Low Grade Serous Cancer, Mets to Liver, Liver Biopsy

[Nancy222]

I had my liver biopsy yesterday. I'll get the results in about 10 days.

Just wanted to post that it wasn't as painful as I was expecting. In fact, there was no pain at all thanks to the sedative and pain blocker that they injected. Love that stuff.

Anyway, the largest mass was deep and to the back of the liver, and the biopsy was done through the stomach, to the side a little. I'll repeat. No pain. Not even the freezing that the doctor said would sting for 30 - 60 seconds.

I'd be lying if I said I'm not concerned about this mass (and the smaller one on the outside of the liver). My appetite has gone (and that's really unusual for me, I can eat like it's my last meal no matter what's going on). I've had a cold/cough off and on since December and am feeling worn out. My flare up of neuropathy and cellulitis didn't help matters. I'm going to take the next few days to really rest up, eat well, get my bowels working like they did before the recent colonoscopy (all clear, yeh!), and get some things sorted out in my home.

Fingers crossed that they'll find something like, oh, say, a fatty liver

I'll keep you posted.

[Welshandproud]

That's the spirit. I'm so glad the biopsy wasn't painful and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Make sure you rest up and don't overdo it with housework xxxx

[Nancy222 in reply to Welshandproud]

Thanks Welshandproud. Like most of us, I find it hard not to overdo things, especially when I'm feeling good. My husband keeps chanting, "Pace yourself, pace yourself." I'm slowly learning.

I find that overdoing it is something several of us have in common

[Welshandproud in reply to Nancy222]

Definitely. On good days I push myself so hard because I feel great and want to get everything done. I'm then surprised when I feel wiped out the next day. We never learn!!!

[Nancy222 in reply to Welshandproud]

And it makes us feel normal...

[ScardyCat40]

Nancy,

No words of wisdom just to wish you well. I also have LGSC as well and been dealing with it for the last 7 yrs.

I used to be able to eat fairly well but more recently it’s been a bit of a struggle.

[Nancy222 in reply to ScardyCat40]

How wonderful to be able to type "...the last 7 years." XXOO

Do you have any thoughts as to the reason why your appetite is being suppressed? Sometimes that's a natural response to aging.

[ScardyCat40]

I hope I am not that old yet 😂 Last CT scan showed some slight narrowing in small intestine and my bowels are sticking together in places. Over the last 7 yrs by bowels have become increasingly sluggish so always put it down to that.

7 yrs is fairly typical for this grade of cancer. How long has it been since your diagnosis?

[Nancy222 in reply to ScardyCat40]

Hi ScardyCat,

I was diagnosed at the end of February, 2016. The oncologist says I'm between stage 2 - 4. The cancer had spread to the bowel, and that was staged at 3. I was offered carbo/taxol because the tumour board wanted to give me some type of treatment and I've not regretted my decision.

When you say 7 yrs is fairly typical for this grade of cancer, do you mean before a recurrence? When I asked about my prognosis, I was told 30% of women recur, which to my mind, meant I had a 70% chance of not recurring. Math was never my strongest subject.

Can you do anything about the narrowing of small intestine? I feel for you on the sluggish bowels.

[ScardyCat40 in reply to Nancy222]

No I meant the overall median survival is about 8-10 yrs.

I was Stage IV at diagnosis. I had surgery then carboplatin but I had stable low volume disease at the end of treatment.

That remained stable until the end of 2013 although I had been on watch and wait for 6 months. Then I had second line but it wasn’t very successful so I stopped after 4 rounds and had a treatment break. Jan 2015 I started hormone therapy and was on it for about 5 months but my CA125 continued to climb so then I had weekly taxol.

That brought my CA125 down from 1700 to 233. However after 3 months my CA125 started to increase but my sites were still small so I decided to do watch and wait until the beginning of 2017 when I started on the LOGS trial. This has stabilised my cancer and my CA125 has hovered around 200. However there have been some side effects to my heart so the treatment has been stopped to see if my heart recovers.

At the moment I am in hospital having my chest drained.

[Nancy222 in reply to ScardyCat40]

Ah, okay. I understand now what you meant.

Sorry to read about your heart issues. Some treatments are a trade-off, aren't they? I hope your heart recovers. It sound painful to have your heart drained. I hope that's not the case. I have learned more about the body in these last two years than I ever thought I'd know.

[ScardyCat40 in reply to Nancy222]

Apologies for the confusion I am not having my heart drained. It’s the pleura the space between the lungs and the chest wall.

[Nancy222 in reply to ScardyCat40]

I think it was my faulty reading. I can't concentrate so well at times. You were clear in stating, "...having my chest drained."

[ScardyCat40 in reply to Nancy222]

Yes but your heart is also in your chest and sometimes you can get fluid around the heart as well

[Hidden]

Thank you for taking the "scare" out of the liver biopsy, Nancy. One less fear to carry with me. I hope your results are as you wish. Make the most of this wonderful day.

[Nancy222 in reply to Hidden]

I was hoping you'd see this. I was going to scroll back and try and see who else had a liver biopsy scheduled because I couldn't remember your name. Refresh my non existing memory. When is yours scheduled?

[Hidden in reply to Nancy222]

Hi Nancy - not yet scheduled. I had a small spot on my last scan. I had the option of waiting until the next scan to determine if it was cancer (will it grow, spread, etc) or attempting a biopsy. I opted to wait as I have a big vacation coming up soon and I can wait until May for another test. Keeping my fingers crossed that you get good news. Keep us posted.

[Nancy222 in reply to Hidden]

Hi,

A big vacation sounds delightful!

I had a similar wait and see scenario with two ground glass nodules in my lungs. We were waiting for one to reach 15mm. The last ct-scan showed that my body had taken care of it and they were calcified. Hopefully that'll be the case for you.

Just a thought - in preparation for the liver biopsy, I practiced deep breathing and holding my breath. The doctor actually commented that I had helped so much by being able to do that. I was under some lovely relaxing drugs, and it was interesting how habit of deep breathing took over.

Have a lovely trip.

[thomas62]

As a fellow low grader - good luck with the liver biopsy and really pleased that it was painless. Really good for others now and in the future who might need this procedure. And yes rest up and get those bowels upto scratch again.

Best wishes.

Gwen xx

[Nancy222]

Thanks Gwen. It's a series of adjustments, isn't it? Hope all is going well with you.

[Cnmart]

Sounds exhausting, pain-free or not, hope you get some good rest and I'll keep fingers crossed all turns out well... xxxx

[Nancy222 in reply to Cnmart]

Hi Cnmart,

Be prepared -- I might need fingers, toes and bra straps crossed, lol.

I've put myself under home rest because I really feel exhausted. My target is to take two 20 minute walks, morning and afternoon, prepare good food, and start stocking up the freezer with meals.

Take care of yourself.