Community Member
22 days agoHi...I was diagnosed in October 2025 with Stage 2 Grade 2 ovarian cancer. My specific type is endometrioid adenocarcinoma. The plan was to remove the tumor, ovaries, and tubes with laparoscopy, but when my oncologist got in there, he realized a laparotomy would also be necessary. The tumor was 12 cm, bigger than was previously thought. It was removed along with the ovaries, tubes, appendix, and omentum. (I had a partial hysterectomy several years ago, so my uterus and cervix were already gone.) It had formed adhesions to my bladder and multiple loops of my bowel. I also had numerous deposits of old blood throughout my abdominal cavity, as my cancer was caused by endometriosis that likely began from my first period at age 11, and all of that was cleaned out. My oncologist was able to remove everything with no complications which I think is amazing. I have no doubt that he saved my life. When he came to see me in the hospital after surgery, the first thing he said was, "You had a real mess going on down there!" which made me laugh.😂 Then he threw his fist up to show me how big the tumor was. 🤯 I recovered quickly and I felt so much better. Doc was confident that he got everything, but he said I still had to do chemo. I just had #3 of treatments. It's been rough, to say the least, but he said I seem to be tolerating chemo well, and my numbers from blood work look good. He explained there are standard normal results, and there is "chemo normal", and that for someone doing chemo I'm doing great. My cancer markers are in the normal range, though some other things were off. So I feel pretty optimistic, but I am wondering at what point after I finish chemo that I will be considered cancer-free or in remission, assuming my blood work numbers continue to improve. I can't seem to pin the doc down about that, and I've heard it's one year, five years or just whenever my numbers are "standard normal". I would like to add that I suffered for a long time with severev pelvlc pain and other symptoms, and kept putting off going to the doctor, even though I knew deep down it had to be something serious. I told myself that it was just "stomach problems, or a UTI, or whatever., and that it would resolve itself. Even after I finally went to the doctor, I procrastinated. I cancelled and rescheduled appointments, despite my symptoms . becoming worse every day. I was terrified. I am bipolar, and my depression and anxiety levels were off the charts . But the day the oncologist gave my diagnosis, I felt better. I know that's strange, but to finally have answers and a plan of action was such a relief. The fear and dread was going to kill me faster than the cancer. . So if you are someone you know are dragging your feet about seeking medical help, Googling symptoms and obsessing, please stop. Trust your instincts. If you feel like something is wrong , it probably is. No one wants to hear "you have cancer". But just remember, and tell your friends and family, that not knowing is far worse than knowing. 💯
Community Member
22 days agoThe timeline for being considered cancer-free varies by individual case, and oncologists often use different markers like blood work, scans, and time milestones to make that determination. It sounds like having an open conversation with your medical team about what specific benchmarks they're looking for - whether it's certain blood marker levels, clear scans, or a combination of factors - could help clarify the path forward and give you a better sense of what to expect after treatment concludes.
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