Looking For Info

Hi All... I would like to start by saying what a wonderful site this is. My best friend was diagnoised with Ovarion cancer aprox 8 weeks ago. It was terrifiying when she came to tell me. She is a breast cancer survivor for the past 12 years and now to be told this news it is devastating. She just celebrated her 50th birthday (2007)  She ended up in emerg because of stomach bloat, she looked 9 months pregnant. They drained over 6 liters of fluid from her abdoman and told her they found cancer in the lining of her organs and said it was the secondary cancer, with in a couple of weeks and different tests they discovered a large tumor on the ovary. This dreadful cancer has taken over so bad in the past 3 weeks, she is throwing up bile, can not eat, some days she can not even keep water down. Since the first trip to the ER she has been every two weeks for drainage which is typically around 5 to 6 liters each time. It is not looking good. Today at 12:30 she is being operated on for a full Hysterectomy. I do not know the details of what stage she is at since she chooses not to know. What I can tell you is in the past 3 weeks, I have seen such a physical difference in her that is frightening. She has been so anxious to have this surgury as the tumor is pressing on her bowels which makes her feel like she has to go to the washroom constantly which she doesn't, she is not able to sit comfortably because of the tumor and laying down is just as difficult because she finds it hard to breath. She was given morphine in the begining but chose not to use it because she still felt okay but within 3 weeks she had no choice but to take it. I guess I feel the need to write because I just don't know what else to do, I am so anxious today waiting on the results of this surgury. Personally I can not believe the physical changes in her and how they have happened so quickly, her face is very gray looking and very wrinkled from what I think is all the fluid drainage, her arms and face are very thin now, but her stomach is so bloated she now looks like she is having triplets and is nine months pregnant, she is so bloated. Has anyone else been through this or no anyone who has, I could sure use some help to know what to expect. I admire her strenght but deep down I think we both know the outcome is not going to be good. Thank you in advanced for any info you might be able to offer.

A very distraught friend from Ontario

Hi,

I would recommend you find a top notch Surgeon. Secondly have an open mind as to how your friend should be treated. Alternative treatment is more curative, conventional treatment is pallative. Good Luck.

Tom

HI, yes, I have been through it.

I agree with the previous responder that a top notch GYNECOLOGICAL ONCOLOGIST is what your friend would want right now. Is she in a Cancer Center? If not, she could ask to have the surgery in one, e.g. T.O.

They may recommend chemo after the surgery. There are some complementary approaches that have been helpful to some people who undergo chemo to reduce anxiety and side effects, e.g. acupuncture, mindfulness  based  relaxation. A reliable site for information about such approaches is http://nccam.nih.gov/health/camcancer/  the U.S. National Institute of Health website.

Good luck to your friend.

G. 

On 1/3/2008 Hawaii wrote:

HI, yes, I have been through it.

I agree with the previous responder that a top notch GYNECOLOGICAL ONCOLOGIST is what your friend would want right now. Is she in a Cancer Center? If not, she could ask to have the surgery in one, e.g. T.O.

They may recommend chemo after the surgery. There are some complementary approaches that have been helpful to some people who undergo chemo to reduce anxiety and side effects, e.g. acupuncture, mindfulness  based  relaxation. A reliable site for information about such approaches is http://nccam.nih.gov/health/camcancer/  the U.S. National Institute of Health website.

Good luck to your friend.

G. 

Please check out these websites for clinical trials. The Mayo Clinic has a ongoing "ovarian cancer" trial using the measles vaccine. It has worked well & if you are interested after visiting those websites, I will show you how to apply for the trial.

http://www.isracast.com/tech_news/260106_tech.aspx
http://www.oncolyticsbiotech.com/tech.html
http://www.neotropix.com/index.htm
http://www.outsmartyourcancer.com/
http://discoverysedge.mayo.edu/measles/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2007-rst/3954.html
http://mayoresearch.mayo.edu/mayo/research/gene_virus_therap
http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2007-jax/4309.html

I can relate to what your friend has been going through, for my late wife had ovarian cancer, with exactly the same symptoms. Chemo does not work on this (carboplatin, taxol, Doxal). She needs to be in a program that targets her cancer, such as the Measles Vaccine trial at the Mayo Clinic. My website may be of some help, with website links for these trials. "clicktothecure.com" I have heard from several Senators, with their promise to help bring change.

On 1/3/2008 Sleepy123 wrote:

Hi,

I would recommend you find a top notch Surgeon. Secondly have an open mind as to how your friend should be treated. Alternative treatment is more curative, conventional treatment is pallative. Good Luck.

Tom

Thank you for your message and your concerns. I'm sorry to say the surgery did not go as planned. They went in and found more then expected and decided they could not do any surgery at this time. The doctors are now waiting for a Patholigy report to see if they are treating Ovarian or Breast Cancer as a Primary Cancer, sort of confused about this since they said the cancer in the noduals of the lining of the stomach was the secondary cancer and the tumor on the Ovary was the Primary, and when they started the complete hysterectomy and change there minds and close her back up now and wait. So now it is a waiting game until this report comes back to see which Chemo treatment they are going to try. I agree with you about alternative treatment and have been trying to get my friend on board with this but I'm afraid time is running out.