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Ovarian Cancer

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message #:
  3661.1
from:
  carolinaborn
date:
  9/26/2005 1:22 am
replies:
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I went for a normal gyn exam and she said since I had had breast cancer in 03 and had been on Tamoxifen for 2 years with 3 more to go, that I needed to have an ultrasound. She could not read it entirely so she sent me for an uterine/ovarian MRI...the report said it could be this this or this and the last this was possibly cancer...3 doctors said it looked like it was a CYA statement so I went to the top doc at Emory for the area and now he wants to do a complete hysterectomy...uterus, tubes, ovaries & cervix just to be sure and in case...he said most likely it is not cancerous but because the dr who read the MRI said it "could be" cancer, he has to go in and see and while he is in there, since I am 56, he wants to get it all out. Does that sound right to you? He also said because I had prior lapriscopic surgury for fibroids and cysts (ovary and uterus) he can't go in with a lapriscope as organs might have attached to other organs so he has to do a full cut and since he is doing that he thinks he should take it all out. Well, what about sex and orgasms after that. Is there really a reason for me to be gutted like a fish if I have had NO symptoms at all to begin with? Help please. Any response is appreciated. Thank you. Surgery is scheduled for Oct. 18. He has no bedside manner and is not easy to talk to. Please send responses to carolinaborn@yahoo.com as I don't reallly know how to read the responses here since it says I have one and I can't figure how to see it. I would appreciate your help. Thank you.
Edited 9/26/2005 1:36 am ET ET by carolinaborn
 
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  3661.2 in response to 3661.1
from:
  cl-glynnerose  Member Icon
to:
  carolinaborn
date:
  9/28/2005 1:30 pm
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Hi and welcome to the message board.  I tried to reply earlier, but for some reason, my reply did not go through.  Let me try again.

I think that with your history of breast cancer, this puts you at a higher risk for ovarian cancer.      Did you have a transvaginal ultrasound, or a regular pelvic ultrasound?  I have not heard of an MRI of the uterus and ovaries. 

As for having everything surgically removed, there are two ways to look at it.  One, you can have the surgery, and if the frozen sections are benign, then the doctor can leave everything where it belongs.   Or, the other option is to go ahead and have everything surgically removed.  Even if you don't have anything cancerous, removing the uterus, cervix, ovaries, etc, puts you at a lower risk for developing gynecological cancer.  Removal of the ovaries does not guarantee that you will not get a form of ovarian cancer (called peritoneal cancer).  Have you finished menopause?   

Tell your doctor that you want a tumor marker run.  For ovarian cancer, there is the CA 125. It is not a diagnostic tool, but it is suggested in helping to diagnose ovarian cancer.

Please let me know if I can be of any further help.  I look forward to hearing from you again.  Regards, Glynne
 
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  3661.3 in response to 3661.2
from:
  carolinaborn
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  cl-glynnerose  Member Icon
date:
  9/28/2005 2:44 pm
replies:
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Thank you for your response. My doctor said I was not a candidate for the CA 125 as I had breast cancer (early) in 2003 and it would possibly show elevated anyway. He was not the one that ordered the MRI...that was done by another doctor that I had only been to 1 time as my regular doctor retired. He also said a CAT or PET scan would not tell with me as I might have hot spots anyway. I do have fibroids, cysts & endometriosis that I know of...the endo is 14 mm which is probably due to the Tamoxifen and I have to be on that for 3 more years. It's also tearing up my teeth which have always been good.

I have NO symptoms and NO pain.

I quit having periods when my mom died in 2001. I assume that means I have. I think I had a regular pelvic ultrasound. What is the difference between that and a transvaginal?

Any help with questions is appreciated as he scheduled surgery for Oct. 18. Thanks.

Hilda
 
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