Help with understanding diagnosis

FormerMember
FormerMember
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My mum is 60. Fit and healthy with no symptoms. She found a lump under her arm and we found out yesterday she has cancer in her ovaries and it’s spread to a lymph node under her arm. 
We visited the Chemo doctor yesterday who said they are unable to do the surgery and remove her ovaries unless the chemo shrinks as it’s already too big. He said he doesn’t think it will shrink. I asked if he had seen anyones shrink before you in her position and he said out of a 100 people probably 5% it has worked for them.

She has to wait 3 weeks to start chemo (waiting list apparently) then is having 3 chemo sessions with 3 weeks in between them. Then they will scan again to see if it has done anything.

has anyone been in a similar situation and has any advice?

has anyone known anyone in a similar situation and has advice if it wasn’t treatable how long you can live and the life you can still have?

Thank you 

  • Hello, do you know what type of ovarian cancer your mum has?  My cancer was also found via my arm pit… by my first mammogram in 2021. I was told they would try 3 rounds of chemo and then possibly surgery… but it was so advanced it wasn’t a given.   I am stage 4b grade 3 epitheral serous.  The lymph nodes in my armpit never shrank through chemo but it did in my abdomen.  My CA125 fell significantly.  I did have surgery and the lymph nodes were removed as part of the surgery by breast surgeons.    I’ve had more chemo after and continue treatment.   Good luck to your mum. Stay strong it’s a journey and life will never be the same, changed but hopefully more positive. X x 

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to DerbyGirl

    Hi,

    thank you so much for replying! im so sorry to hear you’re going through the same thing.

    I’m not really sure what type she has, we really weren’t expecting that news and found it very difficult to take in the information. 

    i just remember him saying it’s in her ovaries but it’s too large to operate and he will give her 3 sessions of chemo and see what happens. He said he didn’t think it would shrink but it could happen, odds are against her. 

    i started to Google (which wasn’t my best idea). Google said if they can’t operate she only has 3-12 months to live. is this true?

    the thought of losing my mum so soon is unbearable. She is so strong and is going to fight this the best she can. Xx