Ovarian Cancer

My Mother was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in August 2004. She had surgery and chemo, it has now been 3 months since her last chemo, and her CA 125 is now back up to 170, and test revealed 3 spots on her liver. She starts chemo again next week. I guess what I am looking for is there anyone that has had the cancer recur this quickly, and what kind of quality of life will she have. Will more chemo really help this? From all of the reading I have been doing, it seems to always refer to after 6 months of treatments.

My 3C stage ovarian CA came back during receiving chemo. My chemo was changed to Doxil.I have received 20 treatments (they have kept me on this as it has worked so well for me...hardly any side effects after first adjusting the dosage). I travel, work out, and feel fine. Everyone is different..I hope this information helps you. Also, my CT scans show no signs of any tumors and my CA125 is 17.

I don't know for certain if the cancer can recur quickly, but I would guess that it can. I have a very slow growing tumor and hence the Doxil treatment. I have been told that other types of ovarian tumors are much more aggressive and they usually check after 3 months of treatment (with scans in addition to CA 125s) for evaluation of progress and maybe possible change in chemo?

Warm regards,
Kathleen

Thanks again for all the good reports of Doxil therapy. Generally, I have a very good feeling about it. After only one week, I actually feel quite good. I'm interested in how you are able to work out? They say to avoid repetitive movements? I haven't asked my Doctor yet, but was thinking about exercise during treatment and you bring up an important topic to me. Do you notice any problems with exercising?

Thanks for any information,

Kathleen

Kathleen. I did not start exercising until seven months ago. Many months after the start of my chemotheraphy. I use the treadmill and have no ill effects. I gained alot of weight(20 lbs) and was use to exercising...so I am back to the gym!

Donna:

Thank you for sharing this with me. It is great to hear you are feeling so good. Good luck with everything.

Karen

Donnalee, you mentioned that your dosage of DOXIL was adjusted and that you do not have a lot of unpleasant side effects, as a result. I had my first DOXIL treatment last Weds, and have been very sick since the second day after treatment. Nausea, severe stomach cramps, clear diahrrea, inability to eat or drink almost anything. The Zafran prescribed by my oncologist isn't doing anything. Did you have some of these symptoms before your dosage was adjusted? Has anyone else experienced this kind of a reaction? If so, how was it treated?


Ginny B.

Dear Ginny, I did not have any of the side effects that you mentioned. The reaction that I had was, three to four weeks after I received the doxil. I got a red rash on my abdomin and the skin on my feet were very red. My skin on my feet literally peeled away layers. For two days it hurt immensely to walk. It improved with the help of steroids. Donnalee

Karen - In answer to your question, I had 7 months of chemotherapy after the removal of my ovaries. (I was diagnosed as being in Stage III). At the end of the seven months, my CA125 was down to 33, and my oncologist stopped treatment. After two months, my level was back to 254 and ten days later was 422. So I am also back on chemo - had my first DOXIL treatment last Weds. The cancer may have started to come back sooner than two months, but the doctor didn't test my level until the two month point in time.

Ginny Brigman