Recurring ovarian cancer

Hello Eugenia

I hope you do not mind me replying as I had a different type of carcinoma sarcoma.

Mine was uterine. I also had a hysterectomy and chemotherapy. I also had 25 sessions of external beam radiotherapy. I did not have lynparza. 

I thought that by replying it may bump your post so someone who has experienced similar to you will spot it and offer support.

I am sorry that your last CT scan showed a nodule on your pelvic wall and I can understand your fears about recurrence. I think all of us who have had cancer feel the same- it's always there in the back ground for me.

I am not sure about false positives but hopefully the PET scan will show in more detail what is happening and then you will be able to talk to your team as to whether any treatment is needed.

It is good that you feel well and that your CA125 marker is low. CA125 is also used for womb cancer. 

I hope that your PET scan will go as planned and that you do not have to wait too much longer. In the meantime if there is anything you need, please do ask.

Jane

I was diagnosed in feb 21, since then i have had everything going

Recurrence was confirmed in march i had a ct scan and a pet scan ca125 of 62 from 13

Started chemo in may 3 cycles then ct scan but there was a back log so had cycle 4 then scan got results monday, chemo hasn't done anything, although its only palliative chemo i was hoping it had shrunk the tumors, but i have a growth of 9% 

Cycle 5 has been deferred 3 times now as neutrophil is still below 1

Chemo will be reduced from 80% to 60% to see if i can tolerate it better

A big part of ne is saying whats the piint and the rest of me is saying carry on the last 2 cycles might do sonething.

so all thats happened is ive lost my hair my eyebrows, and my lashes 

Feeling very deflated

Pam

Hi Pam

Am sorry that you are having such a rough time. I had episodes of neutropenia during my chemo last year but managed somehow to getting just into the correct limit to be able to have the chemo. I remember sitting in the chair waiting for bloods to come back knowing if they hadn't risen to the right amounts (neutrophils, haemoglobin) then I would be going home. I can understand that it is hard when it needs to be postponed. 

I also had my doses reduced. Mainly due to neuropathy symptoms. By the last cycle I was on 50%. Only you can decide whether you want to do the last 2. I felt like stopping mine due to how ill it made me feel but in the end I just felt I had come so far and put up with so much that I might as well do the full course. I am glad I did. Maybe it is something to talk to your doctors about- although the tumours haven't shrunk - is it possible that the growth has been slowed. Would the tumours have shrunk part way through the treatment or would they expect the full treatment to be needed to show the true effect. I don't know- I am not a medical expert but those are the questions I would be thinking about asking.

The hair loss is really tough. I used the cooling cap but still lost hair- head hair thinned all over and what was left was very thin and straggly. I lost all body hair. Eyebrows and eye lashes. I lost them again after chemo finished. I did find though that my eyelashes did come back fairly quickly.

I totally get the feeling deflated bit. Chemo is hard. Cancer is tough. I wish you well whatever you decide to do. In the meantime if there is anything that would help, please do ask. There is also the Support Line if you feel chatting to someone would help. The number is at the bottom of this and it is available from 8am-8pm each day. Sometimes it can be easier to talk things through with someone outside of the situation.

Jane

Thanks for your support

• My PET scan showed 0.

7mm nodule with very low metabolic activity. My gynecologist oncologist decided to follow up with another PET scan in 3 months. I hope that's beneficial approach in my situation

Eugenia 

Hi

i finished my chemo last month and I had ct scan last Sunday awaiting results

but for a good few weeks I’ve felt totally rubbish and the last two weeks I’ve lost my appetite I make myself eat small bits not sure why this is

until I get ct results not a lot can be done about

wonder if any of you have been through similar 

pam x

Hi Pam. I finished chemo and then about 3 weeks after I started feeling rough, sickness mainly and exactly the same as you have started having to eat little portions  but some foods I find a right turn off so this is limiting what I eat. I just don't fancy much. I'm also awaiting CT scan and feel tired most of the time. The funny thing is I didn't feel this bad during the chemo. I hope it gets better for you. I think the waiting for answers is the hardest part.

Ali