Aa
DESPERATE!! PLEASE HELP :(
I will try to explaun the best way I can for this is all new to me.
I just found out today that my mom might have ovarian cancer. She was having some lower stomach pain last night so we decided to go to the ER. They did a CT-Scan and found a complex cyst about 7cm big on her left side which was previously there we had already known about. However, it had grown from 5cm to 7cm. Today we went in to meet with her OBGYN who ordered more testing. She ordered an ultrasound pelvic exam and blood tests. the ultrasound revealed more than the ct scan. It showed that she also had a "nodule" on her ovary and also that the ovary might be connected to the uterine wall. There was also some free fluid. At this point we are just waiting on the blood tests (something 125 and Fg something rather?!?! im sorry i don't know?) We are going to have the hysterectomy asap. We are WORRIED SICK!!! I am having a nervous breakdown. I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to my mom. Please help!
also, the CT Scan revealed nothing other than the complex cyst. No doctors mentioned anything that might have spread. At least it wasn't obvious to the naked eye (according to the scan)
My questions are:
What are the chances of it being cancer (malignant)? And if so, how aggressive is ovarian cancer?
Should we have an oncologist and an obgyn for the hysterectomy?
What are the chances it has spread to her lymph nodes and other places? And if so, wouldn't the CT have picked up on it?
What are treatment options?
Should we be as worried as we are or is this more common than I am thinking it is?
I just found out today that my mom might have ovarian cancer. She was having some lower stomach pain last night so we decided to go to the ER. They did a CT-Scan and found a complex cyst about 7cm big on her left side which was previously there we had already known about. However, it had grown from 5cm to 7cm. Today we went in to meet with her OBGYN who ordered more testing. She ordered an ultrasound pelvic exam and blood tests. the ultrasound revealed more than the ct scan. It showed that she also had a "nodule" on her ovary and also that the ovary might be connected to the uterine wall. There was also some free fluid. At this point we are just waiting on the blood tests (something 125 and Fg something rather?!?! im sorry i don't know?) We are going to have the hysterectomy asap. We are WORRIED SICK!!! I am having a nervous breakdown. I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to my mom. Please help!
also, the CT Scan revealed nothing other than the complex cyst. No doctors mentioned anything that might have spread. At least it wasn't obvious to the naked eye (according to the scan)
My questions are:
What are the chances of it being cancer (malignant)? And if so, how aggressive is ovarian cancer?
Should we have an oncologist and an obgyn for the hysterectomy?
What are the chances it has spread to her lymph nodes and other places? And if so, wouldn't the CT have picked up on it?
What are treatment options?
Should we be as worried as we are or is this more common than I am thinking it is?
Everyone fears the cancer risk when going in for surgery like this but the vast majority are benign.
The risks of ovarian cancer increase with age (how old is she) and are greater after menopause (is she pre- or post-menopause) but even then it is a rare cancer. Even the benign cysts can exhibit the pain and symptoms of cancer. "Some free fluid" indicates that some part of the cyst, a part that contained fluid, has ruptured, and that is mostly the natural results of a cyst breaking down. However, this cyst is complex and that could mean it is incapable of breaking down completely. It was a good candidate for removal back when it was 5 cm actually.
One of the pre-surgery tests you mentioned is CA-125 which is a cancer tumor marker test. It is not completely reliable and false positives or negatives have occurred with it. Mostly it monitors the progress of chemo patients as to whether treatment is working. Normal range is zero to 35. Slight elevations beyond that could be caused by even benign cysts. Very large elevations (into the hundreds and thousands) would be more concerning but even then, it provides only an educated guess and not a firm diagnosis. Certainly a CT Scan that only saw the one cyst is encouraging news.
Nobody can tell with any certainty prior to surgery whether there is cancer or all benign conditions present. The cyst has to be removed and tested. Some testing is done mid-surgery (and that tells them if more internal parts need to be checked before completing surgery). The final pathology after surgery determines if any cancer was hiding inside the cyst that nobody saw during surgery.
If it is cancer, it has to be staged (stages I to IV). Stage I that was contained (completely inside the cyst) is curable on surgery alone. Beyond that chemo is the treatment. Possibly more surgery (chemo and surgery are the only treatment options for ovarian cancer). Ovarian cancer aggressiveness varies (not all cancers are the same). The survival rate is not the best which is why surgery is a frequent recommendation because it is difficult if not impossible to tell benign from cancer based on all the diagnostic and imaging tests alone.
Doctors will say and do much to scare a patient in the days prior to surgery because they do not want to neglect a situation that needs quick action for the optimal best results (get rid of it before cancer gets a chance to develop, in other words).
A gynecologist/oncologist has more training than a gynecologist alone, and is the better option for the surgery if you can get that specialist for this procedure. These surgeries are very common and my own gyn/onc performs several of them a day, 3 days a week, every week. Only a small percentage of those surgeries lead to a detection of cancer. So even though it means going to a "cancer doctor", don't look at it that way. Look at it as going to the "best surgeon possible" for the type of surgery being planned. What your mom needs is someone that knows what to look for, and can remove only what needs to be removed and keep all the other parts working correctly and pain free afterwards. For that reason, a gyn/onc is the best bet, in my opinion at least.
I was equally frightened going into my own surgery back in January I had both ovaries/tubes and a cyst that was over 10cm in size removed. No hysterectomy. The surgery process and healing times are much the same though, so if you want to read my story, it is in the "About Me" section of my profile.
Best wishes to your mom and remember, the surgery is more about getting her back to normal. Keep thinking positive! She will need some assistance at home while recovering, though, so I hope you or other family members will be available for her.
The risks of ovarian cancer increase with age (how old is she) and are greater after menopause (is she pre- or post-menopause) but even then it is a rare cancer. Even the benign cysts can exhibit the pain and symptoms of cancer. "Some free fluid" indicates that some part of the cyst, a part that contained fluid, has ruptured, and that is mostly the natural results of a cyst breaking down. However, this cyst is complex and that could mean it is incapable of breaking down completely. It was a good candidate for removal back when it was 5 cm actually.
One of the pre-surgery tests you mentioned is CA-125 which is a cancer tumor marker test. It is not completely reliable and false positives or negatives have occurred with it. Mostly it monitors the progress of chemo patients as to whether treatment is working. Normal range is zero to 35. Slight elevations beyond that could be caused by even benign cysts. Very large elevations (into the hundreds and thousands) would be more concerning but even then, it provides only an educated guess and not a firm diagnosis. Certainly a CT Scan that only saw the one cyst is encouraging news.
Nobody can tell with any certainty prior to surgery whether there is cancer or all benign conditions present. The cyst has to be removed and tested. Some testing is done mid-surgery (and that tells them if more internal parts need to be checked before completing surgery). The final pathology after surgery determines if any cancer was hiding inside the cyst that nobody saw during surgery.
If it is cancer, it has to be staged (stages I to IV). Stage I that was contained (completely inside the cyst) is curable on surgery alone. Beyond that chemo is the treatment. Possibly more surgery (chemo and surgery are the only treatment options for ovarian cancer). Ovarian cancer aggressiveness varies (not all cancers are the same). The survival rate is not the best which is why surgery is a frequent recommendation because it is difficult if not impossible to tell benign from cancer based on all the diagnostic and imaging tests alone.
Doctors will say and do much to scare a patient in the days prior to surgery because they do not want to neglect a situation that needs quick action for the optimal best results (get rid of it before cancer gets a chance to develop, in other words).
A gynecologist/oncologist has more training than a gynecologist alone, and is the better option for the surgery if you can get that specialist for this procedure. These surgeries are very common and my own gyn/onc performs several of them a day, 3 days a week, every week. Only a small percentage of those surgeries lead to a detection of cancer. So even though it means going to a "cancer doctor", don't look at it that way. Look at it as going to the "best surgeon possible" for the type of surgery being planned. What your mom needs is someone that knows what to look for, and can remove only what needs to be removed and keep all the other parts working correctly and pain free afterwards. For that reason, a gyn/onc is the best bet, in my opinion at least.
I was equally frightened going into my own surgery back in January I had both ovaries/tubes and a cyst that was over 10cm in size removed. No hysterectomy. The surgery process and healing times are much the same though, so if you want to read my story, it is in the "About Me" section of my profile.
Best wishes to your mom and remember, the surgery is more about getting her back to normal. Keep thinking positive! She will need some assistance at home while recovering, though, so I hope you or other family members will be available for her.
well it's been a rough morning to say the least. However, your words gave me a little bit more confidence than I woke up with. We are getting the results for the blood work today and will find out more about what the doctor is deciding on. I completely understand what you saying about gyn/onc. I think I will mention that to her obgyn today at the visit. And to answer your question, my mom is 53. I want to say she is mid-menopausal but she is still getting her periods. They have become more sporadic though. I guess all we can do is wait. All i know is that we are doing a full on hysterectomy.
-What are the chances that it has "spread" to the other parts such as lymph nodes and other regions?
-If the CT didn't pick up on much but the cyst, doesn't that mean that it is in it's early stages?
-How effective is treatment?
-How worried should I be about the "nodule" on her ovary?''
- What are some good questions I can ask the doctors?
Sorry to be asking so many questions. This has literally turned my world around. I don't know what else to do but ask. Thank you for your encouraging words! ps. I will be reading your story for sure. Thank you
verona-
-What are the chances that it has "spread" to the other parts such as lymph nodes and other regions?
-If the CT didn't pick up on much but the cyst, doesn't that mean that it is in it's early stages?
-How effective is treatment?
-How worried should I be about the "nodule" on her ovary?''
- What are some good questions I can ask the doctors?
Sorry to be asking so many questions. This has literally turned my world around. I don't know what else to do but ask. Thank you for your encouraging words! ps. I will be reading your story for sure. Thank you
verona-
Some of those questions are above my head and are really up to an oncologist to answer. That's why cancer is categorized according to what stage it has reached. The answers vary by stage. Remember, it may not even be cancer so try not to get too far ahead of yourself with all that worry.
At this point, it's just about the surgery and recovery. The more important things to discuss are the pre-surgery preparations, post-surgery recovery and directions. Other things to discuss would be what type of incision (vertical or horizontal) if open surgery/laparotomy or is this doctor planning keyhole surgery instead.
Also important is to mention ANY allergies, including latex allergies, food allergies (such as shellfish which could mean they need to avoid iodine), adverse reactions to medicines, such as sulfa drugs, antibiotics, pain killers, etc. You don't want them using anything in the hospital that would be a problem for your mother. Other things to think about are infection control, nausea from anesthesia (if she is prone to nausea, what preventive steps can be done), etc. Just focus on the surgery for now because that may be all that is required.
If it ever gets to the point you want more information about treatments for ovarian cancer, you can find a lot of information on the ovarian cancer community forum at MedHelp.
It may be somewhat early for your mom to lose ovaries now if she is not completely past menopause, but it's not a bad age to lose them, either. At 53 she's had the benefit of their hormones long enough and she should not feel that much different for losing them.
At this point, it's just about the surgery and recovery. The more important things to discuss are the pre-surgery preparations, post-surgery recovery and directions. Other things to discuss would be what type of incision (vertical or horizontal) if open surgery/laparotomy or is this doctor planning keyhole surgery instead.
Also important is to mention ANY allergies, including latex allergies, food allergies (such as shellfish which could mean they need to avoid iodine), adverse reactions to medicines, such as sulfa drugs, antibiotics, pain killers, etc. You don't want them using anything in the hospital that would be a problem for your mother. Other things to think about are infection control, nausea from anesthesia (if she is prone to nausea, what preventive steps can be done), etc. Just focus on the surgery for now because that may be all that is required.
If it ever gets to the point you want more information about treatments for ovarian cancer, you can find a lot of information on the ovarian cancer community forum at MedHelp.
It may be somewhat early for your mom to lose ovaries now if she is not completely past menopause, but it's not a bad age to lose them, either. At 53 she's had the benefit of their hormones long enough and she should not feel that much different for losing them.
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