Just the Facts, Ma'am

Cancer is certainly an emotional journey.  But it is also a physical one.  I have been writing about the emotional side, and will continue to, but I thought that I should post about the physical effects of cancer and its treatments.  Most of you will find this post thoroughly uninteresting and the links useless, but I want to put this out there for any newly-diagnosed person who may stumble onto this site.  As a compulsive information-seeker, I wish a compiled list of things to expect and how to find out more about them had been available to me.  So, here is an extensive overview of the effects of cancer on one person's body.

* Updated 10/07/05 *

January 2004
Surgery:  Unilateral (one side) Salpingo-Oophorectomy (supposed to be both sides)
Result:  Diagnosed with Stage 2c Immature Ovarian Teratoma (Grade 3)

February 2004
Chemotherapy:  Cisplatin, Bleomycin, and Vinblastine (PVB)
Side Effects:  Anaphylaxis
Result:  Stopped after second treatment, allergic to vinblastine

March 2004
Surgery:  Salpingo-Oophorectomy to take out the ovary which was left behind by last surgeon (Don't ask)
Result:  Diagnosis changed to Stage 3c

March - June 2004
Chemotherapy:  Cisplatin, Bleomycin, and Etoposide (BEP)
Side Effects:  Hearing loss, tinnitus, diarrhea, shortness of breath, severe nausea, headaches, vertigo, hair loss, anemia, neutropenia (almost all attributable to cisplatin)
Result:  Slight slowing of tumor growth, but not enough

July - August 2004
High-Dose Chemotherapy with Stem Cell Transplant (Etoposide, Ifosfamide, and Cisplatin)
Side Effects:  All of the above plus more hearing loss, interstitial cystitis, shingles, peripheral neuropathy, severe nausea, neutropenia (which is quite the understatement, white cells went to zero), anemia, pancytopenia... Plus indirect long-term side effects such as pneumonia, arthritis, yeast infections, bone pain from neupogen injections, post-herpetic neuralgia and overall miserable-ness
Result:  Went through hell and back for nothing
(Side Note:  I want to impress firmly that I would never recommend this procedure unless you have leukemia or lymphoma, where there is a lot of evidence that it is highly effective.  Even then a serious cost-benefit analysis is in order.  I have found that many - not all - doctors are touting SCTs as the cure for just about everything but the common cold, and downplaying the serious risks associated with the procedure.  Okay, getting down from the soap box now.)

September 2004 - January 2005
Radiation
Side Effects:  "Sunburn" on stomach, fatigue, mild nausea
Result:  Temporarily slowed tumor growth but ultimately could not keep up with the progression

February 2005
Surgery: Resection of lymph nodes and partially obstructed bowel
Result:  Clean CT scan

March - June 2005

Chemotherapy:  Doxil
Side Effects:  Rash, weird skin reactions, low blood pressure
Result:  Disease progression

June 2005

Radioimmunotherapy:  Intra-peritoneal Yttrium Y90-DOTA-Tyr3-Octreotide (a.k.a. "Skronk")

Side Effects:  Nausea, fatigue

Result:  Tumor markers are currently down, will find out soon if it worked!

Other Treatment:  Begin hemodialysis to treat kidney failure.

July 2005

Surgery:  Endolymphatic shunts put into ears to correct fluid build-up causing deafness

Result:  Successful, I can hear, though not much.

August 2005
Remission at long last.
Maintenance Therapy:  Tarceva
Side Effects:  Rash, acne, fatigue
Result:  Jack

October 2005
Well, that was fun.  Recurrance.
Chemotherapy:  Arsenic Trioxide
Side Effects:  Too soon to tell
Result:  I'm not holding my breath

Note:  I have germ cell ovarian cancer, which is treated differently than epithelial ovarian cancer, the far more common subtype.  Most women with epithelial ovca are treated with Carboplatin and Taxol.  I don't know anything about those drugs.

I hope that maybe I have helped, just a little.  This cancer stuff can be hell on body and mind.

Comments

[Gail]

Oh, honey, you are a brave girl. Ovarian cancer is the most wicked, I swear. You sound plucky, but I'm sure that is at a cost. Best luck to you.

[donna]

started reading your blog and you have caught my interest. I like how you posted this message explaining so much to help us understand. the only one I know personally was the shingles. watching my mother go through it was so painful. They were in her mouth and ears and throat.it was the shingles that tipped her doctor off to her cancer.she had tumors in her bile ducts of her liver.I learned that 30% of ppl with shingles also have cancerous tumors.You are an effective writer and think you are doing good by writing out the frusteration and pain. I'm pulling for you and i think you just may be stubborn enough to lick cancer!! Hope I haven't offended you because through your writings you have gained my respect. donna

[michael jones]

Thank you for the links! I will check them all and i am sure that i will find something good about the natural yeast infection cures!