“It is hard to be defensive toward a danger
which you have never imagined existed.”
John Christopher
I have an “uncommon” form of stage 3 ovarian cancer. Following the discovery of the first tumor in March, the final diagnosis earlier this month (June) did not come as a total surprise. Though the advanced state did. Since then, true to my nature, I've been on a quest to learn as much as I can about the subject.
Prior to this, my knowledge of ovarian cancer was vague. Most of it stemmed from what I'd heard about comedienne Gilda Radnor's struggle and ultimate death in 1989 as a result of it. I'd never felt a need to learn more. Of course that is no longer the case. What I hope to do with this article is share what I know so far with the goal of warning other women of the insidious nature of the disease.
Ovarian cancer's presence is often overlooked because its symptoms mimic those of other conditions. In my case those symptoms included back pain, fatigue, and most especially increasing urinary frequency and urgency. Each of those were “diagnosed” and treated separately and unsuccessfully with increasing severity. It wasn't until after the discovery of the tumors that all the pieces fell into place. If there's a single most important warning that I can pass on it's to be aware if you have any of the symptoms that are persistent and fail to respond to treatment. Should you have any, please ask to be evaluated for ovarian cancer. Uterine cancer has many of the same symptoms and can be overlooked as well.
The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer include persistent bloating, feeling full quickly after eating a small amount and/or having no appetite at all, fatigue, back pain, increasing urinary urges and need to urinate, pelvic/abdominal discomfort, and unexplained weight changes. Keep in mind, these are not always signs of the presence of cancer so please don't immediately go into a panic if you have them. But be aware of them and consult your doctor with any concerns you might have. In the case of uterine cancer, vaginal bleeding not related to menses, and particularly after menopause, is ALWAYS a warning and a woman must see her physician as soon as possible.
As I said, my symptoms were never connected as being from the same source. The initial tumor was discovered following a CT scan for a potential hernia. Good news was there was no hernia. Bad news, they found a mass on my left ovary and I was urged to see my GYN as soon as possible. She immediately ordered a vaginal ultrasound which showed the mass wasn't a cyst, as I'd assumed, but was solid, and it was large. About eight centimeters in size. She then referred me to a gynecologic oncologist whose subsequent CT scan showed the presence of two more masses, one behind my uterus and one within the uterus itself. He had hoped the latter was merely fibroids, which made sense as my mother had suffered from them. Following a total hysterectomy, however, it was found that that mass was also malignant and the malignancy extended to the right ovary, as well as into my lymph nodes. The specimens were sent to the pathologist who found they were malignant but he wasn't able to ascertain what type of malignancy, so they were then sent to a well known pathologist at Harvard where it was found to be of an aggressive, “uncommon” type, and the condition was staged at three. I'll soon have a port implanted and chemo will begin lasting eighteen weeks. My oncologist repeatedly tried to reassure me that they would try to maintain some quality of life while I am undergoing it. To which I said, in effect, “Screw that! Let's do what has to be done!”
I might also point out that my oncologist, being the excellent doctor that he is, referred to my past medical history and found that the mass had been overlooked as early as 2023. It was very visible on another abdominal CT scan but for some unknown reason the radiologist at that time failed to note it in his report. It was only because my oncologist elected to view the scans himself that he realized it was there. In the intervening two years it had doubled in size. Who knows how long it's been growing inside of me?
I don't know what the genesis was for my cancer. With the exception of my father, who passed away due to Merkel Cell Carcinoma, and a maternal grand-aunt who underwent a double mastectomy following her diagnosis of breast cancer, there are no other known cases of cancer on either side of my family. Unlike either of them, I have never smoked or imbibed in any other dangerous practice. Nor have I unknowingly been exposed to any common carcinogens. What I do suspect is it may be due to a long time use of talcum powder, beginning from birth and continuing into my late thirties or early forties, that may be the culprit. But again, I don't know for sure. I'm not certain I'll ever know. The important thing is that it was found at all.
Once again I caution my readers not to panic if you find your symptoms suspicious. Most likely they really are simply indicative of other, non-cancerous conditions. But it never fails to be alert to the possibility and proactive in seeking medical evaluation. You are the master of your body. You know it better than anyone and you are the one who ultimately must add two and two. Hopefully your summation is five, but just in case it is four, it's better to be safe than sorry.
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