Frayda--I have ovarian cancer. Two immediate ideas I had were for you to join two boards that I use which are very helpful. We have people who post there for mothers so you will be at home. One is Hyster Sisters, which has a Cancer Concerns board. The other is at acor.org. This is a list-server where you receive updates once or twice a day listing posts and then the posts, or you can read off the site if you prefer. There is a 1300 person ovarian list. We discuss every topic imaginable, from the newly diagnosed "what do I do" to those who have chosen Hospice. Both boards are free to join and will be helpful.
Do you know what type of ovarian cancer your mother has? 80% is epithelial cell, which is what Ihave. If it is epithelial, the standard treatment is 6 cycles, three weeks apart, of Taxol and Carboplatin. Some doctors may add a third drug (such as Doxil or Gemzar) or go to 8 weeks.
Most women respond very well to the treatment. They get remission.
Even if mom is stage 3 or 4, where 70% are diagnosed, there is good hope for her. Ovarian tends to recur and be considered more "chronic" than curable at those stages. I will have had it four years on 3/28. I have stage 3C. My initial treatment got me 9 months of remission; the second treatment got me almost six. Since late August of 2003, except for one month of a Tamoxifen trial (failure) and now one month off to see what happens (Gemzar worked wonderfully and then seems to have failed me) I have been on chemo. My life is great and I've turned into a big activist for awareness.
There are two websites to which I will direct you--they have excellent information on them.
Ovarian Cancer National Alliance: www.ovariancancer.org
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition: www.ovarian.org
If you have more questions, please feel free to e-mail me. My "fun" e-mail I don't mind giving out is: [email protected]
It's a very frightening diagnosis but the women on the two boards will be very helpful and the information from OCNA and NOCC will be helpful.
Johns Hopkins and MD Anderson also have excellent information on ovarian cancer.
Ellen--living proof you can live with ovarian cancer.