resistant

[Sarah23]

Does anybody worry about when their cancer comes back[ which is everyone I'm sure, that they will be resistant to the Chemo? and that the doctors wait until you have the symtoms to decide how to treat you? if you can cope with the symtoms, or you are not, to me this is terrible news for people who have ovarian cancer more than once [which is bad enough] has this happened to anyone out there!! I was hoping that each time it came back you would use what worked the first time.

[Eleni]

Hi Sarah

Yes, I think that reoccurence is the one thing that terrifies us all. I have explored this with my clinicians though and know that they are aware of the time scale within which it can come back if it's going to; which is why they monitor you so carefully for the 2 years after chemo ends. They seem to look for any signs of new tumours rather than the obscure symptoms of ovarian cancer once the first treatment ends.

I've been assured that they will often use the same chemotherapy that has worked before but that depending on where a new tumour is found, they may also use another chemotherapy in addition. If that doesn't work, they try something else. I've been reassured to know that there appears to be new drugs 'out there' that are maybe coming to the end of trials etc. and that is happening all the time.

Keep positive

Helen

[jeanv]

HI Sarah, I know how you feel its like living on a knife edge. I was diagnosed in October 2008 had 3 chemo, op and then 3 more chemo, all went well for 8 months then had a reaccurance, had more chemo taxol and carboplatin in January 2010. I felt really well and then three months later started to have symptoms, the cancer had reappeared this time had Caelyx which I finished February 2011. Every little ache and pain I am wondering whether the cancer has returned. I know you have to keep positive but its very hard and when I am OK I do all the things I like doing. We have just recently had 5 weeks in France in our motorhome which was fantastic.

[RuthPOvacome]

Dear Sarah

I am one of the support line nurses at Ovacome and appreciate that it is very difficult wondering if and when the cancer is returning. It very much depends on when the cancer returns as to what chemotherapy is used. If it comes back quickly they are more likely to use a different treatment as it would suggest that the cancer is not so responsive to the last chemo. There are quite a few chemotherapies that are available to use, so it doesn't mean that if it doesn't respond to one or you become resistant to a particular sort there aren't others that can be used and it always woth asking if there are any trials that might be suitable.

The issue of waiting until you have symptoms before starting treatment is a difficult one, as you are bound to worry even more about every ache and pain wondering what is going on, but recent research suggested that it maybe in your best interest to wait until there were symptoms before starting treatment rather than when the Ca125 starts rising. It might be easier to think of it as there is no disadvantage in not starting chemo as soon as the levels start rising. We realise this is hard as for many people the symptoms are often vague and non specific but see if you can talk this through with your specialist nurse or consultant and tell them how hard you find it. If you want to talk things through do feel free to email us or phone us on 08453710554 Mon-Fri 10-5

Best Wishes

Ruth

[parvinc]

thank you Ruth,

i am in the same boat as Sarah and feel more anxious than when i being treated. i am scared that i will go back to work etc and then it will start all over again. after the comments from everyone on this site i realise all of us are feeling this and reoccurence does not mean that treatment may not work. i think the ladies who have had 2,3,4 or even 5 lines of treatment are a great inspiration in the fight against this horrible illness. parvin