hi, I have had a scan on Monday that showed a cyst with a mass of 11cms. I am now waiting for a ct scan before meeting with team to disc ops

[suzym]

help! how did You decide on surgery and chemo ? Having lost My Sister and Mum to cancer I was always against having chemo as it never helped them. Sorry if this sounds a bit negative.

[angelina]

Hi Suzym

I had a 22cm cyst and mass and was told I needed a TAH.I didn't get a choice and to

be honest couldn't wait to get rid of thing and all the side effects it was causing me.

When the histology report came back I was told I needed chemo and didn't really get

a choice about it. I trusted my surgeon and oncologists advice and I knew I wouldn't

be offered it if it wasn't necessary.

I am so sorry for your losses and realise this must make you feel doubtfull

but I have also lost many members of my family to cancer and lost my cousin to OC

2years before my diagnosis.

Hope this is some comfort to you and try not to worry which I know is difficult at

this time.

Sending you my best wishes

x Angie X

[wendydee]

Hi Suzy

I am sorry you are having all this worry, especially after losing your Mum and sister to cancer. What type was it? There is a link between breast and ovarian cancer, so if it was one of those types the link will be investigated, i am sure. Try to stay calm and be guided by the experts. Have you found this site by going on the Ovacome site? If not, try that first. It's ovacome.org.uk. There is lots of info on there, also details of a helpline where you can phone a nurse there tomorrow to talk things through. (08453710554 Mon to Fri) Have you been diagnosed with ovarian cancer? If not, there will be a process. I was always guided by the advice I was given, but that was 10 years ago. It all depends on scan results and CA125 blood tests results as to what is recommended. Some women have an op first and then chemo and some have a few doses of chemo to shrink tumours and then an op. the treatments and regimes are advancing all the time. There are so many women on this site who have been through chemo regimes and coped and are now in remission and healthy, so the choices are there. But don't think too hard yet about what your choices will be, until you know what your situation is. It may well be ovarian cysts and not cancer. I hope so. Even if your fears are realised, there is so much support on this site and you will cope, I am sure. If you have been diagnosed early, your chances are excellent.

Stay strong and let us know how you're getting on.

Love Wendy xx

[Lily-Anne]

I had surgery for cyst, tube and ovary, then full hysterectomy after diagnosis, however, the biopsy showed no evidence of disease in the tube or ovary only in the cyst. I had one chemo treatment but decided, after research and a chat with the oncologist that it wasn't for me. I guess everyone is different but I think the chemo made me feel worse rather than better. I don't think you are negative, rather, realistic.

LA

[Hidden]

Hi Suzy,

I am sorry that you have had such a bad experience in losing your family, but now you have something sinister yourself, you will know that the alternative (which is to do nothing) is probably worse... than actually doing something, and it seems to me that even though the outcome was bad for both your mum and your sister they chose to do something and probably gave it their best shot...I see you live in Liverpool the WHL is a very good hospital and you will be in good hands... best wishes love x G x

[suzym]

Thank You for Your replies

xsuz

[Whippit]

Dear Suzy I'm sorry to read you've had such a tragic loss. There are some diseases that are inoperable and untreatable. Please don't let this experience put you off having treatment for whatever is going on with you, I agree with the others that it is best to listen to the advice of your multi-disciplinary team who will discuss the best course of action for you.

Surgery is considered to be our greatest hope and chemotherapy may be suggested too. It's probably best to wait till you've had your CT scan and then discuss all the options with the team.

It's a horrible time waiting for tests. I hope you get good news from all these investigations. You've had your fair share of tragedy to have lost your mum and sister.

With love Annie

[Tillytomteeps]

Dear Suzym

I have three friends who have had ovarian cancer. None of them needed chemotherapy and are clear. In all cases it was because the cancerous area was inside the cyst. The larger the cyst the more protective it can be according to the MacMillan nurses who advised me. The chances depend on much and I know from personal experience how hard it canto to balance realism with not writing oneself off. I have just been through it all myself. I had a huge cyst the size of a melon but it was all mucous and apparently started in my appendix. I will need further treatment but I was convinced that I had ovarian cancer. I know that your situation is different and how you feel facing each test. I am still waiting confirmation of the pathology in my case, but the surgeon seemed to think it a classic presentation. I will stick around this site until I get the final word. XX

[Honey3]

Dear Suzym,

Tillytomteeps has just given me some information that I did not know! That is, that the larger the cyst, the more protective it can be. My dear daughter (I refer to her as dd on this site) also had a very large cyst - 20cm, the size of a large melon and she had two types of cancer within in it, one being thought to have started in her appendix - turned out not to be so. However, like Tillytomteeps, the cancer was contained, and for her, chemo not needed, though she has had to have a follow up treatment of anti-hormone injections. Her cyst and some that came after that one were teratomas (thought to be hormonally generated) and usually benign, though the first, large one, was not benign. I am sure the CT scan will give a clearer picture and even then you will have an op and the story isn't complete until the team receives the histology. Hard for you not to be negative with all you have been through, but don't give up hope, the cancer may be contained and chemo unnecessary. The cyst may be benign. Good to be prepared for the worst, but hope for the best. I hope you have some good supportive friends that you can turn to with your concerns.

Honey XXX

[charlie12]

Dear Suzy

Welcome and I am so sorry that you find yourself in this situation.

Please please be aware that most cysts are just that .....also be aware that untill the mass has been removed and analysed by a pathologist nobody will know for certain what it is.

It is very likely that you will need to have this removed an if you have had children and or fertility is unimportant you may be recommended a hysterectomy. The fewer female bits you have the less likely anything is to come back. This is major surgery doable , you will need to rest lots.

you won,t have to have any treatment you do not wish to have but the doctors will give a strong recommendation. You are also entitled to a second opinion but this of course delays things.

Try to take things easy as you will need your strength if you have surgery. Fingers crossed that will be it.

Lots of love

Charlie xxx

[drdu]

Yes, it may be a benign cyst, and hopefully it is. If it is cancer, I would take the expert advice of your oncologist, if I were you. Ovarian cancer responds better to chemo than many other types of cancer. But hopefully it will benign. I am a retired GP who has primary peritoneal cancer, a variant of ovarian cancer.

All best wishes.

Love,

Eileen xx

[suzym]

Hi

thanks for Your response and support.

I have been told the mass has its own blood supply! that is what is causing concern.

x suz x

[Hidden]

Hi there... I had a cyst which was about the same size as yours in 2006. It was thought to be benign and incredibly was left for six months before being removed. From April until October, I couldn't work and was absolutely distressed. By the time it was removed it weighed 17lb. Sounds incredible doesn't it. So, I think you're in good hands. Mine was a cystadenoma. During the course of the operation, some of my bowel was removed which I was told was because the cyst was adhered to it so I was given a small bowel resection at the same time. I wrote to the hospital because I wasn't happy at the delay in treating me despite ringing the consultant's secretary once a week, often crying which isn't like me. In the end, there was an admission that the bowel had been removed because the tissue was 'suspicious'. That sounds incredible too. Being lied to by a doctor is not a good situation is it? Then I had my gallbladder removed when my surgeon found that there were marks on my liver which were thought to be haemagionas and benign. The marks on my liver were thought to have been as a result of infection I'd had at some point but these have since grown and are assumed to be metastatic cells. When I was taken into hospital 15 months later, it took 17 days for the cause of my problems to be finally diagnosed. I think you're case is being dealt with very quickly and most cysts, even one like yours, are benign. It must be very hard for you as you have a family history of this disease, but that doesn't increase your odds of getting the same disease by very much, which is surprising, so I was told by my consultant. I really hope things go well for you. Love Tina x x

[Hidden]

And I was just thinking that each case is an individual one. Cancer isn't one disease and we're all different both in what type it is, what stage at diagnosis and how we respond. Lots of people here have had favourable outcomes from treatment. My own outcome was what's called a partial response which doesn't seem good but in my case, a partial response is a good response. Having chemotherapy isn't a particularly good experience to say the least, but it has been a life saver for me thus far. Love Tina x x

[suzym]

Thank You, You lovely Ladies for Your replies.

I have a date for My ct scan, 3rd of July and meeting with the team on the 10th.

I look on this site every day and I find it a great support.

Thank You

x suz x