Anyone with similar experience to my own with stage 3c cancer having completed treatment?

[carrie]

Anyone else like me with stage 3c ovarian cancer who has had chemo, surgery, then more chemo but still has residual cancer and CA125 of 100 or more?

[EllenMc]

I had stage 3b ovarian cancer 5 years ago. I did a lot of my own research and following advice i discovered on the net from the University of Michigan, I take 1100 mgs of ginger root everyday. I would suggest anyone with ovarian cancer to do the same. Read the attached link and good luck. xx

med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/...

[carrie in reply to EllenMc]

Thanks Ellen. How do you take it - powdered or tablet form? Or do you just buy the root?

Best wishes

Carrie

[cathysal]

Hi Carrie

Yes, last year I had 4 rounds of carboplatin/taxol and then surgery in August. However they were only able to take away my ovaries as the rest of the cancer had spread all over my spleen, pancreas etc and it would have been too dangerous to try and cut it out. I also had to have an ileostomy (a stoma) as I would have ended up with a blockage in the bowel. Unfortunately this is permanent although I am coping with it much better now. I was left with quite a lot of cancer, however, after two further rounds of carboplatin only, my CA125 went down from 485 after the surgery to around 45. It rose to around 80 and has stayed there for the last couple of visits to my oncologist. (It was around 2000 before the surgery).

To be quite honest I didn't think I was going to recover and yet here I am, getting better and stronger every day. It's taken a long time, mainly I think because of the debilitating effect of the stoma, but I'm getting there. I've even been away abroad on holiday.

I wonder if having the stoma has helped me a little bit in that when I have a pain in my stomach or don't feel particularly well - I always think it's the stoma causing the problem and so don't always have that awful 'is this the cancer returning' feeling.

Sorry to waffle on but the fact that my CA125 is now 80 seems to be fine according to my oncologist and although I've been made fully aware (at my own insistence on knowing everything!) that the cancer could return at any time I just try to enjoy life as much as I can and I will face that when it happens.

All the best for the future.

Cathy

[carrie]

That was very helpful, Cathy. You did not waffle at all. I had 6 chemos prior to surgery. They thought I might not even be able to have the surgery at first. My surgeon thought I might need a stoma, but that was avoided. Then I had 2 more chemos. It is heartening to hear how you are coping, that you have been able to have a holiday and that your health is improving. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

Very best wishes

Carrie

[Hidden]

Carrie, Cathy & Ellen,

So far, I've been v lucky in that my stage 3c cancer was removed, and my Ca125 reduced from 600 to 6 and has stayed there. However, I attribute a great deal of that 'luck' to discovering and following the advice in 'Anticancer' amazon.co.uk/Anticancer-New.... Your ginger is in there, Ellen, along with the explanation for it and many other beneficial foods and practices. I'm sure these things help to carry on reducing any cancer left after treatment, and create an environment in which is is much less likely to take hold and flourish.

Very best,

Isadora.

[Jane]

Hi Carrie

I had stage 3c diagnosed May 2010 three rounds of chemo, surgery, three more rounds of chemo, finishing in Oct 2010. My first 3 month CA125 was 47, and stayed there till this month when it hit 122. I have just had a ct scan which shows one lymph node in my groin has a 2cm lesion. PET scan next week to see if there are any other hot spots. I've been on a pretty good organic diet and various supplements but have just been reading about meditation to allow the body the time out it needs to heal. I'm also going to see a nutritionist to get proper recommendations on any vitamin and mineral deficiencies now. I suppose I'm saying it feels like time to step it up a bit.

best wishes

Jane

[Hidden in reply to Jane]

Hi Carrie,

Sorry you're having these problems. Do have a read of amazon.co.uk/Anticancer-New... in your quest to 'step it up a bit. I had a groin lymph node infected too - it was the only symptom I had of a stage 3c cancer!

Very best wishes,

Isadora.