2006-12-20 05:28:17 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
No, but it feels like it. My mom has stage 3 ovca and has been 4+ months in the hospital due to it since diagnosis and surgery and such (out only about 4 days). It's rough no doubt about it because there are so many organs right in it's reach and this cancer becomes resistant to the last chemo given typically...that's the main problem. Like the majority of cancers, the stage determines the best survival rate, although it is not a predictor. For example if you can catch any cancer in 'stage 1' where it is localized, you are in good shape...however after that if it spreads, the less effective it can be since it's microscopic cells are spreading everywhere and it's harder to 'clean up' so to speak (imagine a huge oil tanker...not damaged, you can contain...little hole, you can clean up the mess pretty good...running aground will spread it everywhere and it's tougher to clean up). That being said, there has been stage 3 and 4 ovca patients who have been 'cured' and have moved on whereas there has been stage 2 ovca patients who have died. It's highly individualized and I used to get tied up with the statistics too...but you eventually move on from that and really live day by day.
There has been growing research in Australia for a vaccine (same country where the vaccine for cervical cancer was created), immunotherapy, ginger was found to kill ovca at the Univ of Michigan, complimentary therapy like the Maitake D-Fraction (www.maitake.com) has been shown to boost the immune system and help with tumors (currently in phase 2 fda clinical trials for breast cancer patients, it is a mushroom extract from the maitake mushroom loaded with dense beta glucans which have been shown to affect even ovarian cancer).
So there is much going on, however the same crappy chemotherapy is the norm. Typically Taxol and Carboplatnim (I think I spell the last one wrong all the time). Her Dr. just has her on Carboplatinm now because not only is Taxol expensive it has bad side effects and eurpoean and american studies show it is no more effective with carbo than carbo chemo alone. And it seems to be, my mom only had one taxol/carbo treatment and the rest carbo and she is responding well to it.
That being said, chemo affects everyone differently...it works better on some and not as good on some.
One main way people die from ovca is bowel obstruction (my mom has a small one now and even that is very troublesome). Because ovca typically comes back, this is the problem since the intestines are right in that abdominal cavity. There are drugs out there (many in cilinical trials) to try and prevent ovca from returning...trying to make this a 'chronic' disease rather than a fatal one should it not be cured.
I've come across a lot of research on ovca to try and help my mom and I'm creating a website to help everyone who wants to learn more than what is out there, since there is a lot scattered everywhere. Although I don't have it up and running yet, you can email me via my profile and I'll let you know.
Good luck and keep up hope...keep fighting!
2006-12-20 07:52:46 · answer #1 · answered by . 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Terminal is not the best term to use. We are all dying and as you say life is terminal. It is true overall people are surviving stage 4 disease longer now than ever before and this is primarily due to our ability to better manage breast cancer, but there are not more people surviving. I don’t look at the answers as being negative or positive – they should be factual. How cancer is reported, staged, coded and kept is so incredibly detailed it can be mind-boggling. The entire system is designed to give as much common ground to the hundreds of diseases we call cancer as possible to make comparisons meaningful. This information is used by researchers all over the world. The 5-year survival rate is an example of this. There are survival statistics beyond 5 years. This is how we know stage 4 ovarian cancer survival rates have not changed in more than 30 years. If you are diagnosed with cancer today you will be kept track of till the day you die even if it is 50 years from now and when you do we will know the cause of death and if you had active cancer at the time of your death. We are very aware of just how much we do not know. Patients surprise us all the time and miracles really do happen, but when people are faced with such a life changing event the best answers you can give them are based on facts and as accurate as possible. EDIT: Thank you lo_mcg for your kind words. Until I read your answer I had no clue this was about me! I answer few breast cancer questions because of you. Your answers are accurate. You are very patient with some of the crazy questions that are asked and you are able to add a personal touch only a person who has experienced breast cancer can give. It may come as no surprise that I have been told once or twice that I can be a little too blunt. However, I do not intend to dash anyone’s hopes or to be unkind. Facts are what they are - it is not a matter of being positive or negative. That comes from how the person receiving the information perceives it.
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2016-04-14 11:19:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not a death sentence. How well you do depends on the specific type of ovarian cancer (there are 3 main types), the stage of the disease (has it spread and to where), your age and general health and other factors. To give you an idea with some specific statistics from the American Cancer Society..."If diagnosed and treated while the cancer has not spread outside the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is 94%." Getting diagnosed and treated as early as possible is key.
For more information on ovarian cancer, visit the Cancer Society's web site at http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_ovarian_cancer_33.asp?rnav=cri
2006-12-20 05:46:21 · answer #3 · answered by Carla W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The conventional route, yes, within a year, is the average. Ovarian cancer is not called the "silent killer" without a good reason. By the time it is diagnosed, it is rarely confined to the ovaries. Sad, but true.
But there is never the need to give up. For ideas on what one can do for one-self, you may want to visit "Dhaxem and Cancer" on the Dhaxem website. Having a purpose in life, is what can make a big difference.
2006-12-20 08:22:57 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2014-12-09 15:04:41 · answer #5 · answered by Caroline 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, ovarian cancer is not a death sentence. As you will see from my link, the prognosis will depend on a variety of factors as will the treatment.
2006-12-20 05:33:51 · answer #6 · answered by Yellow Tail 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO, it's not a death sentence, please do not think of it as such!! Attitude helps with treating all cancers. I am a 7 year survivor of ovarian cancer, had my surgery, chemo and radiotherapy, i'm still here and doing good. Yes it's the silent killer, but with the advance on treatments and so on you can win the fight. NEVER give up the fight.
2006-12-20 10:13:40 · answer #7 · answered by scotswifie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely not. While it cannot always be cured, it often can be treated and suppressed for long periods of time. Every person who has cancer will do somewhat different. When doctors talkier about prognosis they are talking about averages. Any give person may do better or worse than average.
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2014-09-21 23:35:41 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 8⤋