Anyone dealing with Ovarian cancer currently?

Question

What kind of surgery did you have to remove the cancer? What kind of after treatment did you chose? Did you get a second opinion? Where did you go for your care? How did other people react to your diagnosis? What was the best support you received? How did you want people to treat you? My sister has ovarian cancer and from what I know its serious. We live in separate states and right now she's really mad at the world. We've only started getting close over the past 3 years. I'm trying to learn how to be supportive without making her feel like a project or fragile. All the personal experiences of family members and those affect would be greatly appreciated. I know this is a hard topic.

Answer 1

I don't know anybody personally with ovarian cancer, but I do know a little bit about it. The stages of ovarian cancer are:

Stage I: Cancer cells are found in one or both ovaries. Cancer cells may be found on the surface of the ovaries or in fluid collected from the abdomen.

Stage II: Cancer cells have spread from one or both ovaries to other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells are found on the fallopian tubes, the uterus, or other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells may be found in fluid collected from the abdomen.

Stage III: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the pelvis or to the regional lymph nodes. Cancer cells may be found on the outside of the liver.

Stage IV: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the abdomen and pelvis. Cancer cells may be found inside the liver, in the lungs, or in other organs.

Before starting treatment, she might want a second opinion about her diagnosis and treatment plan. Many insurance companies cover a second opinion if she or her doctor requests it.

It may take some time and effort to gather medical records and arrange to see another doctor. In most cases, a brief delay in starting treatment will not make treatment less effective. To make sure, she should discuss this delay with your doctor. Sometimes women with ovarian cancer need treatment right away.

Her doctor can describe your treatment choices and the expected results. Most women have surgery and chemotherapy. Rarely, radiation therapy is used.

Cancer treatment can affect cancer cells in the pelvis, in the abdomen, or throughout the body.

Surgery:

The surgeon makes a long cut in the wall of the abdomen. This type of surgery is called a laparotomy. If ovarian cancer is found, the surgeon removes:

both ovaries and fallopian tubes (salpingo-oophorectomy)

the uterus (hysterectomy)

the omentum (the thin, fatty pad of tissue that covers the intestines)

nearby lymph nodes

samples of tissue from the pelvis and abdomen

If the cancer has spread, the surgeon removes as much cancer as possible. This is called "debulking" surgery.

This is a very difficult time for your family. You have to support her, it will be tough, but the most important thing is to be there to support your sister and help her get through this. People with cancer just want to be treated normal, forget that they have cancer, and just talk.

I am so sorry, and I wish your sister a speedy recovery.