chemo outcome for stage 1c

[ariom]

My sis age 51 had bilateral encapsulated  papillary serous tumors removed, and all else was negative however there were positive cells in the third of three abdominal washings. She is staged 1c. She is urged to undergo chemo. While a figure of 30% improved survival is mentioned by two of her docs, they admit thats for all kinds of ovarian cancers including metastatic and recurrent.I can only locate literature that supports 8% survival advantage for stage 1c with carbo and taxol. What are the true figures? Thanks

[mrsbaguba]

I WAS DX STAGE1C  6 YEARS AGO THIS JUNE 21. I  I DID RECUR - 5 YEARS LATER -, BUT MY DOCTOR ACTUALLY SAID IT WAS SUCH A UNIQUE CASE THAT SHE TREATED ME LIKE I WAS A FIRST OCCURANCE.... MY CASE WAS PRESENTED BEFORE THREE TUMOR BOARDS WHO ALL CONCURRED THAT THIS "COULD" STILL BE CURED.  A TRUISM??? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I SURE AM GLAD THAT IT'S 6 YEARS LATER AND I HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE.  THERE'S AN ARSENAL OF DRUGS OUT THERE....YOU'RE IN THE 1C STAGE.  THERE ARE MANY OTHERS ON HERE WHO WOULD GIVE THEIR RIGHT ARM TO BE IN THAT POSITION. DON'T SHORT CHANGE YOURSELF......DO THE CHEMO, STAY POSITIVE, AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN STATISTICS, AS MY ONCOLOGIST WOULD SAY, "BECOME AN ACCTUARIAL".....YOU'RE AND INDIVIDUAL, AND WITH STAGE 1C, A PRETTY FORTUNATE ONE AT THAT.  GOOD LUCK TO YOU, AND PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THOSE STATS.....SPEND YOUR TIME ENJOYING THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD SHOT OF BEATING THIS DAMN DISEASE!  GOD BLESS  JUDIE:)

[butterflytc]

As someone once said "I do not have an expiration date stamped on my foot"
best of luck to your sister. I hope all goes well for her.
butterflytc

[Jan214]

I looked at the stats once and I have never looked at them again.  If I did I would probably just crawl off into some corner and die. What exactly are you looking for or more precisely why?  Isn't it worth it for an improved chance of 8%?  What if you find a chart that says it is only 2%?  Would she consider not having chemo than?  Why wouldn't she take every opportunity to make sure this doesn't come back?  Chemo does some horrible things, but with the carbo/taxol those effects do go away.  This is cancer, and we are individuals.  The women on here have learned that the numbers don't mean a thing and we don't live or die by them...we just keep fighting. I am sorry you are not finding this more helpful, as we have all been where you or your sister are, but we have learned what you have not yet, but hopefully will. We are people, we are not numbers, we are not our disease & this is not something you can run a quantitative risk analysis on and get an answer.  I hope this didn't sound harsh as I truly don't mean it that way.  I do wish your family all the luck in the world and I know it is hard to know what to do sometimes.  Chemo for stage 1c has been the standard now for a long time.  She is lucky in that almost all her cancer was enclosed, but you don't want to take any chances with the stomach washings coming out the way they did.
Jan

[Tybear]

If your looking for statistics, then try Googling them. I won't speak for everyone, but I certainly don't like or believe much, in statistics.
Also with many of us being diagnosed late stage (and, therefore our statistics being not as favourable at stage 1) I don't think you'll find anyone on here who would suggest she *not* do chemo. She has a chance at a CURE - a word that seems out of reach for many of us. Why gamble?
Becky

[vegas2cr]

I will send you a message as I don't want to hijack someones thread... look for my message in a few minutes.. Ronni

[Kathy70]

Hi Vegas-

I am just recently diagnost.  I dont know my exact stage, although I know its at least stage iii.   Obviously, this has me TOTALLY freaked out.  I stumbled across this website yesturday, and have been reading as much as I can.  
Your last post here,makes me want to ask you.................  if its been a year since your diagnosis, how are you now?

Thanks.
Kathy

[vegas2cr]

Statistics don't ,mean a thing... I am stage IV diagnosed April 2007 I was given by statistics almost no chance of survival til the end of last year... I am here today, In the United States 22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer all stages in 2008 and 17,000 will die... why take chances when your sister has a great chance of being  CURED... a statistic that doesn't come up very often...

[ariom]

thanks for the opinions, i'm glad you are all doing well, however i am seeking statistics to go by. Are there any studies indicating the actual survival benefit after surgery for stage 1c?
ariom

[Jan214]

I have stage 3c, and can't even imagine not wanting to improve my odds by taking chemo.  Stage one is something you want to hit ASAP and hit it hard.  She needs to give it her best shot and chemo is it.  Do it once and maybe it will never come back again.  You don't want to take the chance that those free floating microscopic cells will buddy up and become a tumor. Good luck
Jan

[silver&gold]

Hi,
I was stage  1A  and strongly advised to have chemo , my oncologist  told me the chances of being cured were in my favour if I went ahead and threw everything at it , I had 6 treatments of carboplatin and paclitaxol.

Best wishes Angie

[survivor_susie]

I was stage 1C and thankful to take chemo for it.  Ovarian cancer is rather nasty and can spread easily, so I was not about to take a chance. My chance of living cancer-free is about 90%.