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Hi there. I'm very new to this support community. My mother was recently diagnosed with cancer in her bowels which they said appears to be ovarian tissue per pathology. She had a total abdominal hysterctomy 11 years ago and I guess this was not seen. I am worried and do not know how to begin. Any support or information on this would be a blessing.
Thank You.
Teresa
Cancer Surgery Hysterectomy Hospice care Diabetes Ovarian cancer Chemotherapy Hypertension Pain
Teresa.....could you provide a little more info so we can be of more help?
How did they find the colon cancer?
When she had the hysterectomy 11 years ago did they take the ovaries too? If not, then she might have ovarian cancer that has spread to the colon.....?
What else have the docs told you? What are they recommending?
Jeanie
Jeanie, thank you for replying.
This is what I know to this point. She had a total abdominal hysterectomy 11 years ago, including the ovaries...everything. Apparently, at that time she must of had the ovarian cancer and some of the tissue must have been left behind. She had been having abdominal pain on and off since then but was never diagnosed. The only symptom she had was abdominal pain and was being treated on and off for different things. Last Saturday, finally the history was followed up and on Wednesday she had exploratory laporotomy. They opened her up and found two tumors that was debulked but surgeon said that the cancer is dissimenated. He said it was impossible to cut anything more out without doing further damage. Surgeon also said that there was 2 blockages but somehow my mother has been able to have some bowel movements before the surgery. The tissue was sent to pathology and the pathologist said that it appears to be ovarian tissue. So she has had this for all this time and we had no idea. The surgeon is calling stage IV......So now she is healing from the surgery, post op day #2 tomorrow. The Oncologist came to see her, I wasn't able to speak with him, and she was told that chemo is an option.
Now my mother is 62 years old with hypertention and diabetes. I just feel lost right now. I am a registered nurse but I feel helpless. I know some things but not everything. This is the first cancer diagnoses in my family.
Teresa
Hi Teresa.
I am so sorry to hear about your mother's diagnosis. Several thoughts come to mind:
One is that you can develop primary peritoneal cancer after your ovaries are removed, and perhaps that is what this is. The second is that you might want to consider a second opinion about the entire situation, including the pathology. Pathologists have been known to be wrong, and it is important to know exact, correct information on the tumor. You can take the slides to another pathologist.
I am guessing that the surgeon was not a gynecologic oncologist. I think a visit to a gyn/onc would be a good idea. Also, there are some women who do chemo first to shrink the tumor, then have debulking. And I also know that sometimes one doctor will say something is inoperable, and another will be willing to operate.
Please keep us informed.
PA
Thank you so much, PA.
This gives me some hope and some leads to examine.
Yes, the surgeon was not a gyn/onc and that is what worries me. I wonder if he even staged it correctly. I am going there this morning and will talk to an oncologist that has been assigned to my mother.
PA, thanks again.
Teresa
Take the records and go to a gyn oncologist that deals strickly with gynoncology. There are various different treatments. You mother is young....I am 67.
Sorry about your Mom's diagnosis.
This is a link from Mayo Clinic reagrding OvCa and PPC after a hysterectomy:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ovarian-cancer/AN01018
Why does the surgeon say this stage IV? Has the cancer spread to the inside of the liver, the lungs, or other organs.? If not she maybe be a stage III. I have colon involvement and am a stage IIIc (my age is 62). Ask the surgeon what grade the Pathologist says that the tumor is.
A second opinion at a major cancer center will not only have a 2nd Gyn Oncologist opinion but also a another set of eyes to look a the tissue.
Many women on this site have had your Mom's diagnosis and have survived many years. Ovarian cancer usually responses to chemotherapy but recurs so you need to look at this as a chronic disease.
Thank you all for your input. Just got back from the hospital, I've been there all day. I have more info..I was able to speak with the primary MD and she relayed the info to me and I even was able to look at the written progress notes of the different specialist that has been consulted. It appears grim. The primary MD made it sound like these MD's feel that there is no hope. The gyn/onco basically feels that there is no hope, he feels it is inoperable. But on his notes he stated that he would operate if chemo is able to shrink it but also recommended hospice care. She has two obstructions in the GI tract that the surgeon was unable to release. They told me they are partial obstructions. The operating surgeon staged it as stage IV because it was all over, including the omentum, they did not look at the liver or other organs because she said that what they found was enough to call it a stage IV and the treatment would be the same. The oncologist, of course suggested chemotherapy. The primary MD suggested I do whatever makes my mother happy.
My mother did not appear to be with cancer aside from the bowel obstructions that were treated twice this year, she was ok..her HTN and Diabetes has been under control.
They want to release her soon. She has not passed gas yet. This comming Thursday she has an appointment that they set up with their chemo clinic.
She does not know that the other MD's were not hopeful. I do not want to dampen her spirits anymore than they are now. But she does know that the cancer is a stage IV and it is all over the peritoneal cavity.
This has been the worst week of my life. I am trying as hard as I can to remain realistic and positive but it is too hard for me. I love her with all my heart.
Thank you for your responses, I truly appreciate it.
Teresa
Teresa.......well, all that news must be so hard to take in.
Obviously the bowel obstructions need to be addressed before much more can be done I would think.
Most of us are diagnosed at late stage, and have omentum involvement, along with lots of other places. There is no reason to give up hope and get into a gloom and doom mind.
I would think that if she can resolve the bowel stuff, then you could try chemo to shrink the cancer and then see if surgery might follow.
Chemo is hard, but is do-able. If you approach it with a good attitude all the better.
Sounds like her docs are pretty pessimistic......there are other docs out there who might be a little more helpful. A second opinion never hurts. Sounds a little weird to me that they didn't even look at other organs. Most Gyn/Oncs spend a lot of the debulking looking at every little thing!
Jeanie
Teresa,
There are other ladies on this site that have had Chemo followed by surgery and have done well.
Omental spread does not make her OvCA stage IV. That is one of the areas mine spread (stage IIIC).
This is copied and pasted from the ACS site:
"Stage IV (any T, any N, M1):
This is the most advanced stage of ovarian cancer. In this stage the cancer has spread to the inside of the liver, the lungs, or other organs located outside of the peritoneal cavity. (The peritoneal cavity, or abdominal cavity is the area enclosed by the peritoneum, a. membrane that lines the inner abdomen and covers most of its organs.). Finding ovarian cancer cells in the fluid around the lungs (called pleural fluid) is also evidence of stage IV disease."
Just as Jeanjet said do not give up hope. You need to be your Mom's advocate.
You and your Mom are in my prayers.
I'm 67 and had radical debulking surgery by a gyn oncologist. If a general surgeon did your mother's surgery, and if she is strong enough for a second operation, I would strongly recommend getting optimum debulking by a gyn oncologist, and IP chemotherapy as well. The hypertension and diabetes can be managed. Her best chance at survival is optimum debulking. If you need to go to a major city, and if your mom is willing, do it. I am alive today because of the care I received in the beginning.
Thank You, Shamrock.
Reading what you copied and pasted sounds like it is not a stage IV, to me. And I don't know why they didn't look at those organs. Her symptoms and her labwork does not look like those organs are involved but I'm only going off what I see.
It's been a long week and I am starting to get a better idea of the things. I am grateful for this site and thank everyone for their input...It helps tremendously. Right now, we are concentrating on her rehab from the surgery. Next, we have an appointment with chemo clinic on Thursday where I will ask more questions.
Thank You, with all my heart for keeping Us in your prayers.
Teresa.
Am I the only one upset with Theresa's post? What kind of a doctor would treat a patient this way. I see you live in California and while I think there are probably some very good doctors out there, I have heard of some that are willing to throw in the towel in a moments notice. Your mom is only 62 and I am 64 and I am so glad I was referred to one of the best gyno/oncologist in the Southeast. He has treated patients that have been told there was no hope. One thing a cancer patient does not need to hear is there is no hope. Faith, hope, and prayers are what sustains us and it helps to have a dr. that is willing to try extraordinary means to save our lives. Even though she had a total hysterectomy (ovaries and all) she still can have ovarian cancer. I had a partial vaginal hysterectomy 37 years ago and I thought by now my ovaries would have dried up and blown away. My tumors came from the ovaries and involved the omentum, and a spot on the liver. My ca125 was 2,700. My doctor did 4 rounds of chemo to shrink the tumors and then did debulking surgery followed by HIPEC (heated chemo directly into the abdomen for 90 min. while still in the OR. I had chemo following it. Please, find a good GYNO/ONC that will treat your mother. Here is a site you can go to for ratings on doctors.
http://www.ratemds.com/social/?q=node%2F28882&sid=5
You can copy & paste it.
Good luck and keep us updated. Don't give up on your Mom. God Bless.
ChiMom, thank you for your Blessings, and God Bless you also.
Although it's hard, I still have hope and faith. Trying hard to be strong for her. I will not allow those Doctor's to tell her what they told me. She wants to fight.
My mother's situation is she doesn't have health insurance but the insurance that covers her in the county hospital. I'm trying to get her Social Security and hopefully that will open more options for us.
But for now, just praying that her bowels are not too obstructed. She has a gastric tube to release the pressure and for nausea but that's it.
We can deal with the long term if we just get a chance. Right?
Thank you all, very grateful.
Teresa
I am so sorry about your mother. I concur that the best option would be for her to be treated by a gyn/onc and get an accurate diagnosis.
If it took 11 years for "ovarian cancer" to become symptomatic after a complete hysterectomy, it must be very slow growing. With appropriate treatment, she should have many more years I would think.
Thank you all. My mother passed gas yesterday and had a bowel movement. For now, I'm just happy with that. That means she is not as obstructed as I thought.
Next, I'm going to see about a gyn/onc. Thank you all.
I'll keep you updated. I appreciate all the information I can get.
Teresa
Teresa,
You have come to a wonderful place - I came here looking for support as I am the caretaker for my mother, and it's full of amazing, caring people!
My mother found out two and a half years ago she had stage III ovca, much the same way your mother did (my mother, in fact, was COMPLETELY obstructed, and the doc said she could have had that tumor for years and years). Know there are many many treatments out there than can help her. Our surgeon didn't expect mom to make it out of the hospital, but she's here still kicking and full of fire! And btw, she was 67 years old with diabetes and hypertension when she went into surgery (she, too, was treated for many things under the sun by a gastroenterologist before we sought second opinion by a wonderful surgeon who found it).
A gyn/onc will be able to answer all your questions. You will be in our prayers!
I don't have anything to add to what's already been said but I just wanted to wish your mom well and to send God's blessing to you all. It's hard times getting through it. My prayers are the best I can offer.
Thank you so much. I appreciate those prayers from my heart.
Teresa
Thank you so much. I appreciate those prayers from my heart.
Teresa
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