possible mets to pelvic area or uterus?

megatha

Hello willowweed and thankyou for replying. I have not found anyone other than you who have the omentum mets. I have asked for ovaries and omentum to be removed but as you said its not an option. I have just finished Taxotere x6 and am awaiting scan results 30th April to see if any spread or if its no progression.If no prog I think they are going to put me on Arimidex. I had a good run on tamoxifen with my primary NED for 9 years . Good luck with the Tamoxifen....

Love megatha x

nash

Good luck with the tamoxifen, willoweed! I reread your post, and you did mention the AI's--sorry, my chemo brain froze up for a minute there. And good luck on the Arimidex, megatha.

keepon

Hi willowweed and megatha. I also have mets to my omentum,along with covering my intestines, ovaries, uterus etc. They removed my ovaries when the mets were dx (8-06) and put me on Femara. Since then I have been great. I hope we all continue to do well.  xoxo  Sue

megatha

Hello Sue

Glad to hear that you are doing well. I have asked for my ovaries and omentum to be removed but they have said thats not an option. We seem to be forming a little "omentum club"  Ha Ha!!, funny but I had never heard of it until I was diagnosed.

I am doing great at the moment and have returned to work full time.

Hope you continue to do well

Love Megatha x

willowweed

Hi, Sue

Sorry to hear about the abdominal involvement, but hopefully you will continue to thrive on Femara.  Hmmm, the "OC" (omentum club) -- isn't there a show on TV with that name?

And, Megatha, I also asked my doctor to remove my omentum when she explained that all it was was a "fat" apron that no one could figure out the purpose for.  My motto has always been the less fat, the better.  But, alas, omentum removal is not an option.  I did get rid of the uterus and overies, though.

Take care.

Evelyn

I have intraductal ca - 14 years ago, and just diagnosed with mets to ovaries and omentum.  Started on Arimidex. I can't find any literature about this.  Anyone know of anything written about it?

TenderIsOurMight

Well Evelyn, I am sorry to hear your cancer has returned and found a new location at that.



Have you already had a biopsy reconfirming a) the mets are breast cancer and b) ductal not lobular breast cancer? I say this because lobular breast cancer has a slightly greater tendency to go to abdomen and ovaries, but both can.



If you go to the lobular threads or the metastatic threads on this site, you will find women familiar with your situation and much discussion.



For literature on mets to ovaries and omentum, breastcancer.org's HOME page allows you to obtain further information under the metastasis section. It speaks of metastasis to the ovaries, yet I don't know if it addresses the omentum, which can be thought of as an apron of fat, coming down from the upper abdomen and gently covering much of the underlying vital organ. Also, there was an Expert presentation by Dr. Norton on metastatic disease which is available to read, with encouragement and knowledge.



I'm sure your doctors have already said, when breast cancer returns it remains as breast cancer in it's properties, not ovarian cancer, or abdominal cancer, and treatments are tailor with that in mind.



Have you or will you be seeing a gynecologic oncologist for surgery? They typically have wide experience in abdominal and pelvic breast cancer recurrence as well as experience on minimizing intraabdominal cancer.



I am sorry breast cancer again has reared its head in your life. I hope you will find this site useful in many ways. Someone is almost always available 24/7 for good times and darker times. I hope you will post again should you wish.



Wishing you much success in your treatments,

Tender

waterlily

I had a hysterectomy in December due to lobular mets to the ovary, fallopian tube, ureters as well as the peritoneum (lining of the abdominal cavity).  I'm happy to share information or answer questions you may have about treatment etc.

Best wishes as you travel this next part of the journey.

Gitane

megatha, I've been thinking about you, wondering how the scans went end of April. I am hoping you are not progressing, are able to start the Arimidex, and that it works very well for you. You must be so glad to have the Taxotere behind you now. Warm hugs!



willowweed, Hope the Tamox. is doing its thing, hot flashes aside. The gemzar and avastin can be saved for later if they're needed. Sounds like the tumor markers work well for you and the onc. That must help a lot in letting you know when to wait and when to take action. Let us know how it's going for you.



Sue, it's great to hear that the Femara works for you. I noticed we were both diagnosed with Stage 2b. I'm on Femara right now, too. I hate all the aches and pains, but I love it if it's controlling the cancer. Hope all is going well for you right now.



gandl, what fantastic news for you. Must have been a tough wait, but it's behind you now. Your description of that visit to the Gyn was some story. I had to laugh at the med student's shyness, the doctor asking you if you were there (Duh... I'm not sure what I would have said to that.), and your waddle up and down the halls. I've been in similar situations myself, though I wasn't probably looking on them as funny at the time, your descriptions of it all made me chuckle. Thank you for taking the time to write, and for sharing with all of us. Happy thoughts going your way.

gandl

Hi Gitane,  After the good news from the ultrasound, I received the results of the endometrial biopsy.  I have complex endometrial hyperplasia with atypia which the gyn says will turn into cancer and must come out. So on June 6 I will have an exploratory TAH/BSO along with the exchange of my expanders for my permanent breast implants.  I have to do both surgeries at the same time because I am almost out of sick time.  There is a 60% chance that cancer is in the uterus already but just didn't show up on the biopsy.  I also have endometriosis and those cells in my abdominal cavity may be turning into cancer also.  So it looks like I won't need to worry about the ILC metastasizing to my reproductive organs because they will be gone.

I had my repeat bone scan.  The oncologist's nurse called to say the doctor wanted me to know that it was "stable".  I guess that means that the spots that showed up last time are still there but not worse.  I have to go in Tuesday to have my blood drawn, and I will try to get a copy of the report.

The three hormone tests that the gyn did came back in the menopausal        range.  Apparently I am in menopause but didn't know it because I never stopped bleeding. That fact puts a new perspective on all the times I recently told doctor's I was not menopausal.  I was inadvertently lying to them.

Do any of you who have gone through similar abdominal surgery have any tips for me?  How are the rest of you doing?  Gandl 

nash

Drag, gandl! I'm so sorry the endo biopsy wasn't good and that you have to have major surgery. Ugh. I don't have any experience with TAH/BSO, but if the gals here don't know, I know there are gynecological forums on-line where there's boatloads of ladies who have had that done and who would have some tips for you.

What do they think the spots on the bone are?  

HensonChi

How do doctors determine mets?  Blood tests?  or are there other ways?

Gitane

Gandl, How are you? How was your surgery? Was it yesterday? You are probably still recovering, but I just wanted to pop in and let you know you are in our thoughts. Wishing you well.



HensonChi, It appears you have dropped off the radar, and that's O.K. I wanted to let you know we are here for you, and that we'd love to hear from you if you feel like sharing.

megatha

Hi Everyone

Sorry I haven't been on for a while but very busy at work. Well the scan showed no progression and I am on Arimidex now and seem to be fine on it. I haven't got to see the oncologist until the end of July and he will decide then whether to take the ovaries and omentum away. I am going on holiday a week on Sunday for 2 weeks so a nice break from work and hospitals...lol  Hope everyone is doing well. Sending very best wishes to all.

Love Megatha x

HensonChi

I am out here...just reading the posts.  I start chemo on July1st.  I am a bit nervous  wondering how they would find mets if there were some.  I have had a lot of tests and they have said nothing about it.  Maybe I am just buying trouble at this point!

Gitane

Hi Megatha,  So glad you came back to visit for a while.  How fantastic to be going on a holiday.  Work and hospitals are not the way we want to spend our days.  I think about you and hope all is going well for you.  Come back when you return and tell us about your trip and what's up.  Hugs!

HensonChi,  So there you are!  Chemo on July 1st, eh?  Yes, you must be feeling a bit nervous right now.  I'll be thinking of you and hopefully all will go as planned.  In a way I don't blame you for wondering about mets, after all, we all worry about that.  You have stage 2, grade 2, so perhaps your oncologist is not so worried about you at this time.  My oncologist ordered a pet scan for me as part of my staging tests before chemo.  The pet showed no mets, which he said he expected, but which was reassuring for me anyway.  

If you want to, check back in with us to let us know how you are doing.  Sending you lots of warm hugs and support.

gandl

Gitane,  I wrote a really long reply yesterday, but I guess it got lost in cyberspace.  I have very good news from the surgery, NO CANCER.  My tubes and ovaries were normal, and my uterus was 3 times normal size with 7 large fibroids, 2 polyps, and a large cyst.  With my ovaries gone, and thus my estrogen supply, I'm  feeling less worried about a recurrence of the breast cancer also.  Obviously I don't need to worry about mets to my uterus, tubes, and ovaries any more.  Thanks for checking on me.   gandl

nash

Gandl--excellent news! I'm very happy for you!

Anonymous

gandl--glad to hear you are recovering well.  I had a TAH/BSO 3 years ago for large ruptured ovarian cysts.  I stayed out of work for 8 weeks; I was pretty weak and shaky for the first month. I have continued on tamoxifen as there is still estrogen produced by the adrenal glands, skin and fat. I'll be finishing up the tamox in October; will continue with high risk monitoring due to LCIS and family history, will probably go on Evista after a little break in between meds. If you have any post hysterectomy questions, feel free to PM me.

Anne 

Gitane

Gandl,  this is so awesome!  How wonderful that you are free of that worry now.  You must be floating.  Thanks for sharing this with all of us. 

HensonChi

Bump

rizzo

I am new to the post.  I was doing an internet search on bc mets to the ovaries and came across your post.  I was dx with lobular bc in 7/04 and mets to only the ovaries in 9/06.  I am really upset because I was advised surgery would not be wise and chemo was my best option.  I have had ascites from the very beginning of my mets and have been draining 1 liter of fluid a day for 2 years!  Totally taxing to my kidneys, and I am now completely off on my electrolytes.  My body just can't handle the fluid any more.  Now the cancer has spread to the omentum, and peritoneum and I also have fluid in my lungs.  Could you tell me what your doctor advised and how he came to the decision to operate?  I am so frustrated . . .

keepon

Hi Rizzo, I haven't look at this for awhile. Hope you still are out there reading it. I was also dx with mets to my abdomen in 8/06. I had 10 pounds of ascites drained initially, then had surgery to remove my ovaries. I have been taking Femara, and this week switched to Aromasin. Really  I can't complain. I mostly have been feeling OK.  I can't believe you have had to have fluid drained every day. YUK!   Hang in there.     Sue