Question: What are the statistics for surviving ovarian cancer? Would appreciate it if you could provide sources to accompany your responses. Also, would appreciate hearing stories of recovery. I have a friend who is going in for surgery on Thursday to remove a large (soccer ball sized) tumour. How common is this size of tumour? What are her chances?
Answer: Check out www.ovariancancer.com this site provides info.. I have included some here for you.
One woman out of every fifty-five (approximately 1.8%) will develop ovarian cancer some time in her life time.
In 2003, approximately 25,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Approximately 14,500 women will die of the disease.
Over 70% of all women with ovarian cancer will not be diagnosed until the disease has spread beyond the ovary. This is because the symptoms of early ovarian cancer are often vague and can mimic other common medical problems.
Ovarian cancer is most common in women who have already gone through menopause. The average age for developing ovarian cancer is 61 years old.
For the small number of women who are fortunate enough to have their cancer diagnosed before it has spread beyond the ovary, the chance for cure is 85 to 90%. However, for the majority of women in whom the disease has spread beyond the ovary, the chance of living for five years after the diagnosis is between 20 and 25%.
Question: Will a history of ovarian cancer affect me getting the pill? Is it possible that my Grandma's history of ovarian cancer will affect me getting the pill?
Statistics and opinions welcome.
thanks in advance.
Answer: Only a small proportion of ovarian cancers have a genetic link.
If your Grandmother was over the age of 50 at diagnosis it makes it less likely hers was genetically related.
If no other family members have developed breast or ovarian cancer it is less likely to be genetically related.
If it is not genetically related then you are at no greater risk than anyone else, so no affect on your prescription
Question: Is it true that once you experience the symptoms of ovarian cancer, it's already in the advanced stage? My mom (who has ovarian cancer) has a number of heavy symptoms (including constant bleeding, and pain). They've gotten pretty severe and she's had them for quite some time.
Does this mean the cancer is already in the advanced stages? What are the statistics on this one? What are the odds of her recovering and living for many years more?
My mom is waiting to see a doctor and get the full prognosis and I am waiting to hear from mom. In the meantime, I thought I'd find out as much as I could.
Answer: Yes it’s true. 15% are diagnosed at stage 1 and another 15% at stage 2, but 65% are diagnosed at stage 3. Unfortunately, this cancer does not generally have a very good prognosis. However, statistics have no way to determine how well any individual will do. There are 4 parts to stage 3. The 5-year survival rate ranges from 40-23%.
Question: Can ovarian cancer be cured? My aunt has-had ovarian cancer, was operated on, debulged, and had six chemo courses. For the last three controls she has been free of it -zero CA125 - and feels fit. Everywhere we looked we found only statistics of how many survive t i l l 85 - 20 % - but none about a full cure or living above 85. Has no one ever been cured?
Answer: Frankly speaking there is not cure for cancer and timely detection and treatments viz. Surgery (Here it is removal of overies) chemo therapy and Radiation Therapy, can ery well extend the life of the patient. It depends on various factors and your Onclogist will be better judge to tell after studying the stage etc.
The likely course of ovarian cancer is predicted using prognostic factors. The only universally accepted prognostic factors for patients with ovarian cancer are stage and, in advanced stage patients, volume of residual disease. Other factors that may be important but about which there is continued debate include patient age, histopathologic grade, and DNA ploidy. Many other putative prognostic factors have been reported but the data are still considered preliminary. See also Peritoneal Fluid Cytology and CA125.
Serum levels of CA125 correlate with volume of disease. Although high preoperative CA125 levels may predict unresectability and poor survival, postoperative CA125 levels appear to be more prognostic. Some investigators believe that although CA125 levels may be useful predicting group outcomes, they lack the power to guide individual treatment decisions.
Please do not worry and continue with the good treatment and she may live for more years.-
Question: Survival Rates for Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer? Has anyone gone a while with at least stage 3 ovarian cancer and survived? My mom has it (8/2006) and is on her second chemo. All the statistics on the web are depressing but she now has a positive outlook that she will beat it. But the 'recurrance' they all talk about really frightens me. Thanks!
Answer: Ignore the statistics, they were never meant to be applied to individuals.
Your Mom is right! Go be with her and enjoy this time. Don't worry about something that might never happen.
