I have stage IIIV OC, found it in 2007, and treated it with Taxol & Carbo, which worked well. I was debulked and in remission for about 3 months before it reappeared, at which time I started a trial of Avastin/Doxil. I had bad reactions to Doxil and was changed to low dose weekly Taxol. I also have a neproscopy on both sides which causes me to get infections that interfere with treatment, because of that the Doctor decided the Taxol was not working anymore (my CAl25 went from 31 to 945) I am now on Carbo/Gemzar.
There is a large golf ball size tumor in my side that drives me crazy. What I don't understand is I often read where women go in for second and third surgeries and I'm told that is not an option for me. Ladies If you have had more than one debluking, or if anyone has had a tumor or two removed I would like to hear about it.
Thanks, you are all wonderful.
Yolie
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more than one surgery?
- By yolie
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 9:28 am · 8 replies
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- By jeaniet
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 11:27 am
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Yes, I had a second debulking surgery about 18 months after the first. I was told that I was a perfect candidate for a second surgery because the cancer was confined to peri aortic lymph nodes, and not spread throughout the abdomen/pelvis. It does appear that most women do not get a second debulking for this reason. Too much spread.
So, I would double check with your doc to see where your cancer exactly is. Maybe it is more widespread but you don't know......????
If it is just the one tumor, maybe get a second opinion from a different gyn/onc.
Jeanie
- By jykaycee
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 9:10 pm
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I had a second debulking (2nd look) and RFA to a liver tumor 3 years after my initial surgery when I had optimal debulking. I have a 2nd recurrence now (2 years this time) and am waiting to hear if they will do a third debulking--PET scan showed just 2 spots one on the liver (different place than last time) and one in my pelvic area.
Additional debulking is not generally done as research has not shown any measurable benefits--but each one of us is an individual not a number. Your doctor's decision should be based on the response you had to the prior debulking, your overall health, and the character of your recurrence-- isolated 1-2 tumors, size and location. Being on chemo already may be one of the reasons your doc has said no, due to lowered blood counts/risk of infection and slow healing.
As Jeanne said, ask you doc to explain his/her rationale for saying "no surgery". He/she has a responsibility to do this so that you can make informed decisions about your treatment. And if it doesn't make sense to you, ask for a second opinion from another gyn oncologist.
Joyce
- By jykaycee
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 9:10 pm
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I had a second debulking (2nd look) and RFA to a liver tumor 3 years after my initial surgery when I had optimal debulking. I have a 2nd recurrence now (2 years this time) and am waiting to hear if they will do a third debulking--PET scan showed just 2 spots one on the liver (different place than last time) and one in my pelvic area.
Additional debulking is not generally done as research has not shown any measurable benefits--but each one of us is an individual not a number. Your doctor's decision should be based on the response you had to the prior debulking, your overall health, and the character of your recurrence-- isolated 1-2 tumors, size and location. Being on chemo already may be one of the reasons your doc has said no, due to lowered blood counts/risk of infection and slow healing.
As Jeanne said, ask you doc to explain his/her rationale for saying "no surgery". He/she has a responsibility to do this so that you can make informed decisions about your treatment. And if it doesn't make sense to you, ask for a second opinion from another gyn oncologist.
Joyce
- By jiangch
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 10:50 pm
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I am one week away from my 2nd surgery for my recurrent ovarian cancer. It is called peritonectomy plus HIPEC. My surgical ocologist did say that this kind of surgery is not normally offered to ovarian cancer patient due to its toughness and extensiveness. But he said it is worth doing so based on my situation.
You should not have any organ involvement and being fit, etc to be eligible for this kind of surgery.
ChaoHui
- By Patricia123
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 7:16 am
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Makes me think we should all get maximal fitness just in case.
I have read more and more of additional debulking and I think having few adhesions makes it more likely in addition to a couple of well placed lesions. Seems I have read anything in the hepatic portal space is not good for surgery but I didn't know they did RFA for liver lesions. My brother in law had that for one met last year when he had colon cancer and he is doing well. They just zapped his liver met and it is now just dead space where the lesion was.
- By SUZ909
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 8:07 am
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When there is a second surgery, for debulking or otherwise, do they use the same incision originally made for say, a hysterectomy that was used to remove OVC?
- By FavoriteAunt
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 8:46 am
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I never had more than one surgery. When I got my first recurrence, my onc. had me consult with my gyn/onc. surgeon to get his opinion even though my onc. knew the surgeon usually did not like to do second surgeries.
The surgeon told me it depends on the individual situation, but that doctors are usually divided over this - if you ask 20 doctors you'll get 20 different answers. He did not recommend aother surgery for me, especially since I responded well to my first chemo regimine, and wanted me to start chemo ASAP. I've since had a second recurrence, and the surgery issue has not been raised and I've been doing chemo for the past 11 months.
Each case is physically different and that's what decided it.
- By jeaniet
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 11:57 am
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SUZ909--- yes, for my second debulking they used my orginal incision, and even extended it a little upwards.
Jeanie
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