New Diagnosis

Hi Sisters,

I wanted to let everyone know what was going on with me...I posted a few weeks back about getting a third opinion at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. My original diagnosis was borderline ovarian tumour. However, the Dr.s and pathologists at J.H. said that they would never have diagnosed my tumor as Borderline....they said it was completely BENIGN! some kind of fibroid thing.....He came right out and told me that if I would have had the surgery at their hospital, they would have taken the tumour, my right ovary...and sent me home!!! no ca-125 tests, nothing. Now here I am with a total abd. hysterectomy, no ovaries, living in the hormone jungle, and have suffered through 6 months of agony wondering when the big C was coming back. ( I know that sounds silly when it was "borderline" type, but it was still scary for me) It makes you wonder doesn't it?

yes, this whole thing is scary.

Now the question is, Who to really believe??

I know that John Hopkins is a highly accredited institute but so is Sloan Kettering and years ago they misdiagnosed my mother with breast cancer. Luckily her surgeon, at a local hospital, did what he thought was best and actually he was right.

Twenty eight years later,my mom is still here and totally cancer free. Who knows what might have happened!!!

Be relieved that you are now totally cancer free and the hormone jungle will subside with time.

Rosalie

Well,

Highdsight is always 20-20, and depending on who was the pathologist the day you were in the OR and doingt he quick read - you might be in the same boat.

At the time of surgery, every surgeon , especially when ovarian cancer is suspected, needs to be aggressive - that is, going for the TAH/BSO with staging if there is any chance at all they are dealing with cancer.

I am so sorry you are in this place, and I wish you a complete recovery

Dorrie

Yeah, hindsight is 20/20. I feel for the pathologists looking at specimens while the patient is still in OR. I've spent some time looking at things under a microscope and all those cells just look like tangled messes to me. Imagine the burden the pathologist must feel when something is uncertain, especially when the stakes are so high. Go one way and its off with the breast, uterus, ovaries, whatever. Go the other and some of those cancer cells might slip through. My dad was a pathologist.

The original pathologist must have seen something they didn't like and I'm sure reached his/her conclusion with your well being in mind. It's unfortunate that at least according to Hopkins they got it wrong.

Sorry it happened to you.