I was diagnosed with fallopian tube cancer stage 3C in Dec. of '01. I have never been in remission although 3 1/2 years ago I was off chemo for 6 months when they somehow misread a CT scan. I now go to CTCA and have been there for 3 years. Until my scan last Tuesday I have shown no growth in any of my tumors since going there. I have been on many different chemos and they never felt surgery was necessary since they were keeping it stable. I did have 3 surgeries in the 1st four years of my cancer. Never at CTCA. Well, this past scan showed growth in every tumor in my pelvic area. That was in just 11 weeks. I'm now scheduled for HIPEC surgery on the 18th of this month. Has anyone ever had this surgery? It is where they use a heated chemotherapy and circulate it through your abdomen. It is supposed to be wonderful but they won't promise me that they can do it because of a few slightly enlarged lymph nodes that are behind my mesentery. They said if they are malignent they can't use the chemo in my abdomen because it won't reach those lymph nodes and the chemo is so powerful that they wouldn't be able to give me regular chemo for many months which would make it impossible to treatment for the malignent lymph nodes.
I know there isn't much anyone can tell me at this point but I just need to let off a little steam. I have pretty much received chemo every 3 weeks for over 7 years. I'm tired, half my life I don't have hair, I can never plan a vacation or even be sure what I'll be up to doing from one week to another.
I am curious if anyone knows anything about the HIPEC surgery.
Thanks for whatever advice or encourgement anyone can give me. I'm just a bit down and don't know where to turn.
My best to all,
Judy