Cancer reoccurance

[andreahoustongirl]

My Mom is 66 and was diag in Feb 08 with stage 3C Ovarian Cancer.  She had surgery and did chemo of Taxol and Carboplatin.  She has been sick ever since!  She got Rhumatoid Arthritis very bad from it ..then Pnumonia..then her stomach just hurt and hurt and she could not eat.  Her GI doctor said it was Narcotic Bowl Syndrome from her Fentanyl patch of 25 mic.  She had 6 trips in and out of the hospital (since Feb 09).  Finally  last week her CA 125 was 262 and they could not do a colonoscopy..the tube would not insert.. so did emergency surgery (June 09).  The cancer caused a stricture on her Colon and she needed a Colonoscopy Bag..and there were little cancer cells EVERYWHERE..both intestines, liver, pancrease, stomach, entire abdomenal wall.
Her doctor said she should do Carboplatin..but Pallative said she has had no quality of life and with our without it she has 6 months.  Her oncologist will not discuss her live expectancy.  
Do not know what to do.  She has been so sick I just want to see her in no pain.
Can low dose Chemo do anything?
Thanks

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Dear Andrea
I am so sorry to hear about what your mother has gone through. Unfortunately with her cancer growing so quickly, she has a high risk of dying from her cancer within the next 2 years.  
I would also disagree with the choice of platinum at this point. Her cancer is probably resistant to platinum.
other choices that are usually easy to tolerate include:
monthly doxil (40 mg/m2) or weekly low dose taxol. (60-80 mg/m2)

I know how hard this illness is on the whole family.
best wishes

[andreahoustongirl]

Thanks so much!!