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429647 tn?1249753429

Surgery

I know that we always tell everyone that their surgeries (if OVCA is suspected) be done by a GYN Oncologist.  My surgery was not.  Mine was done by a GYN and then when it was discovered to be cancerous 20 min. later (after being closed and having to open again) they went in and did debulking.  A tumor burst during removal and cancer cells identical to the tumor were found in the washings.  I guess a GYN Onc has more experience in removal of organs, lymph nodes and maybe knows the importance of handling the tumors so they will not rupture?  I am wondering how serious that is that my tumor burst during surgery.  Anyone have  a comment.
Thanks,   Kerry
17 Responses
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415684 tn?1257329318
First let me wish you good luck with your scan.  IP chemo can cause alot of those symptoms, so hopefully that's what it is .. a side effect of IP chemo.  

My cancer is acftually Primary Peritoneal which starts in the peritoneum but the cells look just like ovarian cancer cells so is treated the same way.  My ovaries were actually OK .. but I had spots on my bladder and cul-de-sac that were removed (CUSA method), plus the usual omentum, ovaries, uterus, etc.  The gyn/onc left small (mm) spots on my mesentery and diaphram because attempting to remove them would have caused more problems...and ideally, that is what the chemo should take care of.  I say all of this to show that cells can be anywhere.  I received all of standard first line ovarian cancer treatment and managed to get thru 6 IP/IV chemos.  

Currently, I am on tamoxifen for a rising CA 125 and the CA initially went down ... then up .. and last month went down one point.  I had a hernia repair and the washings were clear of cells.  I have a small (1/2) spot near my liver that we are watching.  Next month, it will be 2 years since I finished chemo and needless to say, my quality of life is good .. albeit I worry about the return of the cancer which is inevitable at some point.  Initially, I was staged at IIIC .. no lymph nodes were removed.

I would think that even if the tumors are removed "cleanly", cells are floating around anyway .. they are so very tiny that the human eye cannot detect them.  Try to stay positive and may God bless you.  Judy

Try to stay positive (so hard to do sometimes) ...
Helpful - 0
543028 tn?1282428826
ps ... my surgery took 6.5 hours with two gyn oncs
so i dont think they were not being cautious ... it was alot to handle
presently i am stage 1c serous borderline one on the left was 14.5cm
one on the right was 8.9 cm
the other path called it serous adenocarcinoma with surface papillary excrescenes
the jury on that is decided in about two weeks ... i am voting for the borderlne
:)
Helpful - 0
543028 tn?1282428826
My tumors ruptured as well .. i had two attendig level gyn oncs working on them
the tumors were extra "oozy" and fragile for no apparent reason and peritoneal washings were positive macroscpically and microscopically .... i had optimal debulking with the exception of the liver and hepatic flexure due to inflammation (they were socked in and unable to visualize at that point) and the peritoneum was "aggressively rinsed"
now the doc hasn't addressed this as of yet because my path is being reread (i should find out in 2 weeks) but a resident led me to believe the tumors were on the verge of "disintigrating" ... they couldnt be delivered intact and had to be scooped out with a total of 13 dang tumors in there ... some were necrotic and varied stages all the way to solid grey to straw clear fluid some were brown some were tan some were solid yellow etc ... i think i had em all... talk about complex LOL

anyways all this was to show u that it is my opinion that it depends on many factors if they rupture ... mostly their stage of development or some other environmental factor
also i just raid that SSRI's have the same effect as aspirins and nsaids on tumors and can cause some disintigration of the capsules

just my theory until dr kohler tells me otherwise
holding u up in prayer
love
sharon
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354706 tn?1279470795
bump
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282804 tn?1236833591
My tumors were large and I was lucky that everything was inside the ovary with nothing on the outside.  My onc was able to get them out whole without breaking them.  I don't know if it would have made any difference or not as to my progress.  For two years I have had only microscopic cells and fought that aggressivley with chemo.  My onc was hoping it would stay that way, but on my last CT "numerous" spots were found on my liver and in the abdominal area.  Would it have been worse if they had ruptured?  Would I be stage 4 instead of 3c if that had happened?  I don't know the answers but I think it is best to not spill that **** into our systems if the Drs can avoid it and I still believe that a gynonc is the best to perform surgeries if there is any possibility of cancer.  If they can mess up with all of their training, how much worse could it be if a gyn messed it up?
Good luck to you all.
Jan
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315 tn?1230998574
My sister's mass also ruptured during the removal.  The cells were found in her cytology test.  So far all is good for her and she is coming up to 4 years with no chemo just surgery.  I hope it all works out for you!~~~Joanne
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178345 tn?1242536246
Good Luck Kerry...Prayers being sent your way for good results..Love, Gia
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354706 tn?1279470795
I hoped everything would turn out well for you. I have a friend who was diagnozed with ovairan cancer. While waiting for surgery, her turmour burst. Fortunately, the cancer did not spread. She is in remission for 6 years already.
Helpful - 0
398758 tn?1248220291
My tumor also ruptured during surgery.  

I was told that ovarian tumors are more fragile than many other tumors.  I had two surgeons working on me, one being the chief of surgery at the hospital.  These rupture quite frequently, with the fluid remaining in women's abdomens for months/years.

So, I actually considered myself lucky; if the silly thing was gonna rupture, why not do it while two doctors are looking at it, knowing where all the fluid was going and washing it out as it happened?  

So far, so good.  A little over two years later...
Helpful - 0
408448 tn?1286883821
I hope you get good results from the scan and bloodwork.  Let us know how you are. Marie
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Avatar universal
I hope all is well and the issues are resolved quickly and with no problems..Donna is not doing well and all we can do is pray for peace for her... Ronni
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429647 tn?1249753429
Vegas my surgery and diagnosis was last Dec.  I finished chemo in April.  Marie I could only have one IP cuz could not tolerate, I was in the hosp. a week after having IP. I have been having trouble lately with bloating, gas and BM issues, so Onc wants to investigate.  I go Mon. for bloodwork, Tues for CT scan.  So hopefully by Fri.  I will just find out that I am full of hot air:)  I am hoping that my carbol/taxol regimine and my one time wash of cistplatin in the peritoneal cavity worked.  I will let you know as soon as I here the results of these tests.  My Ca125 at the end of Aug. was 8.  I admire all of you here and pray that we can handle whats given us.  Sometimes I read what some of you are going thru and wonder how you do it, But I know that I have gone thru some hard stuff and you just do, you have no choice.  I do know that some days are worse than others and I am so glad I found this site and all of you to help me through.  Does anyone have a recent update on Donna?   Always, Kerry
Helpful - 0
167426 tn?1254086235
Even though the tumor on the ovary was intact and encapsulated, there were multiple cells that had escaped from the outside of the tumor into the belly.  These cancer cells do not just stay on the inside of a tumor, they are also on the outside. The Ono removed everything he could see and Leslee was told that "he couldn't see any more"  I think that this puts a lot of women into a false security, I would say that  you need to be as agressive as possible while you can, to root out all the cells.  I believe that Chris is still alive because she has not taken any breaks in chemo, do not put all your trust in "clean scans"  and low CA125s,  I am not an Onocologist, but I have learned an awful lot about this dam disease, I would say while you still have the strength to fight, even a week off of chemo can make a big difference.  I know that some chemos make you sicker than hel-  but the risks of letting any of them grow out weighs  all  the rest. Leslee's doctors might have given her too many "breaks"  .   We were told that one cell divides, then those two divide and soon  you have many,  I believe that is why there are so many recurrances, the stopping of chemo gives the cells time to regroup.  I know that all of you get sick and tired of fighting this, but I want you all to fight it right, keep hitting those cells  with all you can,  If one chemo isn't working for you, get another one lined up, NOW  to start and keep killing those little bastur=ds.  Sorry for my language, but I am still feeling my way through all this and trying to understand, what could have gone wrong.  I thought we were doing everything right, but evidently not.   Marty
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Avatar universal
I am so sorry you have had such a unpleasant experience with a doctor who should have known better... I am assuming you are going to have chemo??? You need to talk an oncologist and find out what is your next best step.. I hope all is well.. Ronni
Helpful - 0
408448 tn?1286883821
When do you go for the scan & blood work? I hope you don't have long to wait. For me waiting for answers is the hardest part. Marie
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Avatar universal
Hey there, guys.  I was staged IC because the tumor ruptured while my gyn/oncologist was removing it.  Yup!  Even a gyn/onc can have problems.  Of course, there were cells found in the peritoneal lavage.  If it hadn't ruptured I would have been staged IA.  Still, so far so good for me.  I don't see my onc for another 6 months for blood work and a "poke around my abdomen".
Actually, so many of us have had tumors rupture during removal that I think it must be a common, though undesireable, occurance.  I can't imagine everyone is told that it did rupture!?  I think there are a lot of us out here.
When I learned that mine had ruptured I was disappointed but decided to just get on with it and do what I had to do to deal with it.  I accepted the fact that I couldn't undo it and tried to just move ahead without the "what ifs".......those things make me crazy!
Just hang in there.....be as positive and pro-active as possible.  Good luck and pllease do stay in touch.
Peace.
dian
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408448 tn?1286883821
My gyn/onc had trouble removing my largest tumor.  It nearly ruptured.  Even though it did not rupture I still had cancer cells in the washings.  I am not sure how much difference it would have made if it did rupture. I know you are worried and I hope everything turns out to be fine.  I will definitely be thinking of you.  Marie
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