Low grade ovarian cancer

[Betty1227]

Hello,

Does anyone have this type of ovarian cancer?  I was diagnosed stage 3c just about 1 year ago....finished treatment in May of this year and have been doing well.  However, my last CT scan showed a tiny nodule and my ca125 level elevated slightly.  I have grade 1 which is apparantly a slow growing cancer but tends to be resistant to traditional chemo.  So my doc thinks this nodule may be tumor again and is starting me on femara.  Can anyone share any experience with this type of situation.  Thanks.

[Betty1227]

Hello ladies......thank you for your responses....I appreciate your words of encouragement. It's great to hear that you're all doing well. Texas Grannie.....14 years....I needed to hear that!!!  I wish us all many, many more!!

[Texas Grannie]

Betty, I have had low grade ovarian cancer for 14 years. It has been controlled by Tamoxifen and Arimidex. I am hoping my doc gives me Femara next. When the antiestrogens wear out, I get fluid build up. I was drained of 4 liters today. When I take chemo, my CA125 gets higher. So, I hope the Femara works for you. If your cancer is like mine, you are lucky, and Femara will help. I live a normal life until the med wears off, about every two years. I have had no side effects that I am aware of. Texas Grannie

[gah_70]

I have stage 3C, as well, and was originally grade 3, too.  When my recurrance was found last year, the grade was changed to 1 (doc thinks the first round of carb/taxol killed all the fast growing stuff, and what I have now is the slower growing stuff chemo didn't get the first time).  You are correct that conventional chemo will not work on low grade OvCa because it is designed to kill the fast growing cells.  Since low grade cells don't split quickly, chemo does not recognize them.  I went through 9 to 12 months of IV chemo pretty much for no reason.  I decided to go to MD Anderson for a second opinion, and that's when I found out my cancer is now low grade.  I tried Fermara first, but ended up with a pulmonary embolism.  They can't say for sure it was caused by Femara (clots aren't indicated with Femara like they are with Tomoxifen), but we switched to Aromasin, another Aromatase Inhibitor that works the same way (they block estrogen and starve the cancer cells).  I have had wonderful results with it.  In fact, I am in Houston right now for my 3 month check up at MD Anderson, and will find out Monday if I am in remission again or not.  I had all my tests today.  My CA 125 fell from 196 back in the summer to 53 in September.  I'm anxious to see how things look now.

Good luck with Femara.  I hope it works for you!

Gail  

[jlock]

I'm also a stage 3c grade 1 ovca and have been fighting since 2004. I have been on several chemos and am currently on my 3rd recurrence and 6th type of chemo.  My body has been through enough and I'm now being switched to Tamoxifen.  I don't know about Femara,so I can't offer any advice. I can tell you that although we don't respond well to chemos...we can still treat this disease as a chronic disease and live a good life (most times)  Good luck~~~~Joanne

[StillFighting]

I have this type of cancer. Was diagnosed with it back in 2001 been fighting it off and on ever since lol.

Dont know about the femara as i've not been on it. Been on high doses of carbo/taxol
and as every one is different i'm sure your experiences will be different from mine.

Feel free to read my notes and journals in there you will find everything i've gone through.

Good luck to you.
Michelle