second line treatment

[Sarah23]

To Everyone [Ruth Payne]

I was reading on one of the other Ovarian websites that if your original surgery was succesfull i.e complete dubulking just microscopic cells left behind that you can go on to have a longer progression free period second line treatment i.e years, how true is this and has anyone experienced this after their second line treatment?

Sarah 23

[Whippit]

Well that would be a lovely idea - and a good question to ask of my oncologist next Thursday when I go for my six-month check up after first-line chemotherapy. Thanks for posting your research. I'll let you know what the consultant says. Do you have a reference for the research materials you read?

I had a uterus crammed with massive tumours and the only ovary I had was enlarged. I know I had undifferentiated cells deep and widely spread in the abdomen. These are the most aggressive type of tumours and they couldn't be removed surgically. They disappeared after chemotherapy leaving only scar tissue. She did seem very pleased last time I saw her and said she hoped for a good long remission. I'm trying to hope all will be well but also prepare for the worst. xxx Annie

[VickyEm]

Hi Sarah,

Yes, you can be in remission for years, my experience is as follows:

Dec 1999 complete debulking, chemo Jan- May 2000, all macroscopic disease removed.

The cancer did not reappear until April 2005, I had more surgery and all macroscopic disease removed, but some 'suspect looking' areas did turn out to have cancerous cells when the histology came back. 2nd line chemo was July-Oct '05 and this obviously did a good job of killing the microscopic disease, as I got another 4 year remission.

Cancer did come back again in August 09 and more chemo, finishing March 2010. However, did not have surgery this time as multiple tumors and chemo only stablised the disease.

Have you now finished your 2nd line treatment?

Vx

[ScardyCat40 in reply to VickyEm]

Vicky when you had your reoccurences did you get any symptoms?

[VickyEm in reply to ScardyCat40]

Hi Scardy

I did have symptoms, but they were very vague (much like when you are first diagnosed as M says below). So, my recurrences were diagnosed from routine CT scans both times.

Having said this though, and with the benefit of hindsight of course, I should have been a bit more pushy when I felt things did not feel right. I had been complaining of trouble 'going to the loo' for months (maybe over a year) before second recurrence was discovered and was told that it was normal, or it was because I did not eat enough fruit and veg, or drink enough water. But this was not investigated further.

Vx

[ScardyCat40]

Thanks for the responses Vicky and M. When I first went to my GP I had a bloated abdomen, constipation, feeling sick, getting full quickly and indigestion. Because the majority of my cancer was low grade the fluid did not build up as much so after my initial drain I didn't need any more and the chemotherapy dried up my ascities.

I still had some residual disease at the end of chemotherapy and my CA125 has only fallen to 94 so far. I've been getting pain under my ribs on both sides. My GP thinks it is my gall bladder but I have pushed for an ultrasound to confirm this. My GP didn't want to do a CA125 test as she knew I was back at the hospital for a check next week.

I'm trying to push it to the back of my mind but get a little bit anxious but maybe not as bad as I used to. Lets hope my CA125 has fallen again and that the ultrasound confirms its just a gall stone. The symptoms are very similar to those listed for OC.

[Sarah23]

Hi M

That how I hoped my O.C would have behaved good few breaks in between but sadly mine was resistant 2 months after my first treatment what type of cancer cell did you have? mine was Clear cell which is on of the agressive types which is know to return earlier. and can be more resistant to Chemotherapy.

take care

Sarah23