Ovarian Cancer - Recurrance Symptoms

[Bellabooboo]

Hello,

I had ovarian cancer (Epithelial) left ovary Stage 1A. Once diagnosed, my CA 125 was 70 and only symptoms were spotting and at 50 thought very little of it, no other symptoms and perhaps it was peri-menapause, but just happened to mention it to my PCP and she ordered a CA125 and then sonogram and then a CAT scan revealing the left ovary was the size of a large man's fist. A couple weeks later I had a Total bilateral oopherectomy and total hysterectomy followed by  a brief 3 courses of chemo. The staging was amazing, only stage 1A even for the size of the tumor, but it had not spread. I know there can me micrometasises, hence the chemo to be conservative in txmt.

Has anyone had early state ovarian cancer and had it come back, if so what were the symptoms, did your CA 125 climb beyond 30 (0-30 is normal)? Where did it manifest and what is the prognosis?

Thanks

Bella Boo Boo
I wondered if there is a chance

Where's the send button?

[Bellabooboo]

Also, I am 53, what are your ages?  Tell you women friends not to ignore symptoms. I am now reading Gilda Radner's Book "It's always something", she was married to Gene Wilder of "Young Frankenstein" fame. Both comics, great love story. She reports her battle with being misdiagnosed until finally she was in late stages of OVCA and was in for the fight of her life. Note that was a long time ago, and late stage women out there, so many new treatments are available and lives extended and treatments working, so be encouraged and don't dwell on statictics, be the exception!

Grateful for your lives

Bell Boo Boo

[Bellabooboo]

Wow, ladies and I thought I was so rare, thank God folks are finding OVAC at such early stages, good for you for being to proactive.  My only symptoms were spotting and again at my annual only thought to mention it at the last minute to my PCP. Almost didn't mention it as I figured it was menopausal. I have three courses of chemo Carboplantinum and Taxol, lost my hair at the end of the first week in clumps, so eventually cut it off. My weight was 260 at the time not good for my small frame, no birth control, not married, no kids, Grandmother had and died of breast cancer on my dads side (which is interesting, because I am hearing more and more that it may not matter who's side of the family these days). So I had a lot of the risk factors, to say nothing of a stressful life as well. I had 3 courses of chemo 1 every three weeks. Good toleration, no nausea, even after surgery, yea God! I left hospital Friday morning after a Tuesday morning surgery. I rested better at home than with a very sick room-mate and loud surgical floor.  Chemo only left me craving naps and some bone pain, but otherwise tolerated it well.  I got CA125 every 3 months first year, and 6 mos. May 23 will be my 3rd year, A-OK. But sure do have a large abdomen, bellie, it seems more so these days???? And chemo brain is alive and well. Awful short term memory, poor super detail oriented and less able to multi-task. Oh and I needed a surgical hernia repair 6 months after surgery, patch repair which was worst than the reason for the hysterectomy. Surgical menopause has not been so bad at all. No hormones, I hear it can feed the cancer so not even sure about bioidentical hormones as their role is the same. Any thoughts?

Dear Lady friends, what were your symptoms. How long ago was your treatment and my I also encourage you to visit hystersisters.com supportive website for hysterectomy related diseases as well, they offer great products as well. Any chemo brain, what state of health were you in prior and single, on birth control, bore children???? Just to understand how this targets people.

Hang in there, I am happy to offer support anyway, anytime.

Jayne as Bella Boo Booo

[shewrites]

I'm a 1A, left ovary about the size of a fist, so I guess we belong to the same "club."  I was diagnosed seven years ago, had six rounds of chemo, and have NOT had a recurrence.  I don't know my pre-surgery CA-125.  Two months after surgery but before chemo I got an 11.  After the first chemo, I was in single digits and have been ever since.  

I've been following this board for about six months, and so far I'm not aware of a 1A with a recurrence problem.  Frankly, if there's a recurrence, the doctors will probably say that the original staging was incorrect.  If your doctor follows you, you probably don't need to worry about symptoms -- he should worry about them!.  I saw my doctor every three months for several years and had CA-125 bi-monthly until I had my port out at the six-year mark.  I think I had a couple of chest Xrays in the early years and a CT scan after two or three years, too.  I now have CA-125 every three months and see him every six months.  I think that's overkill, but he's very aggressive, and I wouldn't want him to be lackadaisical, would I?  

Please don't obsess about being the one-in-a-hundred that has a recurrence.  Please do obsess about having regular mammograms, because we're statistically more likely to get breast cancer, and about genetic issues if you have children, especially daughters.  

You gotta believe.    

[Nanc257]

I have the very same ovarian cancer.  Left ovary, same stage, same size, and it introduced its self the same way by giving me a peroid. I begin chemo Monday.  I am getting Carbo/Taxol combo for 6 treatments, but maybe 3 if I do not due well.  How did you do on your chemo?  I to would like to know if anyone else has had it return with this stage after treatment. My CA 125 at the time of discovery of this tumor was 83.