3x ovarion cancer stage 1C

[Setter]

thank you so much for responding Dr. here is a brief summary : i had a 17.0 cm tumor , the cystic mass is composed of a single large unilocular cyst ,surgery 11/01/05 ca125 4200 hysterectomy w/ salpingo-oophorectomy, endometrioid carcinoma ,tumor limited to 1 ovary capsule intact,no tumor on ovarian surface,no malignant cells in ascites or peritoneal washing, lymphovascular invasion is identified, stage 1c, 3 carbo/taxol treatments, pet scan indicated reoccurrance 10/18/06 6 carbo/taxol, ca125 rising again to 288 11/01/07 6 rounds of doxil at this time no measurable tumor just rising ca125, last doxil will be performed 04/09/08 ca125 is now at 140 doxil not lowering ca125 as fast as the carbo/taxol previous 2x, my question is regarding hormone blocker pills? I am still waiting for onc/gyno to get results of slide showing est/pro. recept. sites? do you have any info on response rate using hormone blocker pills or maintenance chemo? my onc/gyno says NO to both, hes only interested in giving me chemo,i have basically educated myself, he provides NO info on nutrition or anything else i have asked him? thank you in advance for any help

[grandnonnie]

i was diagnosed stage 111 c with ovarian cancer 3 years ago...i have gone thru all the available treatments while being resistant to the platnums...as a last resort my MD has put me back back on toxal and carbo platnum and after 4  treatments once a week , my tumors have shrunk...my oncologist wants to put me
on avastin once every other week with the above treatments...these
treatments are $5000.00 each....what are the chances of avastin
working and for how long? what are your thoughts...thanks

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Dear Setter,

You have received the good, standard chemotherapy drugs for recurrent ovarian cancer. There have been studies looking at anti estrogen and anti aromatase drugs for women with recurrence ovarian cancer. The drugs that have been used include tamoxifen, arimidex, letrozole. The response rate has varied from 0 to 50 %..
there may be correlation with the hormone receptor status of your tumor but this has not been well studied. the side effects of these drugs are few - hot flashes, vaginal dryness, risk of blood clots, and more rarely prescription eye changes.

It may reasonable to consider a trial of this type of therapy if your gyn oncologist agrees. Another question for you: where is the recurrence? is this something that can be surgically removed?
best wishes

Dear Grandnonnie - avastin is a new drug and is experimental at the present time. There have been reports of responses to avastin in combination with chemotherapy that range around 20 to 30 %. It is tremendously expensive. the risks include high blood pressure, protein int he urine, bleeding, bowel perforation. Having sad that, it is very well tolerated with few side effects.
best wishes