Question - Mets to Ovaries

[tousled1]

I have pain (not constant) and a feeling of pressure a few inches above the pubic bone on the right side abdomen. I am Stage III, ER/PR-, HER2+ and going through neoadjunct chemo. Had 4 rounds A/C and one round Taxatore. Still have 3 rounds Taxatore to go before surgery. Could this pain that I’m experiencing be mets to the ovaries? I had a hysterectomy years ago but they left the ovaries. I’ve seen that a few women on the site have had their ovaries removed and was wondering if it was due to mets or just a precaution. I see my oncologist Wednesday and am going to bring this to her attention.

[Becky]

The chance of this being mets to the ovaries would be very, very rare. However, you should mention this to your doctor. I did not see how old you are but just because you have no uterus does not mean that you stop ovulating etc so it could be that. And, chemo messes up everything. I was 45 and still menstrating and had a period that would stop. After it finally did, I went into chemopause but my menses came back about 7 months after chemo ended. I then had my ovaries removed so I could be on herceptin and arimidex (I am also ER+ but PR-). Ovarian cancer runs in my dad's family so I didn't mind getting them removed. Breast cancer runs in my mom's family.

Mets from breast cancer tend to go to the bones, liver, lungs and brain (a smaller percentage of time). It likes the bones best so ovaries would be a rare stop.

Hope this helps

Becky

[tousled1]

I had the uterus removed when I was 30 and am now 58. Since I started the chemo I get hot flashes and night sweats. I contribute that to my body trying to expel the "poisions" I'm receiving.

[Becky]

The hot flashes and night sweats can also be signs of going through menopause. You have no menses to gauge when that was going to happen to you and those symptoms are from your ovaries being bathed in FSH. FSH tries to get your ovaries to produce more estrogen because you are in a low estrogen state. So, you just may be feeling some ovarian activity (normal activity) especially since it comes and goes.


Becky

[lexigirl]

Kate,

When I was on taxol I felt sore all over. Even my ovaries hurt. I believe it's the chemo and that my little ovaires were either working hard or shriveling up. I haven't yet had a period (37 years old) and finished chemo in January.

Lexi

[Tessa]

Kate,

I hope that you abdominal pains have stopped and /or have been satisfactorily explained as some harmless passing problem. Just in case they persist though, I have just learned than breast cancer is a risk factor for ovarian cancer, and so you should just get yourself checked for that. Just to be sure. My friend who was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer (about 8 years NED with her breast cancer) had her symptoms dismissed by doctors for six months, and lost a lot of valuable time.

But, as I say, I hope it's nothing and it#s already long gone,

Tessa

[tousled1]

Tessa,

I had a abdominal CT scan and everything was ok. Also just had a PET scan last week and everything checked out ok.

[Tessa]

That's wonderful news, Kate.

I have just been googling around and looking at websites and it is truly dismaying how often ovarian cancer is misdiagnosed - for months.

I'm glad you have put yourself definitively out of that category.

Tessa