My mom has recurrent Metastatic ovarian ca. She was just diagnosed again after her husband died. It is on her aorta and vena cava. I%26#039;m real worried about her this time.

My question, Is genetic testing for my sister and I a good Idea or is it overboard…I should also tell you I am symptomatic also and I%26#039;m 34 y/o. I have everything still. I%26#039;m scared and nervous but I do not have health insurance and free clinics do not exist in Florida. Any clues?|||You are very right to be worried about your mother. Yes! You should have the genetic testing done as soon as you are financially able to do so. I wish I could better help you - I know nothing about the clinics in Florida. It%26#039;s too bad there%26#039;s not better clinics and facilities for us women when it comes to female cancer.

I just read something on it and it scares me to death.. Well basically some nights I throw up after I lye down. I get real nauseaus, and get the chills, throw up, and im fine for the rest of the night. Its really boggling me. I can eat all day long, without feeling ill, but as soon as its time for night, I get nauseas. Now it doesnt happen EVERY night…Its like every two weeks, then every two days, every week. It just fluctuates and its really starting to worry me. I scheduled an appoin with a dr. So dont tell me %26quot;go see a dr.%26quot; I just need some advice at the time. There was one other symptom also. The bloating of the abdomen. Now I do have a tummy. Its not flat but its not HUGE. My arms are kinda thin up until my elbow up. My thighs have gotten stretch marks because I was so lil when I was younger. So I kinda ignored the stomach thing as to I thought I was just gaining weight which is probably why. No other sypmtoms. No pain or changes in my period. what could this be?|||Honey, by the symptoms you are describing, you could have anything or nothing. If you believe everything you see or hear, all of us can have those symptoms. Please, don%26#039;t drive ;yourself crazy, relax, keep your doctor%26#039;s appt. It%26#039;s a good thing you are aware of your body and what is going on, but do not over react until you see your doctor.|||Could be a cyclic thing; have you ever heard of cyclic vomiting? It is related to migraine headaches, although not everyone gets an actual headache.

Keep a journal with everything going on in your life and try to pinpoint a common event if you can. Or just note the pattern of the nausea and vomiting and report it to the doctor. It will help the doctor diagnose what is troubling you.|||http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/The…

my friend starts chemo tomorrow, is it gaureenteed her hair will fall out? she seems to be in denial about it. i told her i would go with to pick a wig out but she is determined it wont happen to her.|||It is certain that your friend will loose all her hair and will become bald after chemotheraphy. But the hair will grow back to the original position in about year%26#039;s time. for details on how Chemo is given what are the possibilities of hair loss, please read below. Just leave her as she wants and do not talk about this to her as it would be giving mental and moral tension to her.

Ovarian cancer is sometimes treated with IP chemotherapy because this type of cancer usually stays within a confined area. This type of therapy is only suitable for some patients. Ovarian cancer patients whose tumors have a diameter greater than two centimeters may not receive this therapy because the anticancer drug does not reach very far into the tumor. Also, patients whose cancers are resistant to certain drugs may not undergo IP therapy. Patients with smaller tumors, or those who show response to chemotherapy are better candidates.

Drugs used in IP chemotherapy include cisplatin, paclitaxel, floxuridine, 5-FU, mitoxantrone, carboplatin, and alfa-interferon.

Most of the chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss, but it is almost always temporary. Hair re-growth may not begin until several weeks have passed since the final treatment. This is the most common impact that chemotherapy has on the outer surfaces of the body. In some patients, an ice wrap, called an ice turban, can reduce hair loss. The effectiveness will depend on factors such as the type of drug, dose, and treatment schedule. This preventive treatment must be avoided by patients with leukemia, lymphoma, mycosis fungoides or by those with scalp tumors. People should use with caution if they have conditions such as vasculitis, cryoglobulinemia or a history of radiation to the head. Patients should discuss the ice turban treatment with their doctor before trying it.-|||Hey there, very sorry to hear about your friend, and I will keep her in my prayers. As for her hair, it depends on the kind of radiation they use. My grandmother had ovarian cancer, and her hair fell out, but they had to use heavy radation on her because the cancer had spread pretty badly. Good luck to your friend, also, just a note, if she has long hair and is worried about her hair falling out, maybe she could cut off some of her hair and donate it to Locks of Love, a charity for cancer patients. Just an idea. =)|||There is no %26quot;guarantee%26quot; that a person%26#039;s hair will or will not fall out during chemotherapy. It really depends on the drug they%26#039;re given.

When I interviewed the senior oncologist from one of the local hospitals (I do freelance writing for a local health magazine), he told me that these days, they have advanced chemo drugs that are very targeted (i.e. they attack just the cancer cells and not all healthy cells). With these drugs, side effects are reduced.

So if your friend is taking one of these drugs (they are very expensive though - approximately $100+ per pill, according to the oncologist), she might not experience the side effect of hair falling out.|||Standard regimen for adjuvant chemo (after surgery) of ovarian cancer is carbo/cis-platin alone or combined with paclitaxel every 20 days.

Some people will lose their hair on that treatment, some not. My best friend began losing big time after her 3rd chemo session. She shaved it because it was too thin and she was really bugged about having hair all over the place. We all began teasing her for imitating Britney Spears and asking her when she was going to have her tatoo done :-). Her own dad started calling her %26#039;baldy%26#039; ! In her case, her main worry was that she did not want to be the object of pity from other people.

I think that%26#039;s the best way to cope with this, try to de-dramatize it. Having chemo is about fighting for your life. Hair grows back.|||You can help her. A good diet, some exercise can help.

Ginger is a great weapon against ovarian cancer

What are the signs. How can you tell? The net is so vague. Please dont answer with what you think. Only if you have been through it or know.|||from my understanding, there isnt really a good way to know early, which is why ovarian cancer has one of the highest death rates of all the types of cancer (early detection is key to survival)

if you have family history of ovarian cancer or if you have ovarian cysts, then it is a good idea to talk to your gynecologist about screening, and early detection.

every time i have a cyst burst, they do an ultra sound to see if it is cancerous. and then a few weeks later to see if it has gone away or not.

they will also feel your ovaries during a pelvic exam (two fingers) and feel for hard peices, but this method is not fool proof, a lot of times it is undetectable by physically manipulating the ovaries.|||I would go to the Doctor and get checked out. Everything might be ok. But Cancer Symptoms can sometimes mimic other symptoms that are not life threatening. Lots of times if you have Cancer, by the time you have symptoms it is already really progressed.

Why do you think you might have Cancer and what symptoms are you having?????

I would just like the hear experiences from people who either have had it, has it now or knows someone who does or did have it. I am at risk for it because of genetics along with cysts on the ovaries (because of PCO) and I can%26#039;t take BC to lower the risks. So I would like to know, how did you know? What signs did you have that made you talk to the Dr? What tests did the Dr run? Did you have any history in the family? Did you have cysts? How many children did you have (they say the more children the higher the risk so just wondering)? Where you ever on BC? Anything else you would willing to share with me. I am worried because of my risks plus I have been sick a lot lately.|||I%26#039;m a survivor of ovarian cancer - had it seven years ago. I%26#039;m one of the lucky 20% of women who survive it, and have spent the last 7 years telling women about the symptoms. As previous people have said, the symptoms are mild, you could easily overlook them - I did, for many months. I only went to the doctor because the swelling in my tummy could no longer be explained away by %26quot;putting on weight%26quot;. Even he was under - educated, and would have fobbed me off with some dietary advice…until I got up onto the exam table and he felt the rounded shape of the tumour. My advice to you would be , if you%26#039;ve been feeling sick lately and have a high risk factor….go and see your doctor, and tell him/her what you%26#039;ve said here. Ask for a Ca125 test and a Ca19/9 test. These are the blood tests that indicate ovarian cancer. Also ask for an abdominal ultrasound. These tests will tell you if you have anything to worry about. I dearly hope that you are OK, but its better to be sure than sorry. If you don%26#039;t have it, you will have a good set of tests for future comparison.

Regarding your question about my previous history - well I shouldn%26#039;t have got ovarian cancer at all, going by risk factors. I had no family history of it, I had taken birth control from the age of 18 to 50, and I%26#039;d only had two children. I did have the other ovary removed at age 30 because of a cyst. I%26#039;d had a few mild bouts of bladder infection and bowel irregularity over the previous couple of years, but nothing major. My tummy had been swelling for about 6 months before I finally faced up to the doctor.

I know its really hard when you suspect that you might have something serious wrong, but believe me, it is always better to know the truth than to live with fear.

Best wishes on your journey.|||My good friend%26#039;s mother died of ovarian cancer. She told her daughter to look for signs of intestinal problems - like too much gas and pain in the abdomen. I have not heard about a connection between Ovarian cancer and cysts. However, ask your doctor for the CA 125 test. It is a blood test and can detect ovarian cancer. If you have a history its better to have this test as part of your annual checkup. You can also do genetic testing to determine if you are in a high risk group.|||im 15 and my mom had overian cancer…

she had abdominal pain and cysts on her overies, so she went to the doctor.. they do tests like CAT scans.. pap smears are not tests for overian cancer…cancer runs in the family…. my mom has two children.. me and my brother, and she was only on birth control before she had us.. if that matters

if u r worried, see a doctor and check out these facts.. my mom gave them to me on a little card

OVERIAN CANCER FACTS and SYMPTOMS

- symptoms increase over time

- early detection improves the survival rate up to 90%

- symptoms include abdominal pressure, bloating and discomfort

- constipation diarrhea, or frequent urination

- nausea, indegestion, and gas

- abnormal bleeding

-unusual fatigue, backaches

- unexplained weight loss or gain

- Shortness of breath|||My mother recently passed away from ovarian cancer. Her family doctor first diagnosed it. She went in for a check up on her blood pressure and he mentioned that her stomach appeared to be swollen. She was embarrassed thinking it was was from overeating. He did an ultrasound and saw a tumor on her ovary…sent her to a specialist. Her CA125 level was only slightly elevated but the doc wanted to check it out. She ended up having a hysterectomy…chemo and the whole works….she lived 2 and a half yrs from the first diagnosis. She had 3 children and no family history of cancer. Although they suspect her grandmother may have it but it wasnt had it but it wasnt properly treated yrs ago. Prior to being diagnosed my mother wasnt feeling very well for a yr or 2 before hand, She was tired and felt run down alot.

hello everyone could anyone give me any information about ovarian cancer or pelvic pain at 23 i have had on again off again right sided pelvic pain feels like my ovary i have had frequent urination for 2 years i recently for 2 months had urgent urination i have back pain,pain during sex deep shrp stabbing pain not all the time, fatigue bloating and other symptoms but they could be from so many different things i had an ultrasound a year ago or so and the results came back fine so my dr dissmissed the pain thing told me it is nothing to worry about. my dr just did a manual pelvic axam and a pap smear both fine my grandma just told me that my grandpa%26#039;s mom died from ovarian cancer and his sister died from cancer i don%26#039;t know what kind. my grandmas ant had breast cancer and my mom had some srt of pre cancer (don%26#039;t know what that is) but i am only 23 any answers would be so appreciated i don%26#039;t really think it it is ovarian cancer but the thaught that it could be is in the back of my mind|||You may have ovarian cyst. I know you had an ultrasound over a year ago, but you should get another. Also, the pain during intercourse may be from endometriosis. Please talk to your gyno and don%26#039;t let him dismiss your systems. You may want to get a second opinion. Best of Luck!|||Relax. It doesn%26#039;t sound like an ovarian cancer. First you have to know that cancer in most of the cases means malignant tumor. Malignant means very bad and also it could spread(metastasis).

Most ovarian tumors(tumor not always means cancer) are benign in women %26lt;45 yrs old. So, the chance for you to have an ovarian cancer is close to 0.

The most common benign ovarian tumor is serous cystadenoma.

The symptoms you have sound more like UTI and it will be a good idea if you make some urine tests. If you update your information, probably I can help more.

After the additional details:

Hmmm! The pain experienced during intercourse can be provoked by many causes, but one of them is endometriosis. It is difficult to be diagnosed with some of the rutine exams, that is why sometimes the doctors need to confirm the diagnosis laparoscopicaly.

My wife had a fibroid and when she went for laparoscopic removal of it, they found endometriosis as well. By the way, the complains my wife had before the surgey: painful intercourse, abundent bleeding and pelvic pain were becasue of the endometrisis. Now she has regular and with normal bleeding period, no pain during sex and overwall she feels much better. Look at this link, there is some more information about this problem. Hopefully I was helpful.|||I was diagnosed with Ovarian CA at age 26… Here are just a few facts

*Occurs in 1 of 55 women, at any age

*Today, most women are diagnosed when the chance of surival for 5 years is about 25%.

*Early detection can improve rate to over 90%

*Symptoms are subtle, persistent, and usually increase over time

*A Pap smear is not an effective detection method

Symptoms can include bloating, feeling of fullness, gas,frequent or urgent urination, nausea, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, menstrual disorders, pain during intercourse, fatigue, and backaches.

TAKE ACTION if these last over 2-3 weeks…I know this isn%26#039;t fun but ask for a combination of a PELVIC/RECTAL exam….a CA125 (blood test) can be helpful but most important is the rectal and a transvaginal ultrasound(a little uncomfortable)

I was very lucky but this is a very silent deadly CA and I strongly hope you did read the above. You can contact me if you have any questions. Good luck and I hope nothing is wrong….|||Sounds like could be fibroids. Go for a second opinion.

Good Luck.

I know, it is quite a serious question to be asking online.

I just want to know some things.

How can doctors know if you have it? What tests do they run to find out if you have it? Is surgery the only way to know if you have it? How old are most people targeted with Ovarian cancer? Also one last one which is one of the symptoms is smelly discharge. I don%26#039;t know what that means. Like smells absolutely horrible? Smells kind of bad? I don%26#039;t know what normal discharge smells like.

Anyway I am just asking these questions because I am quite young and I have been sick for 2 years and they don%26#039;t know what it is. I checked out Ovarian Cancer and it turns out I have almost all of the symptoms.

Thanks guys :)|||If your financially stable enough right now, don%26#039;t wait, run to the gynecologist! He%26#039;ll determine if you have endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, irregular periods, or a combination of those, or if you have ovarian cancer. I hope your okay!|||I had ovarian cancer and it%26#039;s very painful actually. They do different test, but you don%26#039;t have to go through surgery to find out if you have it. I got it when I was 20, but usually women will get it when they are older. I didn%26#039;t have smelly discharge though, but all women are different. Another thing it could be is Endometriosis. I have that to and it gets missed by doctors a lot. You should look it up and ask your doctor about it. Good luck and I hope it is nothing serious.|||Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer usually happens in women over age 50, but it can also affect younger women. Its cause is unknown. Ovarian cancer is hard to detect early.

The sooner ovarian cancer is found and treated, the better your chance for recovery. But ovarian cancer is hard to detect early. Many times, women with ovarian cancer have no symptoms or just mild symptoms until the disease is in an advanced stage and hard to treat. Symptoms may include:

Heavy feeling in pelvis

Pain in lower abdomen

Bleeding from the vagina

Weight gain or loss

Abnormal periods

Unexplained back pain that gets worse

Gas, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite

Treatment is usually surgery followed by treatment with medicines called chemotherapy.

hello everyone could anyone give me any information about ovarian cancer or pelvic pain at 23 i have had on again off again right sided pelvic pain feels like my ovary i have had frequent urination for 2 years i recently for 2 months had urgent urination i have back pain,pain during sex deep shrp stabbing pain not all the time, fatigue bloating and other symptoms but they could be from so many different things i had an ultrasound a year ago or so and the results came back fine so my dr dissmissed the pain thing told me it is nothing to worry about. my dr just did a manual pelvic axam and a pap smear both fine my grandma just told me that my grandpa%26#039;s mom died from ovarian cancer and his sister died from cancer i don%26#039;t know what kind. my grandmas ant had breast cancer and my mom had some srt of pre cancer (don%26#039;t know what that is) but i am only 23 any answers would be so appreciated i don%26#039;t really think it it is ovarian cancer but the thaught that it could be is in the back of my mind|||Who is at risk for ovarian cancer?

The exact causes of ovarian cancer are not known. However, studies show that the following factors may increase the chance of developing this disease:

*Family history. First-degree relatives (mother, daughter, sister) of a woman who has had ovarian cancer are at increased risk of developing this type of cancer themselves. The likelihood is especially high if two or more first-degree relatives have had the disease. The risk is somewhat less, but still above average, if other relatives (grandmother, aunt, cousin) have had ovarian cancer. A family history of breast or colon cancer is also associated with an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.

*Age. The likelihood of developing ovarian cancer increases as a woman gets older. Most ovarian cancers occur in women over the age of 50, with the highest risk in women over 60.

*Childbearing. Women who have never had children are more likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who have had children. In fact, the more children a woman has had, the less likely she is to develop ovarian cancer.

*Personal history. Women who have had breast or colon cancer may have a greater chance of developing ovarian cancer than women who have not had breast or colon cancer.

Recognizing ovarian cancer symptoms-

Ovarian cancer often shows no obvious signs or symptoms until late in its development. Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:

-General abdominal discomfort and/or pain (gas, indigestion, pressure, swelling, bloating, cramps)

-Nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or frequent urination

-Loss of appetite

-Feeling of fullness even after a light meal

-Weight gain or loss with no known reason

-Abnormal bleeding from the vagina|||I would say chnage ur doctor. take all the tests required. Get a doctore who is fix the problems for u and find out what it is. Questions. Do u get ireegular periods or it is just the pain? Get ur liver checked also and kidneys Report It
|||Seriously need to go to the doctor, only he/she can help you|||To be honest it sounds like something with your kidneys. I would be persistant with your doc. If he/she doesnt come up with anything and you are not convinced, get a second opinion!!|||I would go to a Dr. again. That is not normal. I had the same symptoms and I had a cyst on my ovaries. It was small thank God, but they put my on medication for it and it went away. I have had 2 and I am only 25. I had them in my late teens. I would def go to a gyno.|||I suggest that you see another gynecologist or ask to be re-checked. I can tell you of a similar experience I had. I had the same symptoms that you have (but not for as long). My pap and pelvic came back just fine as well, but my symptoms continued. After 3 months I decided to get a second opinion, and once again everything came back normal with the pap and pelvic, but the ultrasound was a different story. I had a small lump in my right fallopian tube. It turned out to be an infection that did not show on either pap smear. After a round of antibiotics, it went away, and so did my symptoms. My gynecologist said that these types of infections can sometimes flare up and then go back down so that they may not show on an ultrasound unless the infection is really bad. Maybe, you have something like this. I know the ovarian cancer thing can really lurk around in the mind so despite the fact that you know you have SOMETHING that needs attention, you need to ease your worry. It is a really good sign that your pap came back normal. If you haven%26#039;t had blood work, I would suggest that you have your gynecologist give you a full work-up as that can also point to problems. Keep at your doctor until you get a diagnosis that makes sense and you get some relief!

I am worried I may have ovarian cancer. I went to the doctors and she said I should get a laproscopy. I didn%26#039;t tell her I was worried about ovarian cancer. Will the doctor be able to tell if I have ovarian cancer through a laproscopy?|||laproscopy has a looksie at everything inside and if something is amiss they will take a sample and send it to pathology.

best of luck and i will be thinking of you !|||Most cancers require a biopsy for definitive diagnosis. During the laparoscopy if there is abnormal looking tissue in the ovary, the surgeon can remove it and send it to the lab where it can be determined whether or not it is cancerous.

Best of luck!

For sufferers of ovarian cancers and physicians/oncologists :

Why are not all ovarian tumors tested for presence of the estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) ? Or are they (please tell where you are from) ?

It seems like total aberration to me not to test, since women with ovarian cancer are almost systematically put on hormone replacement therapy (premarin) after total hysterectomy ! My best friend, who has ovarian cancer, insisted to have this test done at my suggestion, and guess what : her tumor was positive for both !!! By chance, she wasn%26#039;t taking the prescribed premarin…|||Premarin (Generic: Conjugated estrogens) has been linked to the following serious side effects: Ovarian Cancer, Lupus, Scleroderma, Gallbladder Cancer and Stroke.

second sike

Research supports evidence that Prempro (Premarin-Provera combination hormone replacement therapy (HRT)) increases the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

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