: Mom's ovarian cancer: Update 1 (was: Best hospital ...)

Quoted message said:

The cytology results are still not in, but we got to
see the doctor I was hoping for today. Apparently,
she's very good. She certainly has a good bedside
maner.

She noticed that the site of the puncture for the
fluid draining had formed a little lump. She doesn't
want my mom to do another draining because she says
those lumps may form a tumor which is chemo resistant
(didn't explain why that would be though).

The plan agreed upon was this: Start chemo by Thursday
or Friday (I wonder if it would be Tuesday in the
USA...). She will do 3 rounds of "CarboTaxol". then
surgery, then 3 more rounds.

Prednisone will be given to reduce allergic reactions
to taxol. And some sort of anti-nausea drug too.

* * * * * * * * * * I asked about IP chemo injection, but
she says they don't do that here. Is that worth going to
the US for? It is a proven better treatment?
* * * * * * * * * *

My mom asked if there was a chance for a cure, and the
doctor sidesteped the question. I've looked on the
internet, and complete answers seem elusive. Do some
ovarian cancer patients get cured?

It's been a long day today...

Hi Paul, it's early to be discussing prognosis, I think.
Thursday's early enough. I think that's called "sandwiching"
(for the chemos). I saw that on one of the web pages I
posted to you earlier.

This article is about epithelial ovarian cancer <biomedcentral.com1534Open ↗
5874/2/20> which says (under intraperitoneal) "Because of
the lack of improved efficacy and significantly increased
hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicities, peritonitis,
and bowel complications, the addition of intraperitoneal
cisplatin or paclitaxel is not currently recommended for
routine therapy."

Perhaps that's true now as then (2002) and as well to your
mother's cancer and Canada? Keep in touch and let us know
how it's going. J-not an expert

Quoted message said:

Do some ovarian cancer patients get cured?

Definitely. It depends on the stage of the cancer, the grade
of the tumour and many other things I don't know.

You should consider joining the www.acor.org group
named OVARIAN.

The people there are all concerned with ovarian cancer and
quite knowledgeable.

My step mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 2 years
ago. She had surgery, 6 rounds of taxol carboplatin, second
look surgery and until now she is doing well. She is not out
of the bush though but still alive and well.

Where are you from ? My step mother was treated in France, I
was treated for another cancer in Switzerland with a second
opinion at MD Anderson and protocols of chemotherapy are the
same worldwide. It's important to be treated in an excellent
cancer center of your own country though and if you live in
some remote exotic country, a visit to the USA might be
worth it:-)

Regine

Quoted message said:

Thursday's early enough. I think that's called
"sandwiching" (for the chemos). I saw that on one of the
web pages I posted to you earlier.

Thanks for the links. There is just so much to read,
between those and the ones I had already gotten through
my own research. I should have gone into medicine. 🙂

Btw, I don't remember if you mentionned this one in
particular, but I really liked: (info on all cancer
types)
cancer.govadulttreatmentOpen ↗

A highly reliable source, updated monthly, with the
latest treatment info summarised. A little technical,
but there are both patient and doctor versions.

Quoted message said:

This article is about epithelial ovarian cancer
<http://www.biomedcentral.com/1534-5874/2/20>

Thanks for this link in particular. I'm happy to put
some doubts to rest re: the kind of treatment offered.

I am curious about one thing: The current treatment
(carbotaxol) seems to date from 1996? I'm surprised that
things haven't moved much since then. Or is it that that
treatment works so well that they might as well keep it?

Thank you. Time to sleep... Tomorow we go wig shopping.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Do some ovarian cancer patients get cured?

Definitely. It depends on the stage of the cancer, the
grade of the tumour and many other things I don't know.

I'm very happy to hear that. Even a low percent of
total cure will give us all tremendous hope. I'm just
hoping for either a cure, or survival long enough for
the next breakthrough.

Quoted message said:

My step mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 2 years
ago. She had surgery, 6 rounds of taxol carboplatin,
second look surgery and until now she is doing well. She
is not out of the bush though but still alive and well.

Do you mind if I ask for a little more detail? (so I'll
know what to expect) How fast are the CA-125 levels
supposed to fall off? How fast are the tumors supposed
to shrink? How soon after chemo end will she feel
normal again?

Quoted message said:

Where are you from ? if you live in some remote exotic
country, a visit to the USA might be worth it:-)

Canada. I know we have very knowledgeable doctors here,
especially in the big city hospitals. But I also
remember seeing on TV a few years ago that short
sighted government policy had cancer patients on
waiting lists, and I'm afraid budget constraints may
mean she may get substandard care.

That's why I'm considering the USA.

<[email hidden]> a écrit dans le message de
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Do you mind if I ask for a little more detail? (so
I'll know what to expect) How fast are the CA-125
levels supposed to fall off?

*I don't know. My step mother had surgery before the chemo
treatment, and I have not been aware of her CA 125 before
treatment.

Quoted message said:

How fast are the tumors supposed to shrink?

*I don't know either, because she had her tumour removed
during the first surgery.

Quoted message said:

How soon after chemo end will she feel normal again?

My step mother had 4 rounds of taxol and 6 of carboplatin.
She had a problem
( Idon't remember which one, anyway she could not get the
last 2 taxol chemos ). She got relatively quickly well
after, considering that she also had another (
endoscopic ) second look surgery , about 6 weeks after
the end of the 6th chemo. She was diagnosed in
September and the following August she was fine. She
also had to mourn my father in between, which did not
certainly help.

Quoted message said:

and I'm afraid budget constraints may mean she may get
substandard care.

That's why I'm considering the USA.

A second opinion in the USA is then perhaps worth. The
treatment she is having is the "regular" treatment for
ovarian cancer. I hope she does not get on a waiting list to
get her chemos and surgery though.

You should really join the OVARIAN list of www.acor.org

They would help you much better than me.

How old is your Mom ? Régine

<[email hidden]> a écrit dans le message de
"]news:[email hidden]...

I did not realize that IP meant intra peritoneal chemo.

This had been discussed in the case of my step mother, but
only in case of a special kind of recurrence named
"peritoneal carcinosis". They do hyperthermic
intraperitoneal chemo.

Apparently the first line treatment is carbo-taxol and
if they have not changed it since years, it must be
because it works.

Regine