Disturbing dormant OC cells

[Catfeeder]

Hi everyone

I have a hernia (or maybe a couple) and I am waiting for a CT scan to get a better idea and then options (leave well alone, go in with mesh, maybe others?)

I absolutely do not want further surgery, debulking was in July 21, I am NED, CA125 steady around 8, on no treatments and staged at Endometriod epithelial 1C

I will take advise from medical staff, but my question is

- do we know how much truth there in any further surgery disturbing dormant cells and setting it off again, @Ovacome do you have any pointers at all?

Thankyou for reading, take care x

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team]

Dear Catfeeder,

Thank you for your question regarding whether further surgery can disturb dormant cancer cells. I'm sorry to not be able to provide a fuller response just now, but our support team will discuss your question together and have a look for any relevant research or information which might be of use. We would recommend talking this concern through with the doctor responsible for your hernia treatment. If you have any appointments scheduled with your oncologist, or a way of contacting them to discuss this, you could also ask for their opinion. Your GP is another point of contact who might be able to provide further insight.

We will be back in touch if we find any more helpful information.

Best wishes,

Alice - Ovacome

[Catfeeder in reply to OvacomeSupport]

Thankyou Alice

[LovemyJackRussell]

Hello, Catfeeder - this is not something I have heard before, but as I am probably going to have a stoma reversal operation I will be very interested to hear of any statistics etc. I am seeing my oncology consultant on Monday and I will ask her opinion.

[Catfeeder in reply to LovemyJackRussell]

Good luck with the reversal x

[StilCrazy]

Hi, my entire hysterectomy/omentectomy wound broke open within a few days of surgery. I always had a flat tummy and was plump now I am skinny with a pregnant tummy about 6 months pregnant. I have spoken to 3 x abdominal surgeons and they all think I should have the surgery BUT there are no negative health risks if I do not. They all confirmed that. If you have a small hernia something can get caught in it when you stretch and then it gets strangled. That cannot happen in a 10 cm+ hernia like mine. [edited by moderator]. Painful in the beginning and then low grade and constant. If you are thin they will stitch you closed without mesh if you insist but it has a 15% risk if breaking down. The mesh has a 5% risk [comment from moderator: individual risk should be discussed with your own clinical team]. I was offered a straight hernia stitch up no mesh, and I nearly accepted it but then...the lady who does the anaesthetics for the last surgeon I consulted whispered to me not to do it. She said the post op is very sore (I had been warned esp with mesh) and the results are ugly. A friend of mine had mesh after colon cancer surgery. He is very tough and he was in bed and crying for 6 weeks before he could get up. He had lots of small hernias so he had to have it done but he showed me the scars...looked awful! He has had hip and knee replacements but this was the most painful op so far!!

[Catfeeder in reply to StilCrazy]

Thanks for your reply x

[Boot1947 in reply to StilCrazy]

Obviously reactions are different for different people, but I have had a mesh repair for my hernia and have no problems/pain at all. In fact, I feel much better having had the operation. ‘In bed and crying for 6 weeks’ sounds very weird. Deb

[Catfeeder in reply to Boot1947]

Thankyou for sharing x

[Lizzieanne]

I've debated as to whether post this. I was clear for 18 years before recurrence was diagnosed. About two years before this I had two hip replacements about a year apart, one of my hips I broke many many years before and screws were put in as considered too young then for hip replacement. This hip was replaced eventually and the screws had to be removed. This last one was done about 9 months before recurrence was diagnosed and I wondered if this had woken up my dormant cancer cells. I did ask a dr and he thought it amusing and said no of course not. I'm not completely convinced. So jury is out tho if I'd known that maybe this could have happened the hip was so painful and couldnt walk I expect I would have chosen op and hoped it wouldnt recur. If admin considers this post inappropriate please delete.

[Catfeeder in reply to Lizzieanne]

Thankyou Lizzieanne, for posting and your hesitation

I hope you are well x

[TheOvacomeTeam Partner]

Hello Catfeeder

We have asked one of our expert advisors regarding your query. They explained that there is no risk through hernia surgery alone that cancer cells would be disseminated in an abdomen that is in remission of cancer.

They said if a patient has abdominal disease ie carcinosis (spread of the ovarian cancer), then they would avoid a hernia surgery just for the sake of hernia alone, since the risk of complications is potentially high operating in a cancerous abdomen and the insertion of a mesh might cause bowel problems.

They said if a patient is going to have cancer surgery for cytoreduction anyway, and she happens to have a hernia, then of course the hernia should be repaired at the same time if possible.

I hope this is useful.

Best wishes

Anna

(Ovacome Support)

[Catfeeder in reply to TheOvacomeTeam]

Thankyou so much Anna x