Borderline Cancer

[Jo33]

I have just had a large ovarian cyst (30 x 25cm) removed along with my left ovary and fallopian tube. My consultant said that he didn't think it looked cancerous . They sent it away and my ovary for tests. I went to see him for the results and was told that it was borderline and they couln't tell me if it was more benign or mallignant. It has had to be sent to somewhere else for further investigation.
Has anyone else been told of borderline cancer? I don't know what to make of it.
My consultant has told me I will have to have a hysterectomy but when depends on what they find and I may need chemo.
I am going back next week for the results but I am really worried, I don't understand why the tests don't show what it is.

Jo33

[JIyer]

Here is an interesting article.
http://www.cancernetwork.com/journals/oncology/o0006d.htm
I am post meno and the other ovary was removed a long time back when I had hysterectomy. This seems to be a tricky problem and there is not enough research for establishing a norm.  I do follow John Hopkins also for info. Thanks.

[Casey06]

The LMP diagnosis is very confusing. Some doctors and articles basically consider it benign and others do not. As for me, my first gyn onc who is an excellant surgeon and apprently failrly well know in gyn onc circles, does not believe in much follow-up and I was not comfortable with that since my brother and mothers family has extensive history of early onset colon cancer.

Since you did not have TAH/BSO/LND initially, you need to be especially carefull.
Was this intentional, because you wanted to keep fertility, or did you doctor not suspect potential cancer?
I am glad to see you are going to MD Anderson, they specialize in LMP as does John Hopkins.

As far as I am concerned, I am not trying to make something of nothing, but I am sure not going to wait around to become a statistic. Better safe then sorry.

Good luck and keep in touch.

[JIyer]

Thanks for your post and the info. I am also facing LMP. I had surgery in 05 for removal of the only ovary and the cyst. The CA125 never went higher than 4 and there were a few pre-cancerous cells. 5 rounds of Cisplatin and Taxatere. Did fine until March 07 when the CA125 started rising. Also Acites. Completed 6 rounds of Carboplatin. CA125 came down to 85 and started going up with the latest number at 115. CT scans do not show any major problems. Will be seeing another senior Gyne Oncologist at MD Anderson for 2nd opinion.

[Casey06]

I was diagnosed with Borderline Tumor in August and based on what I had read about mis-diagnosis of the borderline tumors (which is neither benign or full malignant), I had my path slides sent for 2nd opinion. Second opinion confirmed borderline diagnosis, but 2nd gyn onc likes to do frequest follow-up (especially sice I have family history of early on-set colon cancer). She explained how LMP or borderline tumors are different than either full malignant and true benign, in that they grow slow and are less invasive. She did say there is about a 20% recurrance rate and recurrances can often present as full malignant, so she definately likes to keep an eye on them. She also says that if you are NED with malignant cancer for 5 -7 years, then you can relax alittle, but with LMP they often recur at 10 , 20 or more years, so need to monitor your whole life.
She pans to do CA-125 every 4 months for 2 years, then yearly. They did a CA-125 at this visit and it is down to 8.6 from 388 pre-surgery.
Since I had extensive endo, she wants me to stay off HRT as long as possible, but indicated CA-125 can help us monitor the endo and use of HRT.

So make sure you get appropriate follow-up.

[JIyer]

Border line cancer is also called Low Malignancy Potential cancer. -http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/ovarian-low-malignant-potential/patient#Keypoint2
Strongly recommend seeing a good gynecological oncologist for evaluation and follow up.