Ovarian cysts /cancer Re: my neighbor's cancer update

From: J (plaid_at_example.com)
Date: 03/18/05 

Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 06:27:22 -0500

Sharon and Mike wrote:

> We are from the state of Georgia, and she's getting treated in a local
> hospital. She is still doing fine, and other than having to take Procrit,
> she still has an appetite, and feels pretty well.
> I myself am 35 years old, and have recently found out that my grandmother
> died of ovarian cancer, that had spread also. I am considering having my
> ovaries removed, my husband and I don't want children. We also suspect my
> grandmother's sister died from ovarian cancer, and my mother had hers
> removed due to them being so cystic. I would like your opinion on that as
> well, I suffer from ovarian cysts all the time, and they are quite painful.
> I know you are a very smart person, from what I read, and if you could
> advise me on this, or point me in a direction I could go to, I would be very
> appreciative. My doctor says not to have them removed, even though he knows
> I have problems with them, but it's my body.

Hello Sharon,
I wonder if you and Ruth know that there's a (potential) connection between
genetic risks breast/ovarian and colon cancer?
http://www.cancerbacup.org.uk/Cancertype/Ovary/Causesdiagnosis/Causes
You could perhaps calculate your risk by using that as a guideline.
However, since your mother had her ovaries removed, we've now got some missing
info as to "close relatives".

There's a more complex explanation here
http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/pdq/genetics/breast-and-ovarian/healthprofessional

There's no "patient version" as best that I can see
http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/prevention-genetics-causes/ovarian

alt.support.pco (less current discussions (Febriary) /problems with spam)
alt.support.childfree a person that I know posts there and they discuss PCO .
(March discussions)
I think I saw that she takes or took Depo-provara

http://groups-beta.google.com/advanced_search?q=& (to search the archives)
type in the newsgroup name, sort by date, and PCOS, read a few threads
repeat but type in "phrase" - ovarian cysts, read a few threads
Reading some of their posts first, gets your "feet wet" and gives you some
information first, before posting.

http://www.4woman.gov/faq/ovarian_cysts.htm (discusses various types of ovarian
cysts - also has a list of organizations)
When are women most likely to have ovarian cysts?
Functional ovarian cysts usually occur during the childbearing years. Most
often, cysts in women of this age group are not cancerous. Women who are past
menopause (ages 50-70) with ovarian cysts have a higher risk of ovarian cancer.
At any age, if you think you have a cyst, it’s important to tell your doctor
<end quoted text>

I had a friend who had one cyst. It was asymptomatic; no pain; so her doctor and
she decided to just monitor.
After 12 - 15 years, her belly was getting bigger, so they scanned and realized
it was grapefruit size. That's when they decided to remove it. I don't know if
they removed both ovaries at the time. At the time, she already had 2 kids and
did not want more. Her surgery just happened to also be in the same date range
as discussed above. That's all I can pull from personal knowledge about.

It is your body. Have you asked your doctor the reasons why? One might think
"she might want children later" (ie not believe you that you don't and/or think
that later you might change your mind). Or might have very good reasons for
discouraging same. Future osteoporosis risk? Surgery/anesthetic risk? Costs
(what's covered or not)? Scars? Whether they tend to recur? Hormone
replacements therapy; risks, costs. "Surgical menopause" symptoms, if any such
as hot flashes, depression etc One gauge might be to discuss with your mother
as to the pros and cons. However, there's no guarantee that how things go/went
with her, would be the same for you. We're all different and I believe that some
of us "take after" more one parent than the other.

There's pros and cons of having one ovaries removed. I want you to have the best
information about.
If you go to a surgeon, a surgeon finds a surgical solution.
If you went to a psychologist, she/he'd probably analyze you for 5 years
<smile> . See what I mean?
If you go to a women's health clinic (if there is one nearby), perhaps they
would be more prepared to discuss the pros and cons? Or know of a local support
group, where the experiences of others can be shared and discussed.
I don't know your age, but if you're going to college, they sometimes have
health/women's clinics.

I cannot give advice. Not because I'm fence-sitting about the not wanting
children. I respect your decision. You sound like an intelligent person who has
thought it all through. It's really because these issues are very complex.
Years ago, they gave women too strong or wrong medicines and there was fallout
later on that..thinking some birth contol pills, or example: thalidomide.
There's more known now, but i still see controversy about hormone replacement:
risks for heart, for various cancers (breast, I think, because there's more than
one type of breast cancer). It's enough to give a person a chronic headache.
<grin> So I hope that you will read up and discuss it with as many knowledgable
persons as possible, then make your decision because you'll have to live with
the decision.

As a sidenote and perhaps relevant, I note that those on Medicaid are refused
certain procedures
Even if this does not apply to you, it might give you some idea about screenings
that you should have and "State views" and possibly (some) doctor views.
<http://www.statehealthfacts.kff.org/cgi-bin/healthfacts.cgi?action=profile&area=Georgia&category=Women's+Health&subcategory=&topic=>

If that link does not work, try http://www.statehealthfacts.kff.org/ Then click
on your State.
I don't know a lot about US coverage but sometimes such facts are "telling" of
the state's views about women and women's issues. For instance, I note that
there's a right of refusal for sterilization services.
So as an example; if a person in such coverages requested such surgery on the
basis of pain, but the doctor was not sympathetic to the amount of pain, could
perhaps refuse to refer for surgery (and perhaps think that a person was trying
to get sterilized at the cost of the State/medicaid and is faking the pain). Do
you see what I mean?

I hope that the information and my thoughts and/or questions help you.
I wish you the best.
J