chemo

[Jo A]

ovarian cancer return with 4 brain tumors that can't be operated on, had 18 rounds of whole brain radiation, 3 MRIs show no change in tumors at all. Does it seem reasonable to go ahead with chemo? Won't the effcts of radiation or the tumors cause my death before the cancer in my abdomin?

[akg]

Dear Jo,
You have a wonderful courage. every moment of life is so precious , isn't it?
take care

[Jo A]

Thank you for your response. When I finished 18 rounds of WBR the doctor said he wanted me to see the oncologist & start chemo immediately because of no change in MRI & the never before seen, baffling side effects I was having. He said he was going to speak with the other doc that day.That was 3 weeks ago. I've made several attempts to talk with the oncologist & was told to just go in for an appt. on April 3. My deduction is that the news isn't good & so he's in no hurry to tell me. I think it's that there's no point in going after the recurrance of ovarian cancer in my abdomin because either the tumors or the effects of radiation on my brain ore going to cause my death first anyway. Personally, I'd rather not have my final days spent with chemo side effects, all I did was sleep last time, I couldn't function. Right now I feel good, no pain. I'm enjoying company, laughing, good times. I've accepted the inevitable & am at peace with it, knowing I wouldn't be going if it wasn't my time.

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Dear Jo,
I am so sorry to hear about what your are going through. You are right, it is unlikely that chemotherapy will help brain metastases from ovarian cancer. there are a few chemotherapy drugs that do cross the blood brain barrier. There are some situations where it makes sense to try a short course of chemotherapy to see if it shrinks the tumors, if it does not then it does not make sense to push the chemo further.

You may be asking if this is the time to stop therapy and continue supportive care and symptom management. Have you and your doctor and your family discussed these issues?

I can only guess how scary this must be for you
take care