recurrance of stage 3 ovarian cancer

[amaze4u]

The facts -I was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian in Aug 2005, last chemo in Jan 2006.  I had a CT scan on Friday and it shows a soft tissue mass in my abdomen, and suspicious something in my pelvic area.

What now?  I have an appointment next Monday with a gyn-onocologist at a university hospital for my next stage of treatments.  

I am having to wait a week to start attacking this again, and my mind is going wild.  Is there anyone that has good success with your 2nd go around with stage 3?

How life altering were your treatments?

I'm old - 55! - anyway old enough not to be real computer savy, this is all new to me- hope I can get back in to find your answers,  Thanks for your time!

[Tybear]

Hi there! I am also a stage 3c who recurred about 8 months after finishing chemo. I was put back on taxol/carbo for 4 treatments, but my tumors did not respond to it. I am now on a clinical trial specific to my type of ov/ca, so I'm hopeful I will see some results from this. I'm feeling really well, but certainly am not flying through chemo like I did the first time! If I have another remission soon, I will spend it get myself strong so if I have to battle this again, I'll be more prepared.
Good luck to you,
Becky

[Terrin2]

I am also stage 3c,  with recurrance after 8 months,  was put back on carbo and taxol,  CA125 went down to 4.4 from 220.  Will have scan next month,
Stay in touch here,  and good luck,  I have heard of alot of success and hope.

[Chuck10010]

My wife was diagnosed in December 1999 with Stage 3C ovarian cancer.  She had both ovaries and omentum removed.  She initially had the platinum based drugs and recurred after about 6 months.  She was then on Taxol and that again pushed her into remission, she recurred again after about a year and was given doxil.  She has now recurred for the 3rd time and today had her 6th treatment of Topotecan.  She'll have a CA125 done on May 1 to see how the Topotecan is working.  As she has taken more drugs, she gotten weaker but is still able to get out and around.  Throughout her 6 - 7 years with this disease, her biggest problem has been diarreha.  Usually, it's constipation but not with her.  The Topotecan is making her weaker with each treatment as it has a cumulative effect, however, after a blood transfusion after the 1st Topotecan treatment, Neupogin and Procrit injections, her blood counts are hanging in there.  She sleeps more being on this chemo.  You can keep going for a long time with this disease.  It's not an easy trip but there are new drugs being made available and hopefully in a short time they'll be able to at least control this disease.

[rmarie]

We seem to be on almost the same time line.  I was diagnosed in Sept. surgery in Oct., finished chemo in Feb. 06.  I was found, being worked up for another problem to have a reoccurance.  When my GYN/ONC, was told, his first words were, we'll cut it out.  I did have a PT scan, to determine where exactly the growths were.  Surgery was 2 weeks ago, they removed it all, and I await the second round of chemo, I don't know what kind yet.  

Your not old, I am 62, so I am older, I can't address the the second treatment yet, other than the surgery, and it has not seemed as bad as the first, they took out less.  Good luck to you, this is not a nice journey we are on, however it is worth fighting.

[SimplyStar]

Mary,    thanks!!!!  a little over 70 ha ha ha  try 77.  Sorry about your recurrance,  my daughter recurred after 4 months and starts a clinical trial Monday,  there are so many choices out there now, that as Jatoo puts it, we could be seeing longer remissions and a chronic desease.   Most everyone says the second round is not as bad as the first, I sure hope so for both of you.

[TealSupporter]

Amaze4U it was so great chatting with you tonight. ;-)
Please let me know how it goes after the 23rd.  I believe that was the date you said...

love,
meg;)
www.ovariancancerforum.com
www.brittanywaldrep.com

[Jatoo]

Hello and I am sorry for this recurrence. But it should not be surprising to anybody because the recurrence rate for a stage 3 is close to 75% within five(5) years. Of course it is always not easy. But you are very fortunate that you are already getting close to two(2) years which means that treatment or even surgery can put you back on remission. My wife recurred after three(3) months so ours was a lot more frightening to say the least. You can learn a lot by studying the archives of this section and the medical side of this forum.

But here are your options: (Of course, my opinion which can be mistaken.)

1. Taxanes (Taxol, weekly Taxol, Taxotere, etc.) and Platinum (Carboplatin, Cisplatin, etc) drugs can put you back on remission.

2. 2nd Cytoreduction improves prognosis. There was a study made proving the sensibility of this route.

3. You will be offered Doxil, Topotecan or Gemzar.

4. Be prepared to go on clinical trial and start learning about the monoclonal antibodies and/or biologic drugs: Avastin, Sorafenib, VEGF Trap, Erlotinib, etc. In one clinical trial a single agent Avastin or Bevacizumab had almost close to 60% success rate (stabilized, plus partial or complete response). Which means that getting Avastin on a clincal trial can be a premium.

Our goal is to classify OvCa as chronic disease like diabetes instead of life threatening as more and more drugs are discovered. Eventually you may not even have to use chemo (cytotoxic - "kills the cells") drugs which many are now using because they just use Avastin.

Definitely prayers help. Which means that I will include you in my prayers if you will allow me and please pray for my wife (she's 53 and had surgery in June 2005 stage 3C finished CarboTaxol in Nov. 2005, recurred in Feb 2006, Doxil for 6 months shrunk tumors partially, weekly Taxol, Topotecan - no response, Now on Avastin/Gemzar since Jan 07- reduced CA 125 from 574 to 74, praying for a remission).

All the best,
Jatoo

[Mary 53]

First of all, I want to tell you that my heart goes out to you and I am so sorry to hear you are having to deal with this again.... or at all in the first place!

People will come on to give you some answers. People are great here. Glad you found us.

And, I want to add that I am constantly amazed at the abilities us older gals...I am 53...have regarding being self-taught on the computer. I sometimes amaze myself. One of the members here, Simply Star (I don't think she will mind if I spill the beans on her age....just a little over 70) puts me to shame regarding her own self-taught skills on the computer. So, way to go! to all of us.

My best to you. Hope you found us easily the second time. Put it in your favorite places on your computer to help you access it even more easily the next time.

Sincerely,

Mary