How do they check your abdomen for cancer?

[Iluvcandy]

Hello,

I am new to the board. It was discovered in a hysterectomy that I had cancer. It was in both ovaries and fallopian tube. They want to check lympth nodes and look for cancer in my abdomen. How do they check your abdomen? Any ideas wold be awesome. I have so many questions w/o answers. Meeting gyn-oncologist next week.

[jayhorses]

hey my friend may have breast cancer recurrence in uterus ovarys... she had an mri for hip recently...would this have shown anything? or is it a totally different mri. tx jayhorses

[Iluvcandy]

Thanks so much for your responses. I have been in a state of shock since the call. My appointment with ob-gyn oncologist is later this week. Just to wait for this is tough.

[marie3B]

I am so happy for you that no additional cancer was found.  I jut get sick every time someone else is newly diagnosed with advanced cancer.  Thankfully you escaped it.  I wish you a long healthy life free of this monster. Marie

[Gina3754]

I had ovarian cancer staging surgery on May 17th (cancer was discovered in my ovaries when I had a hysterectomy on March 30th).  I have an incision from just above my belly button down to the top of my pubic area.  The doctor removed my omentum (fat layer), appendix and several lymph nodes.  Luckily, no additional cancer was found and I did not require chemotherapy.  I'm not sure if your doctor will do an open abdominal incision like I had or do it laproscopically.  I hope you get good news like I did.  Keep me posted. Gina.

[gah_70]

You will be having surgery a second time. The GYN/ONC will more than likely "debulk", meaning he/she will check the areas around your abdomen and try to remove all signs of visible cancer.  They will also take lymph nodes for testing.  You will more than likely be staged at the point as well.  They will tell you what stage of cancer you have based on how far out of the ovaries it spread.  

I would advise taking a friend along with you to your appointment so you have someone to ask questions.  You will more than likely be overwhelmed.  Write down things to ask before your appointment so you won't forget anything at that time.  Take a small tape recorder with you and tape what he/she says in case you miss something.

You probably feel like you are in a whirlwind at the moment, and that is very normal.  But you've probably already realized you're stronger than you ever imagined.  This is a group of women who have been through this, and you are welcome to come back any time to ask questions or just for some moral support.  Take care and best wishes to you.

Gail

[Searching48507]

I am so sorry that you are dealing with this.  A lot of times, the gyn/onc will order a CT/PET scan.  That is a scan that is non-invasive that scans your whole body.  Any cancer growth will light up on the screen as cancer cells grow faster than normal cells.  That test would be the "gold standard" to know exactly what is going on.  They may also order just a CT scan and then blood marker tests like your CA-125, etc...

Peace,

Karen