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10-26-2007, 04:45 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Oophorectomy
Just some questions I'm asking for a friend. A woman I met almost a year ago who I mentored her through breast cancer is thinking about having her ovaries removed. She is hormone positive - her2 negaitve - and is presently taking Tamoxifan. She was Stage 0, DCIS and had her breast removed.
If she would have her ovaries removed would she still need to take Tamoxifan? How is the surgery performed? Side effects of having ovaries removed? Any other things you could share with me would be appreciated.
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
Last edited by Mary Jo; 10-26-2007 at 04:46 AM..
Reason: question
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10-26-2007, 06:03 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Hilton Head Island, SC
Posts: 279
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ooph
Hi, I would first say she should ask her Onc if that would be a good move for her. I felt compelled to do it and had a laproscopic surgery to have ovaries, tubes, uterous, and cervix removed. The surgery was pretty easy, had to take it easy after to be safe, but felt really good. The side effects are hot flashes, possible emotional ups and downs, and I dropped the Tamoxifen to go on Femara and had the resulting joint pains that have gotten worse as time goes on. The good thing for me was I was latter found to be BRCA2+ which means I would have had the surgery anyway so I just took care of business early thank God. If she decides to go forward with it there is a Hystersisters website that might be of interest to her. hope this helps!
__________________
Kim
Diagnosed 7/05
Stage 3a er+(45%) pr+(68%) Her2+ (40%)
3.8 cm + .8cm multi focal - pleomorphic lobular tumors
high grade DCIS
7/20 nodes
BRCA 2 positive as of 5/07
surgeries: double mastectomy, hysterectomy (LAVH)
A/C,Herceptin for 1 year completed 11/06
femara
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10-26-2007, 09:37 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: WHITESTOWN IN
Posts: 148
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There are many things that play into the choice. I did not really have a choice but am glad I did it. They switched me immediatly to Femara. And after five weeks I still have no side affects from it. Yeah! I had to have an abdomial surgery. But I had everything taken and they wanted to look around. There are several ways to remove and the hyster sister site is great. It has all the answers to pre and post op. It does not however really go into hormones or cancer related questions. That is where I get iffy on what to expect. Onc and Gyno are mostly worried about osteo problems but just had a bone density and am in great shape there. But it all really comes down to personal choice. I gues damned if you do and damned if you don't.
__________________
DX IDC AT 42 12/7/06
2.2CM STAGE I GRADE 2
NODE NEG
PARTIAL 12/18/06
HER2+ /ER+(75%) PR+(5%)
4 DD AC CHEMO STARTING 1/10/07
4 DD Taxol Starting 3/5/07
1year weekly Herceptin starting 3/5/07
finished 2/18/08
changed to every 3 weeks 4/23/07
completed 33 radiation treatments 7/6/07
TAH and BSO 9/24/07
start Femarra 10/8/07
Started Neritinib trial 12/14/09
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10-26-2007, 02:39 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Hystersisters deals more with hysterectomy than just an oophorectomy (which always includes the tubes - make sure of that as the tubes and ovaries are made of the same kind of cells and you at least want the operation to reduce your chances of ovarian cancer even though the primary reason is to stop the estrogen).
How old is your friend? If she is young (in her 30's) she may want to wait. She will still have to take an antihormonal regardless of the ovaries. However, when the ovaries are removed, she can use an Aromotase inhibitor (Arimidex, Femara or Aromosin) instead of Tamoxifen or she can stay on Tamoxifen for 5 years and then have the option of switching to Femara for 5 years (what is her ER and PR % as that makes a difference in that decision). But basically, yes she has to remain on something.
Oophorectomy done laproscopically is a breeze. She may be sorer than the average woman if she has had abdominal surgery in the past and has some scar tissue that needs to be cleaned up. This happened to me with a previous C-section. Still was nothing.
There are various side effects that can occur. These include hot flashes and night sweats, dry vagina, bladder infections, bone loss (osteopenia or osteoporesis), joint and muscle pain. You have probably heard them all here on the board by any postmenopausal woman taking an AI. These can be managed. The hystersister site will probably have more off beat ones too as they "specialize" in this.
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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10-27-2007, 12:37 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
Posts: 1,867
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I had an oophorectomy by way of laperoscopy Dec, 2006 due to my BRCA 2 status. I was hormone positive and am currently on Arimidex.
Maryanne
__________________
*** MARYANNE *** aka HARRIECANARIE
1993: right side DCIS, lumpectomy, rads
1999: left side DCIS, lumpectomy, rads, tamoxifen
2006:
BRCA 2 positive
Stage I, invasive DCIS (6mm x 5mm)
Grade: intermediate
sentinal node biopsy: neg
HER2/neu amplified 4.7
ER+/PR+
TOPO II neg
Oncotype dx 20
Bilat mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction
oophorectomy
2007:
6 cycles TCH (taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin)
finished 1 yr herceptin 05/07
Arimidex, stopped after almost 1 yr
Femara
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