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susie
02-12-2005, 06:59 PM
One more time...I am scheduled this Friday, Feb.18th to have my ovaries removed, laparascopically. I do this to cut off the estogen supply from my ovaries which are still apparently functioning at age 52. I am er+. Her2+.
The article that Lyn has provided outlines the facts about "crosstalk" between Her2neu and estogen+. I have others on the positive effects of oophorectomy, which is an 'old-fashioned" bc treatment. I would like some support or input on this decision. And prayers too.....

al from canada
02-12-2005, 10:02 PM
Dear Susi,
Linda and I wish you the best and a speedy recovery. Please keep us all informed of your progress. Being laprascopic, how long will your hospital stay be, when do you expect to go home and how long do you think your convalescence be?
All th best,
Al

Lolly
02-12-2005, 10:43 PM
Dear Susie, I'm er/pr neg, and have been menopausal for 8 years now, but think it makes sense to use a surgical option to prevent relapse. I don't know anyone personally who's had this done. I hope the surgery goes well, laproscopy is a fairly easy recovery; my husband had a hernia repaired laproscopically, and was back to work by the 3rd day, although he wasn't allowed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for 6 weeks. Don't know if you'll have even that much restriction, but keep us posted and best wishes.

Love, Lolly

Kristen
02-13-2005, 11:47 AM
Hi Susie,
I just recently visited with a genetics counselor and the statisitcs that were given to me which was on a pamphlet from Myriad who does the testing and they have a web site @ www.myriadtests.com and you would probably find the same info.
It said the general population for a second primary is 2-11% and for ovarian cancer is less than 2%. This of course is not HER2 specific.

Proacitve Cancer Management for Hereditary BR & OC risk

Tamoxifen reduces 49%
Mastectomy 90%
Oophorectomy 53% BC Ovarian cancer 96%
oral contraceptives 54% OC

I hope this helps info wise and also you will be in my prayers. Take Care and have a speedy recovery. K

judiek
02-13-2005, 03:27 PM
Susie,

I had complete hysterectomy in Dec of 2004...doctor suggested it since my periods returned shortly after finishing tx. I was then dx with mets 7 weeks later. Anyways, mine was vaginal with laproscopic assist. I spent one night in the hospital and asked to go home the next day...it was very noisy and I couldn't sleep. They fill you with gas and sometimes it takes awhile to absorb in you system. Therefore, I had some boughts of sharp pain in the rib and neck area...it will pass. I really thought the surgery was a breeze. My father passed away 3 days after my surgery and I had to travel home 5 hours...people could not believe how well I was doing...again, I really had no trouble and wishing you have a speedy recovery like me.

Warmly,

judiek

History

Discovered lump Sept. 2002 (mammo didn’t pick it up)
Dx Oct 2002-just turned 41
IDC and pagets disease, stage 2B, grade 3/3, nottingham scale 9/9
3cm, lumpectomy,clean margins
er/pr-pos, her2 neg, 2/25 nodes w/cancer
Nov 2002-March 2003-FEC (5fu, epirubicin, cytoxen)
March 2003- started tamoxifen
May 2003- finished rads (33tx)
June 2003-CT/PET Scan- clear
Started 3 month check ups w/lab
Dec 2003-complete hysterectomy
Jan 2004-extensive mets, both lungs & liver(labs normal)
Jan -stopped tamoxifen
Feb CEA-23 (0-3 normal) CA27.29-66.1 (0-38 normal)
Feb 23to current-clinical trial, taxol & avastin
April 15th, -CT-significant shrinkage on all tumors/plueral effusion gone
June 8th -CT-all liver lesions decreased in size/lung mets gone
Aug 9th, -CA27.29 is 22.3, CEA is .8)
Aug 9th, 2004-Brain-CT neg, lung mets/pleural effusion still gone, liver mets had slight shrinkage. Largest hypodesne lesion is 2.1cm, 6 others 1cm or less.
Sept 13th-bone scan negative, mri revealed herniated disc.
Sept 27- Ct of brain, negative/lung mets still gone/ 2 liver lesions gone, 4 under 1cm, 1 @1.7cm.
Nov 29-CT shows stable, lungs still clear, liver tumors stable
Jan 11, 2005-CA27.29 23 / CEA 2.9
Jan 18th, Ct shows disease is still stable
Jan 27th, Brain MRI negative
Feb 8th, -CA27.29 is 22.1 / CEA 3.7 (slowly rising)

MarianneWA
02-13-2005, 06:42 PM
Hi Susie - I'm planning to have my ovaries removed also, and just this past week when I met with the gyn-onc for a consult, he brought to my attention a clinical trial where you take a drug fenretinide for 4 months before the surgery, then they look for changes in the removed ovaries - this drug is being looked at as ovarian cancer's answer to tamoxifen.

I happen to fit a narrow field to qualify - personal breast cancer, close relative with BC or ovarian (my mother), and you have to have a mutation on the BRCA 1 or 2 gene. This mutation doesn't have to be the known one. My mutation is "of unknown significance". Being a reference librarian with access to many medical databases, I've spent the past few days researching fenretinide. Apparently it has been quite heavily researched in many forms of cancer, including breast, as a preventitive for recurrence. It's a vitamin A derivative.

I'm 50, in menopause since chemo in 2002, and my docotrs said if it was their wives they would recommend ovary removal (even though I'm er/pr-ve).

Anyway, the trial is a 2-arm one so I could get randomised into the arm where you just have them removed (the control group), but after all my research, I'd really like to get into the drug arm (it's oral, with no "apparent" side effects).
This will mean me waiting a little longer to have them removed, but it would be fine with me. What I don't know yet, is where I have to go for all this - whether the gyn-onc I consulted with here in Vancouver, WA does it, or I have to go to Tacoma (where the NIH Clinical trial listing says is the only location in WA) - guess that' s a pretty obvious question I forgot to ask - but I'll be talking with him again this week.

Hope this info helps some,
Marianne

susie
02-14-2005, 12:14 AM
I am having them removed not to prevent ovarian cancer, but to pull the plug so to speak on the estrogen supply produced by the ovaries. Because my bc is er, pr+. But this is very interesting!

Kristen
02-15-2005, 10:27 AM
Susie,
I wish you a speedy recovery and an uneventful surgery. Take Care K