors themselves have to feel their way through this because each patient is so different.

Good luck to all of you!

[kmoe]

My sister is stage 2C grade 3. Her tumor grew back 11 days after surgery to 10x11x1 cm. I don't know if that is typical of what was left but the Dr. said it wasn't. For a fast growing cancer like hers she is going to get a CA-125 every 2 weeks at least for a while. Maybe a lot of disease was left and it just grew together the surgeon said "bulk of disease removed", "scattered disease left in pelvis". Anyway these cancers are so different in where they show up and how fast they grow with blood supply, etc. If you know it is slow growing then I would feel better with a longer time between check ups. Just my 2 cents. It seems we have had to tell the Drs. what to do from demanding CT scan to starting chemo to demanding CA-125. I don't blame them since this disease can be so different for each individual and there are so many varieties. I think God is watching over her as her pain lead to the CT scan and starting chemo early. She also had a fistula develop which will give us a second look surgery. We are now praying for a long remission. God bless.

[baguba]

I was diagnosed Stage 1C in 2002.  Had recurrence last June.  First dx I was treated with taxol/carbo (6 rounds); then watched every month with CA 125 and regular CT scans. Slight elevation in my CA 125 brought me to the docs, where they discovered recurrence. Had surgery to remove 3 small implants, then another 6 rounds of taxol/carbo, and am now having a years' maintenance of taxol, and expected to be followed up after that with Tamoxifen. Last CA 125 was 8.1, and scan showed NED. There is no hard evidence to prove that what I am doing will prevent another recurrence; but my onc. feels it's a good possibiity in my case. This is a new onc. for me, and she believes this is what should have been offered to me the first time aorund.  Who knows?  I do agree with Jatoo, though, that to wait 6 months for a scan would be looking for trouble.  Stages I and II OVCA can be cured (the advantage of being found early); as well as can later stages when treated aggresively and finding the right chemo combo to use..  But if we let things slip through the cracks by not being "on top of things", then we are remiss.  I would suggest a CA 125 every month for the first year, then quarterly (at the least) CT scans for that year; then go on to a 2 to 3 month look and see pattern (CA 125 and scans).  It's never wrong to be pro-active and advocate for one self.  The last words we want to hear out of our doctor's mouth is "Ooops". Your mom is very lucky to have you; you sound like a great son. I will keep you and your mother in my prayers.  God Bless!  Judie :)

[Jatoo]

Hello. To do a six(6) months scan would be dreadful. I would go for a CA 125 test every month for the very least.

At present to do a maintenance theraphy to prevent recurrence is still being debated. You can almost say that there is no wrong or right answer here. No statistics to prove a point. But there are clinical trials being undertaken like OvaREx MAB, a monoclonal antibody, to prevent recurrence.

If your mom were mine or my wife and depending on her age and health, I would consider a hormonal theraphy like Tamoxifen for maintenance. For this you need a second opinion who is really well versed in OvCA. At the very least he or she should be  a GYn Onc who has extensive experience with patients in Ovarian cancer and not just breast. But even with this you will still get mixed opinions. So we are back to square one.

We have women in this forum who were Stage I and still have recurrence. I don't know if this would help your question.

Jatoo

[milashka]

I am stage 3C so that is a little worse but so far had a good response to treatment just like your mom. I am having CT Scans every 6 months, and the tumor marker checked every 2 months.

We are having an issue in regards to "tiny amount of fluid" detected on my scan last week not sure what it means, but everything else is still clean (unremarkable as they say), and the tumormarker is normal.

So scans every 6 months sounds about right...plus exams every month, then every 2 months, then every 3 months (not sure if I will be going on every 3 months, I'll find out Thursday; I'd rather stay at every 2 months because of the fluid).

I don't think there is much more your mom can do. My advise: she should listen to her body, not hesitate to tell her doctor about ANY symptoms even if they can be explained away, and live as healthy as possible to built up strength for the next treatment, IF it comes to that.

My oncologist told me they go by 4 things: CA-125, how the patient feels, pelvic exams, CT scans.