Ca125 down a bit, and a question

[jane65]

Hi ladies, I saw my oncologist this morning and my Ca125 was down 1/2 a point again, from last months 1/2 point drop, we'll be glad to take any small decrease,right!! My blood values were also good, and I had my Topotecan chemo and didn't need an Aranesp shot, all good. Next Monday is my off week, then we start the 3 on weeks again.

We talked about what we'll do the end of Feb. when I'll have been on Topo 8 months. We'll repeat the scans and hopefully, if they're clear we'll stop chemo. I'd be going in monthly to have my port flushed and repeat the CA125 at that time, too.

I'm terrified to stop chemo since my last remission was only 3-4 months and i was wondering if any of you have had  maintenance chemo and do you feel that it prolonged a remission? My oncologist is against maintenance chemo, because he said my body needs a break from chemo to recover. I trust him and his judgement, but I'm still wondering.
I'm also curious if anyone is taking grape seed extract, and what brand and amount? I saw the 80 Minute report on Resparetrol(?)  and heard grape seed extract contains this promising drug.

Thanks for your help, and I miss our dear Joanne's loving posts so very much. Healthy hugs to everyone!  Jane

[Cindy809]

Glad I could help!  .... :) .... Cindy

[jane65]

Hi Cindy, thanks for your response, I'm going to ask my oncologist about whether I had an Assay, it never came up in conversation. I did once ask about my biopsies being sent out and tested for which chemo drug would be best for me. He said my Gyn/Onc/Surgeon did believe in doing that, but my onc. didn't go by the results because the cancer cells change, and he wouldn't depend on those results to plan chemo. I don't know if that's what Assay is, but I'll check it out with him. I'm not sure if I'm ER or PR + or - so that will also go on my list. The more you question, the more you learn, he looks for my list when he comes into the pre chemo room.

I was staged 111c with an agressive form of OVCA almost 2 years ago, my oncologist said the agressive kind is actually better because the cancer cells don't have a chance to really develop before they reproduce themselves. I guess that's why my 2 times on chemo worked at those times.
Sounds like our oncologists agree about not having maintenance dose chemo to let our bodies rest and recover, we trust them and it does sound logical since we unfortunately expect short remissions.

Your info definitely helped, thanks again and I hope doing ok at this time. Jane

[Cindy809]

Hello ... I didn't see 60 minutes but that sounds very interesting.  Also the small declines with your Ca125 is good.  Better down than up !!!  When I stopped chemo after my first remission (short), my doctor gave me the same response yours did.  He wanted my body to recover from the chemo.  Then I had a second surgery 1 year after treatment.  Chemo followed.  After a 2 week remission following treatment  this time last year I again asked the question to my doctor and he said he wanted my body to recover.  I was on a very harsh chemo and a hard schedule.  But, again I still wanted to do something.  He said he could put me on a hormone drug but the cancer never left so that never happened.  My Assy revealed that I am ER+PR-.  He suggested two but I can only remember one.  Femara, it blocks the enzyme aromatase to stop estrogen from being produced.  I think the other one was tamoxifen.  Also, some ladies will do low dose Taxol for 12 months.  Do you know if you are ER+?  Hope this helps.....Cindy

[jane65]

The report was on "60 Minutes" last night.  Jane