Should I get it done??

Hi there,
I found this website through my doctor, and am very impressed with it. Now the big question. I am 38 and my sister had very recently been diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer. Not only has she got it, but an aunt has also died from it.
My sister is adamant that I get a hysteroctemy, so I went to see my Gyno. I told her about this and the fact that I've been having horrible periods (changing 14 times a day). If it wasn't for the ovarian cancer, she would recommend to try medication to help my period. However, because Ovarian cancer is so hard to detect, my doctor said that it probably would not be a bad idea to have surgery and remove both the uterus and the ovaries.
I realize that it would bring me into menopause, but when I see what my sister is going through, it sure makes me want to get it done.
Any words of wisdom out there???

celnic

Not all ovarian cancer is hereditary, although it does sound like you have quite a bit in your family tree. I would suggest that you get a second opinion, preferably from an oncologist or a gyn oncologist.

I went down the screening road (CA-125 and sonograms) due to a family history of ov ca, and found my CA-125 to be elevated. A hyst by a gyn onc detected very early stage ovarian cancer.

Dorrie

s Celnic

I am very sorry to hear about your sister and your aunt.
You have every right to be concerned about yourself.
I agree with Dorrie's suggestion to make an appt with a gyn oncologist.
They are truly the experts. If this is not possible for you, there are definitely some additional steps you can follow.
I am a stage III c ovarian cancer survivor. When I was diagnosed in May 2001, the cancer center where I am treated set up strict guidelines for my sisters.
These guidelines included pelvic exams every six months. During this exam the gyn should perform a manual vaginal and rectal exam at the same time. This is how ovaries are best palpated. You should also have a vaginal ultrasound yearly, along with a ca 125 blood test.
Since my diagnosis I have attended many conferences about ovarian cancer. It is also recommended that female relatives of ovarian cancer patients take birth control pills. The longer they take the pill the better. The theory behind this is to stop ovulation.
There is also an excellent web site called FORCE> facing our risk of cancer empowered. Perhaps you could get further advise from this site.
Having only your ovaries removed is also an option. Not a foolproof way to prevent ovarian cancer, but it certainly lowers your risk.
I wish you and your family the best.

karenann

's Celnic!

I can't really add anything here, but I did want to add further support to the suggestion of going to see a gyn/onc to get as much information as you possibly can before making this decision. You owe it to yourself! Good luck!

Hi there

Thanks to everyone for replying so quick.
When I talked to my sister, she said that she will talk to her oncologist. He suggested earlier about trying to get some genetic testing done.
As for birth control pills, I did take them for many years, but recently they caused me to have high blood pressure.
In the meantime, I am still trying to do more research to see what is my best option. So far everything seems to be okay, but the scary part is knowing just how difficult it is to diagnose ovarian cancer.
I'll be checking in the next few days other words of wisdom. Thanks again.
Celnic