Aa
wanting info on Rare Ovarian Cancer
My mom passed away in January from Ovarian Carcinosarcoma MMMMT. There is vrey little information out there on this rare cancer. I am only 23, but I worry for myself, my 17 yr old sister & my aunts. My mom was only 42 and had only been diagnose in June 06. This cancer came in quick & took over very fast. My mom went to the gyn ever year & was on birth control (which I know reduces risks)Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Amaris
Thank you
Amaris
I am so very sorry to hear about your mom. It sounds all to familiar, Kidney falure was what ultimately killed my mother. The tumors were so massive they covered everything the first kidney went a week before she passed & then the other & she was gone within 24hrs. This is an extremely rare disease, but the more I research the more & more people I am finding that have been affected by this type of cancer. My mom was only 42 & by the end she looked like she was about 70! Nurses who didn't know would tell my dad he was so nice to take his mother to her appointments, it was so sad! I've seen people with cancer & helped to take care of them, but nothing like the effect this has on people who are suffering from it. I will pray for you & your family through this difficult time.
Hello, Sorry about your mum
My mum has just passed away from ovarian carcinosarcoma. As the same is here the oncologist told us she could have 2-3 years. My mum was diagnosed March 9,2005. When they first treated her they treated her for ovarian epitheliel cancer and told her 5 years! We were so happy. Went thru 4 rounds of chemo and then surgery and then 4 more rounds of chemo. After round 6 the doc called and said it was a very aggresive form of cancer and 2-3 years. So we were saddened. She had chemo March 05 and was doing great until Feb 06. Then started chemo again March 06 Caelyx....shrank tumors a bit but did not have any growing. However only had 6 rounds. She felt great on that chemo drug. So they told her to have a break and well her last one was August and she went to see the doc and he said see you in October......great report again. Then her follow up was for January 30 this year. Well before mid January she had to wear depends she could not walk as her tumor grew and pressed on her nerve endings in her leg and also pressed on her kidney. So needless to say mums cancer had spread and it was too far gone. UNREAL! So she apparently was in kidney failure and had to put in nephrostomy tubes. Well the tubes did work and we got to have mum home for a couple of weeks and then apparently they fell out and she was not strong enough to endure the procedure again. She passed away peacefully March 24, 2007. I am truly heartbroken. I work at a hospital and I wil say I am shocked at the amount of patients diagnosed with RARE cancers. -- Debbie
My mum has just passed away from ovarian carcinosarcoma. As the same is here the oncologist told us she could have 2-3 years. My mum was diagnosed March 9,2005. When they first treated her they treated her for ovarian epitheliel cancer and told her 5 years! We were so happy. Went thru 4 rounds of chemo and then surgery and then 4 more rounds of chemo. After round 6 the doc called and said it was a very aggresive form of cancer and 2-3 years. So we were saddened. She had chemo March 05 and was doing great until Feb 06. Then started chemo again March 06 Caelyx....shrank tumors a bit but did not have any growing. However only had 6 rounds. She felt great on that chemo drug. So they told her to have a break and well her last one was August and she went to see the doc and he said see you in October......great report again. Then her follow up was for January 30 this year. Well before mid January she had to wear depends she could not walk as her tumor grew and pressed on her nerve endings in her leg and also pressed on her kidney. So needless to say mums cancer had spread and it was too far gone. UNREAL! So she apparently was in kidney failure and had to put in nephrostomy tubes. Well the tubes did work and we got to have mum home for a couple of weeks and then apparently they fell out and she was not strong enough to endure the procedure again. She passed away peacefully March 24, 2007. I am truly heartbroken. I work at a hospital and I wil say I am shocked at the amount of patients diagnosed with RARE cancers. -- Debbie
Actually, would it be ok to ask about your mothers course/progression? I would be very interested as my family is facing a very similar prognosis.
My mother has fallopian MMMT. Three Ms... mixed mullerian tumor. Mullerian means gynocological. Tumor is pretty self explaintory. Mixed is because this type of cancer has carcinoma and sarcoma properties. General gyno tumors are carcinomas. Scaromas are extremely difficult to treat. My mother has proven gemzar resistant and they are looking at a few novel chemo agents that have shown promise on renal sarcomas. As far as predispositions and genetics we'll wait for the good Drs response. I don't know much about that. There is a Yahoo group for those with MMMTs if you want to read more stories @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UterineMMMT
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dear Amaris,
i am so sorry about your mother. 42 years old is so young!!
There have been many terms for the kind of cancer your mother has and the thinking about this cancer has evolved over the past 20 years.
Cancers in general are cells that have lost the ability to be controlled by the normal internal cellular controls. We think this is because one or many gene mutations occur. the genes that mutate are important in the normal control of cell division and growth. When cells lose control, they become irregular in appearance. In many ways they lose the normal appearance of normal tissue. So while a non-cancerous ovarian cell has a very distinctive 'ovarian cell' look. A cancerous ovarian cell can look (under the microscope)like an ovarian cell but a Little irregular ( a grade 1 cancer or a well differentiated cancer) or extremely irregular with lots of mitoses ( cell divisions) (grade 3 cancer or poorly differentiated cancer ) or completely unrecognizable as to where to cell came from (undifferentiated).
MMMTs are now thought to be cancers that originate from the cells of the female reproductive organs (ovary, fallopian tube, uterus) that have become so undifferentiated that part of them looks like a sarcoma.
A sarcoma is a malignancy of muscle cells and is usually much more aggressive than carcinomas which come from epithelial lining tissues.
MMMTs are very aggressive and are not very sensitive to chemotherapy agents. As Mark mentioned, we are always looking for better treatments and there are many experimental trials available.
It is reasonable, Amaris, for you to consider meeting with a genetic counselor to examine your whole family history. It may be reasonable to consider genetic testing. We only have a few gene tests right now but i imagine more will come. If you are at risk for ovarian cancer based on family history or gene testing, you should consider having your ovaries removed once you have completed your family. Until then, you should stay on the birth control pill to suppress your ovaries.
bets wishes to you
i am so sorry about your mother. 42 years old is so young!!
There have been many terms for the kind of cancer your mother has and the thinking about this cancer has evolved over the past 20 years.
Cancers in general are cells that have lost the ability to be controlled by the normal internal cellular controls. We think this is because one or many gene mutations occur. the genes that mutate are important in the normal control of cell division and growth. When cells lose control, they become irregular in appearance. In many ways they lose the normal appearance of normal tissue. So while a non-cancerous ovarian cell has a very distinctive 'ovarian cell' look. A cancerous ovarian cell can look (under the microscope)like an ovarian cell but a Little irregular ( a grade 1 cancer or a well differentiated cancer) or extremely irregular with lots of mitoses ( cell divisions) (grade 3 cancer or poorly differentiated cancer ) or completely unrecognizable as to where to cell came from (undifferentiated).
MMMTs are now thought to be cancers that originate from the cells of the female reproductive organs (ovary, fallopian tube, uterus) that have become so undifferentiated that part of them looks like a sarcoma.
A sarcoma is a malignancy of muscle cells and is usually much more aggressive than carcinomas which come from epithelial lining tissues.
MMMTs are very aggressive and are not very sensitive to chemotherapy agents. As Mark mentioned, we are always looking for better treatments and there are many experimental trials available.
It is reasonable, Amaris, for you to consider meeting with a genetic counselor to examine your whole family history. It may be reasonable to consider genetic testing. We only have a few gene tests right now but i imagine more will come. If you are at risk for ovarian cancer based on family history or gene testing, you should consider having your ovaries removed once you have completed your family. Until then, you should stay on the birth control pill to suppress your ovaries.
bets wishes to you
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