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is complete hysterectomy only way to treat borderline ovarian cancer?

hi can someone hear me?
i am 48 years old. i have a little child and i don't have menopause yet. but 3 weeks ago during general gyn check up, i complained a little pain to my gyn. and she sent me to a sonogram. and all hell broke. sonographer told me  that it didn't look good and i should see the doctor asap and he wrote in his report that the mess he saw on my ovary appears to be a borderline cancer. since then i met with 2 oncologist and got the same opinion.
because i am close to menopause and i already have a family, i should have complete hysterectomy and oophorectomy. i am scheduled for the surgery this saturday and i still am scared and confused that if this is the only treatment. did anyone have a similar experience?
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187666 tn?1331173345
I'm sure someone with more experience will stop by and explain what their doctors have told them.

First off, an ultrasound does not tell anyone whether you have cancer or not. Yes, they can say it looks bad but until they get inside, they won't know for sure. I had a large cyst on my ovary. My gyn said she was going to remove the ovary, tube and uterus (I have fibroids). Another doctor recommended just removing the ovary, cyst and tube because it would be a less invasive procedure, be less risk and a quicker recovery. I understood that if they found something bad going on, they would open me up and take whatever had to go. As it turned out, I had a 10 cm cyst (the size of an orange) on my ovary but it was benign and they left the uterus. It looked ugly but came out fine.

Recently I read about someone who had an ugly cyst, complex I believe, and theirs came out benign too. So hang in there. I don't know what size your cyst is but it's obvious it needs to go. I'm hoping and praying yours comes out well with no signs of cancer.
Helpful - 0
725998 tn?1258048708
Hi.  I had a borderline tumor removed two years ago.  It's true that they can't tell if it's borderline until they get in there and do the pathology.  However, they can usually give it a good guess (my doctor was right about mine before my operation).

A complete hysterectomy is not the only treatment, but it's the best treatment given your age.  They also won't know what stage your in until they do the testing.  Mine was stage 1C.  The higher the stage, the better off you are with the full hysterectomy.

Ask yourself why you're so against the operation.  Is it because you don't want to go into premature menopause?  They can help you get through that.  I felt the opposite when I was told what I probably had.  I wanted the best chance of never having it come back so I opted for the complete TAH/BSO.  They took out my appendix as well.  You could tell them you only want the affected parts removed (maybe just the one ovary) but then you'll always be wondering if it will come back.

I asked my gyn oc what he would advise his sister or wife to do -- and he said "get it all out."

Just one woman's opinion.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i am confused about the borderline. is it always cancerous or it is not?
first onc said it's not always and second onc said it is. so therefore first onc told me surgery will depend on the frozen section, if lab don't see cancer cell in tumor he would only take out that ovary only. but the second onc said even if lab doesn't find cancer cell in the tumor, she would like to have hysterectomy and oophorectomy.
and yes i am afraid of surgical menopause. my grandmother past away because of the osteoporosis, my grandfather past away with heart failure and my mother had a breast cancer.  so my family's med. history is not so positive.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a borderline ovarian cyst removed 13 years ago along with my left ovary it was 23cm and the doctors informed me had it not been removed I wouldn't be here, now my problem is I didn't have a full hysterectomy and last week they found another cyst on my right ovary I,m praying it's nothing but after reading feedback if you don't have a full hysterectomy you have a higher chance of it returning as to none if you have had one.I was reassured after 5 years that I should be fine I just hope that is the case!
Helpful - 0
1402412 tn?1300388224
Whenever cancer is a possibility, it is wise to seek a gyn/oncologist for a second opinion.  The best outcomes occur when a gyn/onc preforms the surgery.  This is imperative.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just read your post to 51140 and pretty much just left the same post for advice. I have a 10cm ovarian something which is either a cystadenoma or cyst adenocarcinoma according to the MRI report. But my unbelievably wonderful (seriously) gyn/onc believes through his experience it will most likely be a borderline or LMP. My gyn/onc is the University Director and Professor of gyn/onc (and his RN and PA are wonderful as well). He said he listens to my concerns and said it is not unreasonable to have a laparotomy for the affected ovary and a D&C for my endometriosis and endometrial polyp, however the likelihood of coming back later for a hysterectomy and removal of the other ovary is pretty much guaranteed. He is not against removing the one affected ovary the uterous and leaving one ovary for hormone reasons (mom had stroke at 57 dad fatal heart attack at 57) so there is a hormone benefit of leaving the one ovary. My third option and the one the PA would advise her own sister or mother of doing is having it all removed and the concern for future occurance is pretty much gone (never 100% guarantee but pretty close). While they are in there they would do the staging surgery so the need for another surgery in the slim chance that the more elaborate biopsy shows signs of malignancy, would already be done and they immediately know what they are dealing with. I am torn between a quick surgery and holding on to what I can, being as whole and let my body run its coarse vs. being done with painful inconvenient periods and free from all that. (Getting my old 14 y.o. freedom back) I am 47, (2) teenagers close to college age so no concerns of future children. Quandry!
Helpful - 0
187666 tn?1331173345
I'm post menopausal so the hormones were not an issue for me.

It's difficult when you get so many professional opinions but then they want you to decide. I had to do that with my heart and mostly I got a bit peeved with the whole process. With my ovary, my gyn thought she would do one thing but consulted with the oncologist and came up with a modified plan: start small but be prepared if things looked bad. I knew this and was fine with it.

Your case is different and it sounds like eventually you'll be minus the female parts, whether in one surgery or two. If I had to choose, I'd choose one surgery. The menopause changes can be managed but fighting cancer is never a good option. You're never sure who's going to win.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
That sounds like good advice. That is what I will probably end up doing and be fine with it.
Thank you for your input.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi everyone,
i finally had an operation on saturday. it was robatic laparoscopy. i went into surgery expecting a full hysterectomy, but my onc decided it was not cancerous. so she took out my right ovary and the tube. and she found few things on my uterus. so she sent a biopsy and did d &c. now i am well enough to feel angry. because of one over confident sonographer, i went through hell for last 2 months. the stress he put on me and my family is just too much to even describe. i am still waiting for the final frozen section report but my doctor is very positive. i hope she is right.
thanks to you all and i'll be back with the final in 10 days.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I completely understand those feelings. Those thoughts went through my head a few times also. My surgery is Tuesday and God willing I will be as fortunate as you. Forget those things that are behind and press forward to what lies ahead. I am glad your surgery went well.
Helpful - 0
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