surgery

[Moirapaoletti]

Hi everybody

I haven't posted anything recently but I read your posts everyday and that helps me more than you can imagine.
My mother has to fight against a strange pain everynight recently , just under lungs, just behind breastbone. I knew it could be a sign of recurrence but  Onc said not to be worried because CT didn't show it, just an hernia.
They decided for surgery, sure to find an hernia.
They found a new tumor behind stomach that fortunately hasn't involved any organ yet. They removed it and suggested  6 chemo.
This happened yesterday and of course my mother needs another week to recover and know the truth.
Surgeon told us that, unlike other tumors, where recurrence is often without hope, in ovarian cancer surgery can be used several times, up to 10 times! of course followed by chemo. Has any of you undergone many operations or heard this point of view?
At this step of my mother disease I should confess I'm very frustrated. I don't know which is the real situation. My mother is amost 70 and she has already 3 surgeries....will she be able to resist all of this? Do they think she's a 20 year old athlete??
Maybe she was lucky because they found by case a small tumor and they removed it.
Please tell me what steps you had to do after first recurrence.  I am very confused and I don't want to make mistakes. I love her more than my life...I can't replace her with anyone else
Thanks so much

[Moirapaoletti]

Actually she didn't have a mass...they thought it was. when they opened they found a kind of tumor area  we call "fistful of rise": small spots spread here and there. But they make abdomenal area behind breastbone so hard that surgeon thought it was an hernia.
Anyway I just want to thank all of you and your prayers. She needs them when she will start again.

A big hug

Moira

[jlock]

I have never heard of having surgery up to 10 times!!  That seems a bit excessive and like you mentioned she is not 20!!  I am having my 3 recurrence and it has always been treated with chemo only.  I do not grow masses I just have seedlings or spots,hence no surgery. I hope she is feeling better soon and am happy they found that hiding mass!!  Good luck~~~Joanne

[crecco]

  Moira,
    I cannot give you much as far as surgery goes, because I have been on chemo nonstop, trying to keep surgery at a minimum. But I know that this is not for everyone.
  Please know that I keep your mom in my thoughts and prayers, along with you and that she will have success no matter which route the Drs decide to take.
   Chris

[kmccarthy]

I am so very sorry to hear about your mother's situation. It is never easy to understand the right path to take with these things if for the very reason that there aren't any concrete answers. Your mother, with your input, will ultimately need to look at every possibility and weigh your options. I know this is not the direct answer you were hoping to get, but I do hope it helps you to know that you and your mother are not alone. We fight this together.

Kelly