Hello

Hi Spanlou and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

Although I don't have the same type of cancer as you, I'm due to start chemotherapy next week so fully understand your wish to know how others are coping.

While you're waiting for replies, if you haven't already, you could type 'chemotherapy' into the group search bar so that you can read some of the previous posts on this topic. 

Wishing you all the best

x

Thank you latchbrook for your reply, and I wish you all the very best as you start your chemotherapy journey x

Hi Spanlou

I am new to this group.  I don't have a diagnosis as yet but been told I am on the 2ww for surgery and then biopsy as I am at intermediate to high risk of cancer.  How was your surgery?; Sending positive thoughts for your chemo x

Hi Cher2305,

My surgery went very well thank you. It was a very large cyst and they drained 4.5l of fluid to make it smaller to remove. As one of the cysts had leaked, despite the results of the wash and the tissues they tested came back clear, they decided it best to undertake chemo to makes sure no cells are still lurking. 6 weeks post surgery, and I am feeling good and no longer look 9 months pregnant! Good luck for your surgery and fingers crossed that the outcome is good news. Be good to know how you get on and in the meantime, take care x

Hi Spanlou

Thank you so much for your reply.  I am pleased your surgery went so well.  You may have already said but we're the cancerous cells found after the surgery? 

So glad you are feeling better.  My cyst is quite large too.  15cms so very much looking forward to getting rid of it.  I look about five months pregnant atm which is never good in your 50s.

Thanks again for replying.  Take care x

Hi, no never good, I was 50 in April, and my cyst measured 22 by 19cms! The cyst showed cancerous cells, so when they removed it, they did what they call a wash to clean it all. The fluid from the wash was sent off for testing and they took tissue samples and these came back clear. Hope that makes sense and helps.

Xx

Thank you so much for answering my questions.  It is so helpful talking to someone who has been through it.  Were the cancerous cells found after a scan? Good news that the fluid and tissue samples came back clear xx

Hi,

It is good to talk, and be able to ask questions. I have found all the information I've received is good, but it's so much to take on board. Sometimes just being able to ask or speak to someone going through or been through similar experiences helps more. We are all different and will react differently too, but it is good to talk.

I had an mri scan, and from that they didn't detect any cancerous cells, so for me it wasn't until they did the tests on the cyst itself. I haven't had a scan since my op. It confuses me because a cyst was picked up from the mri on my pancreas, and after seeing my oncologist on Friday,  was told that that one is benign. I don't understand how they can pick up that from the ct scan but they couldn't detect any cancer cells in the ovarian cyst.

My question is, even though I have been put forward for chemo, if the wash and tissues came back clear, couldn't I just be monitored, and if the cancer takes hold then have the chemo. Or do I take  their advice, knowing they wouldn't suggest this course of action lightly, and proceed with the chemo!? It really is a minefield, and I am not one for wanting to ask questions for fear of being a pest. But, we must ask questions, it is OK to do so, its what they are paid for and they know what they are talking about.

Sorry for the very long reply, and feel free to ask any questions that you have. Happy to help and in turn get help from others too xx

Hi Spanlou,

Please dont apologise for the length of your message.  It is helpful to hear other people's experiences.  

I too don't understand how conclusions are made and diagnosed are given sometimes and not others.

I would definitely question why you are having chemo.  You really should know the reasons behind it.

I have gone from being told my cyst is almost certainly not cancerous during my initial consultation to being told yesterday, after the MDT meeting that I am in the category of intermediate to high risk of my cyst being cancerous.  This is when I was told the CT scan did not throw up any more information than the ultrasound, which the consultant saw during my first consultation.  Don't understand what has changed.

I am hoping for answers when I see my new consultant before I have surgery, as I have been moved to a bigger hospital for the op. 

Hope you get some answers soon.  We really must ask questions though.

Take care xx