waiting for surgery....

[andi1717]

I am a 51 yr old woman, kinda peri-menopausal.  Always had weird period problems.  For the past couple years I've had vague and increasing pelvic pain, but when mentioned to GP, was dismissed as normal, peri-menopausal stuff... more recently (last 6 months) had feeling that something was just wrong.  I felt like my uterus was up high, and more and more weird cramping.  Finallly requested an ultrasound, and due to fact my mom died 5 years ago from ovarian ca, got one.  

On trans vaginal ultra sound, they found a 15cmX14cmX11cm mass on my right ovary.  Described as complex, with debris.  

I know it could be a teratoma, but my brother actually had a malignant teratoma in his teens, 30 years ago....

I'm waiting results of yesterday's CA125, and have surgery scheduled for 10/29....my HMO's first avaliable surgery date.  

Will they know right away if it is a malignancy ?  What else should I be asking ?

[hopeshell]

Glad to hear you are in good hands.  I wasn't worried about a bikini cut either....that was just the example I gave to show you how some drs. are clueless about sugery for ovarian masses.  My family dr. made that statement on his own without solicitation from me.

[andi1717]

Lucky for me, when the ultra sound came back, I was referred to a regular gyn, who in turn referred me to gyn-oncology.  I met the gyn-onc surgeon yesterday.  She is a gyn-oncologist, and has been practicing there for 5 years, and another several years elsewhere.  Young enough to still be excited about what she does, but with enough experience too.  That, and she was personable to boot.

Yes, she did tell me that I would have a belly button to pubic bone incision, but that way she would be able to get to everything, and be able to see what's going on in there.  The last thing I'm worried about is a bikini cut !!!!!  

[hopeshell]

Unfortunately, malignancy is only confirmed by surgery.  I encourage you to see an gynecologist/oncologist.  You can request to see one even though you have an HMO.  The size of your mass and the fact that it is complex are reason enough to have the surgery performed by an expert.  I was dx with stage 1a ovarian cancer last July.  It is only because of this board and the kind women who post here that I realized the importance of a gynecolgic oncologist.  Luckily, my gyn referred me on his own due to my mass and CA-125.  However, there were some snags in timely approvals from my HMO.  I made sure the HMO group was receiving and approving the referrals all through the process and got my surgery with the gynecolgic oncolgist.   The benefits of having the gyn/onc versus a regular gyn or surgeon is that they have seen many cases of ovarian cancer.  If frozen section during your surgery proves to be malignant, they will perform a full staging surgery and debulk as many of the tumors as possible.  Being properly staged and debulked in the first surgery for ovarian cancer improves your outcome with this disease.   They also have experience in performing the surgery in the safest way to improve outcome.....like a vertical incision in order to reduce risk of rupturing a mass that hasn't already ruptured.  My family dr. was telling me prior to my surgery that he didn't know why my dr. couldn't do a  bikini cut and my mass was 6cm.  He went on to state that they deliver babies through bikini cuts so why not my 6cm mass.... Thank God I had an expert!   A bikini cut wouldn't have allowed proper surgery to be performed and could have ruptured my malignant tumor and I wouldn't be stage 1a.  Thoughts and prayers your way for doors to open so you get timely treatment and a good outcome!

[SimplyStar]

Just be sure that your surgeon is a gyn/onocologist, they have 3 years more training in female irregularities. Not that you have cancer, but they know how to get as much as they can if it is, most places do a frozen section pathology test and it can be confirmed while you are on the table.  It sounds like you have a very large dermoid cyst, they can be filled with many types of tissue.  Most cysts are benign but with your history of cancer I would be prepared and hope it is in fact benign, one of the questions I think I would ask, is, if it is cancer, could they possibly do IP chemo while you are still under, some places do this with good results, but not all places or doctors are aware as to how to do it.  Good Luck and keep us posted.