80% Vs. 20% Ovarian Cancer Containment

[Jan214]

My onc told me after my surgery that I was very lucky.  Apparently only 20% of women have their cancer contained within the ovaries.  Although my  ovaries looked like balloons, I had no cancer on the outside of my ovaries or in the abdomninal cavity.  I would have been staged at 2B instead of 3c if it weren't for the lymph node in the crook of my leg that they had to remove.   I have never talked to anyone whose ovaries were as large as mine that didn't have it on the outside, & I don't think I know anyone with 3c that had it completely contained.  Anybody else have this situation? I have been reluctant to ask this question because I know how d@mn lucky I am, but I am really curious.  Thanks

[Teresa222]

I was told all my cancer was contained in the tumor, excluding cells found in the washings.  I guess the doctors use much of their own discretion in staging our cancer.
Teresa

[Jan214]

I didn't even have any in the washings, which I thought was strange.  At least I don't thinks so.  Would Dr W have told me that?  Did he tell you that or did you have to ask about it?  

[jlock]

Jan,
    I think its a tad strange he didn't mention that. I would ask him for the results.  I didn't have a cytology test done at debulking as I was loaded with cancer just about everywhere in my abd area. Your so lucky to have it contained like it was,,that's a blessing.  ~~~~Joanne

[Teresa222]

He told my family and myself at the time he told us the Stage.  Here's a question I have on yours:  How could the cancer cells get to a lymph node in your leg, if they were contained in the tumor? It seems to me that the cancer cells would have been in the fluid around the tumor in order to have spread? But, I will quickly admit that I know very little about all this.  
Teresa

[Searching48507]

My mom had been told that she was lucky and staged as stage 1c with it all contained.  However, we soon found out that it wasn't contained as 8 weeks after that surgery came a second surgery with it all spread throughout.

Karen

[Jan214]

Joanne, you are so right I am lucky.

Teresa, I don't know what to think now.  I know so very little about all of this even after two years.  I must have been in shock or my knowledge and curiosity are not biologically oriented, but I can't see how it got from my ovaries to my lymph nodes if it wasn't in the fluid either.  All he said though was that he was very pleased that it was all inside.  I am going to call Sara and Susan right now and see if I can get an answer from them.  You know I love those people but everytime I ask to see my file they want to know what I want to look at and than they bring me that page.  Enough of that I think.  Time for me to find out some stuff.  I can't believe I was such an idiot that the obvious didn't jump out at me.  DUH I am ususally the one that sees those obvious little things that others don't.  I feel like such an idiot.  Well, what a banner day.  I have probably insulted a friend and hurt her feelings and now I find that I am just fricking stupid.  Good Lord how could I have let that slip by me?  Thank you

[junamgen]

The Lymphoid System and Lymphocyte Circulation maybe contribute for your mom's cancer spread just like blood circulation through out the who body.

Peace and Love

jun

[SimplyStar]

Leslee had just a tumor on one ovary, it was intact, or so they say, but the lymph nodes spread the cells along with the blood vessals,  even with removing everything, and she had washings, it still came back.  Like her ono told her, it only takes one loose cell to spread it.  I still think that a chemo wash of the abdomen after the debulking  could help kill more of the cells, you already feel bad because of the surgery, I suggested that they do the washing with Vit C , never been done before was what I was told.

[JC145]

I doubt this will help much, but I had cancer in many places on initial diagnosis.  Then cisplatin/taxol.  No evidence of disease since then until the PET in 5/08 which showed a lymph node.  Just had hernia surgery .. washings were negative.  Since under HIPAA you have the right to your complete records, including operative report and pathology, I would just ask for it all.  Then, you can ask for specifics to be explained.  Judy  

[Jan214]

Thank you all for your input.  Marty, I think you are right about the chemo to the stomach.  I wonder why they only do it for people who have it in their stomach lining?  How would that work doing the Vit C thing?  I am not sure I understand how it is supposed to help when you take it by IV so I really don't understand how it would help doing it straight into the stomach after surgery.  Can you explain that a little more.  I am so lost on that subject.  
Judy, you are right and I do know that. I just haven't wanted to rock that boat. Funny, I am never a wuss when it comes to defending other people, just when it comes to standing up for myself.  Well, tomorrow I am going to.

Thank you all for your answers.  

[SimplyStar]

Alan and I talked about this months ago, with the experiments that have been done in labs with Vit C,  we kinda thought a practice of using Vit C instead of saline to do the washings, might benefit the patient. Also the practice of using a solution of chemo  after surgery , cannot hurt, and might just help the same way.  I did not mean to do both of them, maybe one or the other.  Since it had never been done before, it was poo hawed.  We also thought about a PET scan right after debulking, to locate any loose cells, while the patient was still under.  You just can't tell an onocologist anything, they have their way and that is it.  Now Leslee is speaking up, but she has to really have the facts to back her ideas up.  The first surgery is the important one,  to be the most agressive then makes the most sense.  Oh if I only had known then what I know now.  Sometimes I feel that all cancer patients are actully guinea pigs, what they use on one person, they may or may not, use the next time.

[StillFighting]

Mine was contained to my ovaries as well. The Dr thought he had gotten it all at surgery.
go figure it came back 4 years later.
Good luck and I hope your Dr is right.

[momofsandj]

When he said it was contained maybe he meant to the pelvic and abdominal area -- I was stage IIIC and have had two recurrences but thank g-d it has not appeared to have come back other than in the abdomen and pelvic area --- no body even suggested washing after debulking 5 years ago when I had the surgery --- just a warning -- I got my sugical and pathology report and it was really upsetting to see how much cancer I really had removed -- just prepare yourself to know that the docs write these things to cover themselves against missed calls too, and make sure you get explained to you anything you don't understand