The doctor told me I had a pelvic mass. When they gave me a Robotic Da Vinci minimum evasive surgery 4 days ago, the doctor removed both my ovaries and my uterus and I was discharged 2 days later with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. The dr said that there was a liquid mass that ruptured before my surgery that may have contained cancer cells that could be all over my body. They are running tests on my lymph nodes that are removed as well because they suspect the cells could have gone there. The dr is saying the mass ruptured before surgery and another dr is saying she doesn't know when it happened.
This Friday Ill have final results if cancer has spread, and she is sending me to chemotherapy the following. What can I expect from all of this?
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nh34
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Dear NH34, Welcome to the club no one wants to join but where people are kind and informative and supportive. Sounds like a very scary time for you and I understand the anxiety associated with not knowing what happens now. I don't know how your surgeon said he/she would proceed, but I'm assuming that they will give you results in a few days. Your Stage and Grade will likely inform how you proceed to treat the cancer more so than the fluid in your abdomen. Many of us, who have the surgery undergo what they call a peritoneal wash - wherein they check the fluid to see if it contains any cancer cells (from prior ruptures or metastases). In large number of cases it does. Whether or not your would have had cells prior to your rupture will likely not be known. Either way the treatment would be the same.
When you get your results, (Stage/Grade and Spread if any) you will know what the plan is to treat (most like chemo for 18 weeks). If cells were released from the mass, hopefully the chemo will kill them along with any other remaining cells.
If you have anxiety about it such that it's affecting your day to day please call your Nurse or the Oncologist for information and support. They are best qualified to help you understand what is happening in your body at this time.
In the meantime, share your thoughts, concerns, hopes, dreams here and we'll do what we can to support. We are stronger together than any of us alone and the women here stand together in love and support of one another.
Wishing you the best possible results and a speedy recovery.
Thank you for your kind thoughts and wishes. I am questioning if this doctor popped the liquid mass and why she wants to throw me in chemo 2 weeks after surgery. I am still recovering and in so much pain. How long should someone wait before chemo after removal of uterus, ovaries, and lymph nodes?
Hi NH Hope you are feeling a bit better today. It is common for chemo to start two weeks after surgery...I had surgery (TAH and Lymph node removal, plus part of the omentum) and yes, you're still recovering, but will feel much better in two weeks. I had my first chemo treatment 18 days after my surgery - the same day as they removed my staples (no robotic surgery for me...got the full cut from above the belly button to as close to "down there" that one could get...at least it's vertical and thus "slimming" - ha, ha). My Onc told me that I should start chemo as soon as possible (I was stage 3C with spread to the lymph nodes and with signs of cancer in my pelvic wash - the fluid in the abdomen) as there is always a chance that the microscopic cells that remain implant and grow again...chemo will help prevent or delay that. So I did my 18 weeks (weekly) of chemo and I'm now 9 months post first-line treatment and doing well. I hope the same for you (though I hope your stage is lesser and your recovery quicker).
As for the surgeon "popping" a mass and leaking fluid, it's unlikely with the robotic surgery, but you will likely never know. You have enough on your mind now to think about: healing, chemo, recovery, etc. As hard as it may seem look to the future and focus on getting better. Your energy is needed for your healing - focus on where you want to go and all the wonderful things you will do when you feel better. And do keep us posted.
Sending you strength and peace and wishes for a quick recovery.
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