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lymph nodes in neck/ DVT
Is anyone dealing with malignant lymph nodes in the neck and / or a deep vein thrombosis (DVT)? I have a DVT in the left subclavian vein below the clavicle and numerous lymph nodes right above it are confirmed malignant. I had been on Taxol for 8 months (and I'm nearly losing all of my fingernails from it!) and last week I started Topotecan. Has anyone had lymph nodes surgically removed during recurrent ovarian? My doctor has not suggested it and I intend to ask. It seems that every side effect a drug can cause, I experience it - including a near-death reaction to carbo last August. My doctor says she's confident that Topo will get a positive response, which I know means more months before we have to try something else.
Hi there,
I, too, had lymph nodes removed in the groins during initial surgery 31/2 years ago.Other nodes in groin, as well as the pelvis, remain a problem. There are too many of them to remove and some of them are by major vessels. I will be having radiation to the pelvis in a couple of weeks and they may radiate them as well. I didn't think they could radiate lymph nodes, but I could be wrong. I will find out for sure next week. You might want to ask about that too. Take care.
Karen
I, too, had lymph nodes removed in the groins during initial surgery 31/2 years ago.Other nodes in groin, as well as the pelvis, remain a problem. There are too many of them to remove and some of them are by major vessels. I will be having radiation to the pelvis in a couple of weeks and they may radiate them as well. I didn't think they could radiate lymph nodes, but I could be wrong. I will find out for sure next week. You might want to ask about that too. Take care.
Karen
Hi Jane,
Wow. I really appreciate everything you have shared here. You have been through a lot. The information you shared is very helpful! Thank you for taking your time to pass this along to me.
I'm 3 1/2 years post diagnosis/surgery. I was at 3C. The tumor was so large that the surgeon never saw the uterus, because it was completely encased.
I've been able to teach full-time and be on and off chemo without missing any work, other than to get to appointments. But, now I have like 9 nodes in my neck and they are large enough to make my neck bulge. This really scared me, more than the original diagnosis. I guess, because I know a lot more now. I hope I get the same response you had with the Topotecan. My concern is whether the next place will be the brain.
In addition to the DVT and the lymph nodes, I have a really aggressive nail fungus from being on Taxol under all nails and have lost 2/3 of each big toenail. The other nails are also disappearing. I've let the doctor know. I'm also having to inject Lovenox 2x day into my abdomen for the DVT. Wouldn't you know, I developed a 4 inch diameter abcess and am now on Keflex for 10 days. I will have to have it lanced probably tomorrow.
I get a sense that my poor body is losing some resiliency due to the disease and all the chemo and other meds. I'm 57 and sure would like to be around a few more years.
Thank you again, Jane. I will refer to your comments.
Ramona
Wow. I really appreciate everything you have shared here. You have been through a lot. The information you shared is very helpful! Thank you for taking your time to pass this along to me.
I'm 3 1/2 years post diagnosis/surgery. I was at 3C. The tumor was so large that the surgeon never saw the uterus, because it was completely encased.
I've been able to teach full-time and be on and off chemo without missing any work, other than to get to appointments. But, now I have like 9 nodes in my neck and they are large enough to make my neck bulge. This really scared me, more than the original diagnosis. I guess, because I know a lot more now. I hope I get the same response you had with the Topotecan. My concern is whether the next place will be the brain.
In addition to the DVT and the lymph nodes, I have a really aggressive nail fungus from being on Taxol under all nails and have lost 2/3 of each big toenail. The other nails are also disappearing. I've let the doctor know. I'm also having to inject Lovenox 2x day into my abdomen for the DVT. Wouldn't you know, I developed a 4 inch diameter abcess and am now on Keflex for 10 days. I will have to have it lanced probably tomorrow.
I get a sense that my poor body is losing some resiliency due to the disease and all the chemo and other meds. I'm 57 and sure would like to be around a few more years.
Thank you again, Jane. I will refer to your comments.
Ramona
Hi Ramona,
When I was diagnosed 2 years ago, I had a lymph node on my collar bone the size of a large lima bean. When I had my debulking surgery, several lymph nodes were removed from my abdomen and were found to be cancerous, so the OVCA had spread to my lymph system, staging me 4B.
As the carbo/taxol chemo continued, the lymph node on my collarbone shrunk, until it couldn't be seen or felt.
I only had a 4 month remission when the cancer showed up in my lymph nodes, again, they were on major blood vessels and deemed too dangerous to remove surgically.
I then had Topotecan for 10 months, my CA went down every month and the last scan was clear, but my CA125 started to rise for the past few months, which means the Topo. was no longer working, and it was stopped.
I found the side affects of Topo. to be much easier than my first chemo. I hope you have the same experience.
RBC and hemaglobin went down and I needed an occasional Aranesp shot to get the bone marrow working. Fatigue of course, and constipation which Miralax, Colace and prune juice worked well.. The oncology nurses said to drink cranberry juice, it helps the chemo to work better, and prevents UTI. Vit B6 100mg was also suggested to help with neuropathy.
I can see by your post, you've been going through a tough time, if I can help you with any other info, please ask.
Good luck,
Jane
When I was diagnosed 2 years ago, I had a lymph node on my collar bone the size of a large lima bean. When I had my debulking surgery, several lymph nodes were removed from my abdomen and were found to be cancerous, so the OVCA had spread to my lymph system, staging me 4B.
As the carbo/taxol chemo continued, the lymph node on my collarbone shrunk, until it couldn't be seen or felt.
I only had a 4 month remission when the cancer showed up in my lymph nodes, again, they were on major blood vessels and deemed too dangerous to remove surgically.
I then had Topotecan for 10 months, my CA went down every month and the last scan was clear, but my CA125 started to rise for the past few months, which means the Topo. was no longer working, and it was stopped.
I found the side affects of Topo. to be much easier than my first chemo. I hope you have the same experience.
RBC and hemaglobin went down and I needed an occasional Aranesp shot to get the bone marrow working. Fatigue of course, and constipation which Miralax, Colace and prune juice worked well.. The oncology nurses said to drink cranberry juice, it helps the chemo to work better, and prevents UTI. Vit B6 100mg was also suggested to help with neuropathy.
I can see by your post, you've been going through a tough time, if I can help you with any other info, please ask.
Good luck,
Jane
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