Ascities

• By Kapil
• Posted September 16, 2009 at 7:09 am
• Report post

Hi,
I don't have answer to your question but recently we also discovered ascites in my mom's ultrasound report with peritoneal and omental thickening. She completed her 1st chemo from Feb 08 to May 08. She was in remission for about 1yr since then. She is in 2nd line treatment (it is a 3 chemo course), she has had 2 chemo sessions already and will be getting 3rd and last of this course on coming weekend. However, we found ascites with peritoneal and omental thickening after 2nd chemo session, plus elevated CA-125 i.e. 1693. It was 831 when we started this 3 chemo course in July end. Dr says we will re-assess after 3rd chemo.

Anybody has any comments pls.

Thanks in advance.
-Kapil

• Reply

• By Kapil
• Posted September 16, 2009 at 7:11 am
• Report post

Coachdunn,

Question for you, did they do biosy on the fluid? How do they know it is not cancerous?
And if it is not cancerous what is it..some infection?
And do you also have peritoneal and omental thickening along with ascites?

Regards,
-Kapil

• Reply

• By kimsmom
• Posted September 16, 2009 at 9:23 am
• Report post

My guess would be some type of liver shock from chemo. They can do the SAAG testing: high could indicate liver or heart problems..low usually with cancer or TB
A complete metabolic panel would be good also.
This can tell you the reason, but also what you can do with diet and nutrition until the shocked organ or infection is resolved.
Keep questioning and researching and remember: you are the first physician in staying on top of your healthcare and treatment that works for you,...
hang in there..hugs and prayers

• Reply

• By sbender3
• Posted September 16, 2009 at 10:35 am
• Report post

ascites is a symptom of ovarian cancer. the fluid can be clear to cranberry colored, it can have foam in it , which is protein, or nothing but fluid. i have been getting drained since feb 2008. i have been on chemo non stop for my recurrance since may of 2007. navelbene kept the lfuid at bay in 2008 up to 2009, almost a year. then taxol, which did nothing, and carbo which put me back to 5 week intervals after 2nd trtmt. the fluid is treated with chemo to make it go away. so they just need to get the right chemo. i started avastin 2 weeks ago, and it has done the trick. i was getting drained every 2 weeks to the longest i went was 8 weeks for the past year and a half. so i pray they will find the right chemo for you. the most they ever got was almost 10 liters over 2 weeks, and the least was 1.15. god bless, sherry (my cat scans were clear thruout all of 2008 and 2009-my last cat scan showed enlarged lymph node and something on my liver, very tiny, no invasion of organs)

• Reply

• By SONGBIRD49
• Posted September 16, 2009 at 5:37 pm
• Report post

Dear Coachdunn, is it possible that being in the clinical trial that you were one of the woman NOT getting Avastin but something else instead? I am entering my 3rd month on Avastin (with Taxol for chemo). On August 1st when I was ready for another drain of 4 liters of fluid, I kept putting it off for whatever reasons ( 2 weeks earlier I had just had 4 liters taken off and 2 weeks before that 7 liters off). Last week I finally went to the hospital for the drain and the ultrasound showed about 1 liter of fluid (surrounding my liver and spleen where most of my secondary tumors are now) so I did not have done. I knew going in that the fluid was way down because of how I felt since starting on Avastin so I just wanted PROOF to ME that the Avastin was working because I had not known how much my CA had come down yet and another scan is a few months off yet. And, that ultrasound confirmed for me that the Avastin WAS working because no NEW fluid and that the Taxol was working in drying up whatever fluid was there. I know everyone is different but my oncologist (the 2nd opinion guy) wanted me to try the Avastin because the ascietes was the biggest of my problems in July and my scan had returned a verdict of "progressive disease" now and my CA was rising out of site doubling every 3 weeks while I was on Doxil. I was told that the ascietes meant that the cancer was growing but that is just the opposite of your situation. Which, by the way, CONGRATULATIONS! Keep posted re the fluid as it bothers me what you're experiencing now with no cancer. My prayers are still with you.

• Reply

• By Patricia123
• Posted September 16, 2009 at 7:46 pm
• Report post

I have seen several women who had ascites and there was no cancer in the fluid and I had the impression it was from the chemo. And seems like it sort of went away. I know there is a German company that has a drug for malignant ascites that decreases the need for taps but yours is not malignant.

Hope they can "dry" it up for you!!

• Reply

• By Coachdunn
• Posted September 16, 2009 at 9:11 pm
• Report post

hello friends!!!!
Thanks for All your concerns/comments.... Yes the fluid was bio. & no signs of cancer ! After a visit today to my gyn/onc ...she believes that the Ascities is in fact a result of Chemo Meds that I was taking.....all markers are GOOD... My Ca 125 is 13, CT scan looks fine...
I will continue to be "Drained" every two weeks AND
hopefully this problem will resolve itself over time...
I believe that it will !!! THANKS again !!

• Reply

Add to the discussion