Hi there I'm new to the forum. I had a RAH/BSO 5 weeks ago and just had the histology report yesterday - it turns out I had a stage 1A Granulosa Cell Tumor but it was all contained in my 12 pound cyst and removed. I'm now being monitored.
It has been weird to be told I had cancer, but we removed it all. I'm still trying to get my head round it all. Before the path report I had been taking the menopace tabs and eating soya yoghurt to add oestrogen to my diet, but now I've been told to avoid all oestrogen supplements and keep off soya. Has anyone some healthy diet tips for me? Many thanks!
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Debbyjo
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Along with giving up soya, I would eliminate or limit consumption of non-organic dairy and meat products as these animals are typically given hormones.
Besides that - I would say a well-balanced diet would be optimal.
Hi, welcome and I'm sorry you're here with us but sounds like you're doing ok?,
I would just suggest a really healthy well balanced diet with foods sourced from good backgrounds where at all possible, I personally don't believe faddish diets are the way forward but that's just me. I really really don't like over processed foods and ready meals are a definite no no here. We are what we eat, we need good fuel to function properly and food is a real passion of mine.
There is a school of thought that the massive increase in people using soya products as a dairy replacement is having a detrimental effect on health in general because of the high amounts being consumed, soya is a GM food which in small amounts is thought can be quite good as it's very high in protein, it's excess that's the problem but isn't that the case with so many things? 😊 .
I believe we need protein (chicken, fish, meat, pulses, seeds etc) I do eat edamame beans (soya) in small amounts for the protein and I like them but only occasionally, we need vitamins (fruit & veg etc) we need healthy amounts of fibre for bodily functions, we need calcium for our bones, we do need some fats and we need really good hydration. It's a balance and I personally think it's mostly common sense but modern day diet is seemingly very controversial.
I hope you find some yummy foods that you enjoy and that make you feel good, I live to eat because I just love food and I love to cook. Happy food researching ❤️Xx Jane
Thank you Jane for taking the time to reply - you're right balance is the way forward and although I'd been eating healthy (on a diet with SW) I recently became more uneasy about the amount of sugar in so-called low fat food. I no longer buy ready meals. I'm not that really into soya although I tried it and apparently it has a lot of oestrogen in it so for tumors that are oestrogen recipient like GCT it's a no no
I'm doing ok physically and emotionally - I think my head will catch up soon!!
So glad your was picked up early!!! It is much easier to treat and outcome is much better. Almond or coconut milk is good for the calcium and is low in sugar.
I read a very good book called "your life in your hands" by Jane Plant. She had breast cancer and the books discuss environmental and lifestyle influences on hormone driven cancers. I have low grade serous and found it to be very interesting, you may also find it useful. A recipe book has also been produced (I think)
I have also read your life in your hands by Professor Jane Plant (who deceased last year). Her research found that countries like China who eat no diary but a lot of soya had very very low levels of breast cancer etc. Definitely worth a read!!
I've ordered the book now and will read avidly. Unfortunately soya is the one product I was told to stay clear of as it has a lot of natural oestrogen. So it will be interesting to see the alternatives
Hi, sorry to hear about your illness. I think most ladies above have given great advice on diet. But if you are looking for nutritional courses to help, do you know of the Penny Brohn centre in Bristol? They are amazing and have specialised nutrioniats and great courses you can do. They also do a great cook book too. Good luck xx
Hi Debby Jo. My wife, Suzanne died form a particularly aggressive form of granulosa tumour five months ago. Most of these kind of tumours seem to recur slowly over many years so Suzanne was very unlucky. Treatment is mainly surgery as chemo is not found to be particularly effective. Unfortunately when my wife's cancer recurred it had already spread so surgery was not an option. The chemo she had and other treatments had very little effect on it. She was told right form the start that her tumour was aggressive. In my view her consultant felt her chances were not good more or less from the start and was always quite frank with her about this.
As you are only being monitored and haven't been offered any chemo it would suggest that your form has not been identified as being aggressive.
These kind of tumours feed on oestrogen and also produce it which means they are often identified early on as bleeding can be a symptom. My wife was not given the advice that you have been about trying to avoid oestrogen. We subsequently found out that even after the menopause fat cells can produce oestrogen and Suzanne was quite overweight. No point in me dwelling on this and whether if she had tried for a drastic weight reduction this would have helped to any great extent.
There is a research project/institute in New Zealand that is solely concerned with granulosa tumours which has an informative website. (the Granulosa Cell tumour foundation) There is also a group on Facebook called GCT survivor sisters which I understand is very supportive and informative though we never used it. Both are easily found through Google.
All good luck in the future. The only advice I would give is to live in the present and make the most of every opportunity as we all should anyway.
Thank you for posting Andy and I'm sorry I haven't been on the website to reply for such a while.
I really appreciate all the advice you shared and your presence here on the forum despite your wife passing only so recently -,I am so sorry for your loss. I have found both websites and as you say they are a great source of information. I was staged 1a and when I go on the forums I have mixed feelings: mainly I am extremely grateful that the tumor was identified removed and completely encapsulated within the cyst hence the staging 1a. Many other women have not been so fortunate and seem to be on very difficult journeys. Reading too much messes with my head. You are very right as you say to live in the present. No one knows what lies ahead. I was overweight but lost this and then got GCT - so who knows? Women on the forum had very healthy diets and still got GCT or recurrences. So, I try not to be too stressed about diet, I eat healthy, more fruit and veg like we all should do and I will go to all the follow ups, be vigilant and trust God with what lies ahead.
I wish you continued strength and comfort in the days ahead and thank you once again for taking the time to reply to me
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