Has anyone here had breast cancer AND ovarian cancer?

LuvSnow

I am not sure I am posting to the right place.  I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Grade 2 IDC in January.  Have a strong family history of premeopausal BC (mom at 28, her mom 40s)...plus two of my maternal gma's three sisters had post menopausal BC.

Long story short, I have been nauseous since Nov/Dec last year; get full easily, or have no appetite (pre-BC).  I have had intermittent pelvic discomfort...at times it would radiate down my leg and back. A few times the pain was so bad I got physically ill.  I assumed it was cysts.  I have lost 8-10 lbs since March.  I am also exhausted, but some of this can be attributed to my BMX and/or tamoxifen.

I mentioned the nausea to my MO...only saw him once.  He thought nothing of it and said go see my primary care.  I waited 8 weeks and saw my ob/gyn two weeks ago.  I told her I was concerned about my ovaries...she sent me for U/S.  I went last Friday. Within the hour of completion of the U/S the radiologist had sent his "critical and urgent" findings to my ob/gyn.  His report shows a suspicious neoplasm with "with abundant
internal color flow present" and "low resistance arterial
waveform" present.  It is over 10cm.  I have been referred to a gynecological oncologist, whom I see tomorrow.

I know the odds are it is benign, but just curious how many ladies on here have had both cancers.

Oh, this is my 3rd growth this year...had a mixed nodule on my thyroid aspirated the week of my BMX...I guess my body likes to grow stuff!  Wish I had this much luck with my house plants.

Any feedback would be appreciated!

EDIT: forget to add I had a hysterectomy almost 7 years ago.  Took uterus and cervix, but wanted to keep my ovaries.  They were healthy then.

shoppygirl

Hello

Three years after my mother had early stage breast cancer she developed many stomach issues. At first the dr dismissed her but after complaining many times they finally sent her for a transvaginal ultrasound. They found a polyp on her ovaries suspected ovarian cancer. She went in for surgery and the polyp was not cancer but underneath it was pre cancer cells so they removed her ovaries and she has been cancer free for 20 years. I hope you have the same outcome! You are very correct that our bodies like to grow stuff. I have polyps on my uterus and a 6mm lung nodule that was found at my pre chemo ct scan. Like you I am very worried! Drs have assured me it is an old scar but it does not stop the worry! I just finished chemo yesterday and have a follow up scan in Sept but am very obsessed with it! I think all of us BC ladies are constantly worried about everything! Take care and I hope for good results for you!

Momine

Momof5, I have no relevant info to offer, but I am really angry on your behalf that the docs dismissed you. It drives me batty when they do that.

I hope it turns out to be benign and I am so glad you stuck to your guns.

MelissaDallas

I have LCIS and am being followed as high risk. I had surgery for ovarian cancer just a few months before the LCIS diagnosis.

shoppygirl

Ladies that have had the ovary removal surgery, I would like to ask what your recovery was like. I plan to have the surgery soon due to a family history. Thanks for your help.

MelissaDallas

I think recovery from a laparoscopic oophorectomy is very minimal. My tumor was massive plus I had to have an omentectomy with mine so I can't tell you from personal experience. There are quite a few threads on ovary removal if you do a search.

Poke

I had my fallopian tubes removed last week because I am terrified of ovarian cancer and too young to have them remove my ovaries. I did a lot of research on this as prophylaxis and felt good about it. The procedure was done laparoscopically and I was feeling normal in about three days. Soreness and bloating were my only issues, not severe enough to require pain meds. I don't assume it would be much different had the ovaries also been removed, but maybe someone else will chime in. 

LuvSnow

Hi ladies,



Thank you so much for the replies. I saw the gyn onc today at Johns Hopkins. I really liked her. She said there is always possibility of it being benign or low malignancy...but in the end she was planning for the worst, but hoping for the best. Whatever it is is stuck to my bowel, so part may need to be removed. It will be abdominal surgery, so 6-8 week recoup she said.



For those wondering, I had a laparoscopic assisted hysterectomy almost six years ago...I was allowed 6 weeks of STD so I was off work, but after the first week or so I felt pretty good...just tired. No real pain either, just pressure "down there" if I stood too long. But I had my cervix removed so I wonder if that was why.



Anyway, it's going to be a looonggg weekend in my house. Not looking forward to yet another surgery.



Momind - yes, I am so annoyed at my MO for blowing me off! Thank goodness I asked my obgyn for an U/S.





MelissaDallas - you had ovarian cancer? Did you have an idea that it was cancer before surgery? How was recovery?



Thanks for listening ladies!

shoppygirl

I hope everything goes ok for you! You have already been through so much! They told my mother hers was almost 100% cancer but it was not! They just don't know untill they operate! Good luck to you!

MelissaDallas

Momof5, my cancer was low malignant potential mucinous borderline. It was twenty pounds and had taken up all my abdomen. Mine had an adhesion to my bladder. I had surgery & I'm fine. No chemo or radiation. I'll be followed for five years.

LuvSnow

Shoppygirl and MelissaDallas - Thank you so much for feedback.  I am hoping for the best, for sure.  The doctor did say there are a few benign solid/mostly solid neoplasms...she did mention it could also be a borderline tumor.  I think what concerns her is the fact that it has a central blood flow (showed as "abundant" on U/S) and the low arterial flow resistance. Plus the size.  I have never had uterine fibroids, or endometriosis.  I had my hysterectomy due to heavy and constant (3 weeks per month!) periods.

MellisaDallas - 20lbs?  Yikes.  Do you mind my asking the size? Mine is 10.4 x 7.8 x 6.5 cm and I am just feeling it now through my skin.   I am so glad that yours was a low grade and you are doing well!!!  

MelissaDallas

33 x 28 x16 cm. I developed large volume ascites & looked like I was nine months pregnant. It was about the size of the biggest cryovaced untrimmed beef briskets you could find. Just a few months before I was showing a friend how my pants were hanging around my hips because I'd been on a diet. Amazing how big it can get & you not know. I'd been complaining of hormone-related stuff for ten years and kept getting the "well, at your age that's relatively normal" crap.

shoppygirl

Melissa

I might be thinking of the wrong person but didn't you also have a lung nodule? Sorry if I am wrong!

MelissaDallas

I had a pulmonary embolism from the pressure on everything & dehydration. I did show some tiny lung nodules, but probably benign, and since I smoked forever, no telling. They originally thought I had cirrhosis, despite no high risk behaviors & normal liver labs. Not until they did an unnecessary liver biopsy that was negative did they finally scan my pelvis.



I've learned when you start having a bunch of scans you'll learn about all kinds of little benign anomalies. They also saw a kidney cyst and angioma on my spine. Breast MRI picked up cyst in my shoulder joint.

shoppygirl

Thanks Melissa! I have just completed treatment and have a follow up scan for my own tiny single lung nodule so that is why I was asking about yours! I do have that type of ocd personality to worry about everything! Glad we have each other to share our concerns with!

MelissaDallas

You're welcome. They recommended rescan on lungs in six months on mine and I honestly thought I couldn't cope with one more thing. I think they've forgotten & I'll have to be the one to bring it up.



Good luck.

shoppygirl

Lol! That's how I feel! Take care!