Surgery for Ovarian Cancer: 46 Real Stories
46 stories match ovarian cancer and surgery. 40 of them mention chemotherapy.
Stage III Ovarian Cancer: Karen’s Survivor Story
Karen Howley LaCamera was 57 when sharp abdominal pain sent her to the emergency room in February 2018. A scan for suspected gallbladder trouble also found an orange-sized ovarian tumor, and she was diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer. Within 2 weeks…
Read this storyBRCA Ovarian Cancer: Christie’s Patient Story
Christie Siebel already knew she carried a BRCA mutation and had previously been treated for triple-negative breast cancer. She had been considering preventive gynecologic surgery when her care team found a complex ovarian cyst. In early March 2020, Christie…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Shelley’s Patient Story
Shelley O’Keefe had noticed bruising, fatigue, lower back pain, and an episode of severe abdominal pain over several years. Because she was an athlete, golf instructor, and busy parent, many of those symptoms were easy to explain away. Pain during intercourse…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Dana’s Patient Story
Dana Kivel was diagnosed in late 2011 with a rare ovarian cancer called a granulosa cell tumor. Over the next 10 years, the cancer recurred, with new tumors appearing in other parts of their body. Dana underwent four surgeries and received 5 months of…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Lauren’s Survivor Story
Lauren Wells was 25 when several days of hearing music and seagulls, feeling sticky skin, and becoming unable to speak normally led coworkers to seek urgent help. She was first admitted to a psychiatric unit, but repeated seizures prompted intensive care and…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Elle’s Patient Story
Elle Simone was living in New York City when she began having symptoms she initially thought were gastrointestinal problems, something she considered plausible as a chef. She sought gynecologic care, but felt that her pain and concerns were dismissed. An…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Kimberly’s Survivor Story
Kimberly Richardson was training for a marathon in 2013 when unusual fatigue and a small amount of bleeding after menopause prompted her to see a gynecologist. Ultrasound imaging suggested an ovarian cyst, and surgery was planned to remove it. Kimberly even…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Jamie’s Patient Story
Jamie was 26 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The diagnosis brought shock, fear, and a sense of isolation because her friends were not facing the same medical and life decisions. Within a year, she underwent two surgeries and often felt physically…
Read this storyStage III BRCA1 Ovarian Cancer: Patty’s Patient Story
Patty Klein was in her late 40s when severe pain in her side led to imaging and a diagnosis of Stage III ovarian cancer. The pain came from fluid building up in her abdomen. After diagnosis, she learned that she carried a BRCA1 mutation, which was also found…
Read this storyStage I Ovarian Cancer: Mary’s Survivor Story
Mary “Dicey” Jackson Scroggins spent about 2 years dealing with abdominal bloating, weight gain, frequent urination and heavy menstrual bleeding before ovarian cancer was discovered. In September 1996, at age 46, she underwent a hysterectomy for fibroids and…
Read this storyStage III Ovarian Cancer: Angela’s Survivor Story
An MD Anderson employee was 32 when a routine well-woman exam led to the discovery of a 7-inch mass on her left ovary in 2018. She had noticed some bloating but had attributed it to a recent course of antibiotics. Ultrasound and MRI initially raised the…
Read this storySmall Cell Lung Cancer: Tabby’s Survivor Story
At age 26, Tabby Soignier developed bloating, pain and headaches while trying to get in shape for her brother's wedding. An ultrasound eventually showed a 15 cm tumor wrapped around her right ovary. She underwent urgent surgery to remove the tumor and ovary…
Read this storyBRCA Ovarian Cancer: Dena’s Patient Story
Dena Svoboda was 56 when severe acid reflux led to the discovery of a 25-pound ovarian tumor. She underwent surgery to remove it, followed by chemotherapy. Just over 1 year later, the ovarian cancer returned. During an 8.5-hour operation, surgeons removed…
Read this storyStage IV Ovarian Cancer: Janelle’s Patient Story
Janelle Kister faced a Stage IV ovarian cancer diagnosis but chose to move quickly into treatment. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy, then received a stem cell transplant in 2001 as part of a Phase II clinical trial. Her recovery was long, but she was…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Leslie’s Survivor Story
This patient was diagnosed with high-grade serous ovarian cancer in August 2013 after weeks of diarrhea were followed by severe bloating. A CT scan showed large amounts of abdominal fluid, and further evaluation led her to MD Anderson. A laparoscopy showed…
Read this storyStage II BRCA1 Ovarian Cancer: Barb’s Patient Story
In February 2014, at age 50, Barb White underwent a hysterectomy to remove a large suspicious cyst. The surgery confirmed Stage II ovarian cancer, which had spread to her uterus. Three weeks later, she began chemotherapy. Barb had a severe allergic reaction…
Read this storyStage III Ovarian Cancer: Dianne’s Patient Story
Dianne Simpson was 73 when she completed treatment for Stage III high-grade serous ovarian cancer in April 2017. Her symptoms had started months earlier with worsening pain, bloating and difficulty sleeping. Initial evaluations did not identify the cause, but…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Allison’s Patient Story
At 31, Allison Bellevue was pregnant when an ultrasound found a small mass on her right ovary. The mass grew over the next month and was removed. Three days after surgery, when she was 17 weeks pregnant, she learned that she had clear-cell ovarian cancer. Her…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Brittany’s Patient Story
This patient and her husband had always imagined having children, but ovarian cancer changed those plans. Before her ovaries were removed during cancer treatment, she was able to have eggs retrieved and frozen so they would have options for becoming parents…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Brittany’s Patient Story
A recurrence of ovarian cancer made the summer of 2014 especially difficult for this patient. The patient spent a total of 70 days in the hospital, including 58 days at MD Anderson. During that period, the patient needed a nasogastric tube, underwent two…
Read this storyStage III BRCA1 Ovarian Cancer: Meredith’s Survivor Story
Meredith Ippolito’s ovarian cancer was discovered unexpectedly in 2008. She had sought care for rectal bleeding, and a colonoscopy found flat polyps but no cancer. Doctors decided to perform a colon resection. During that operation, cancer was found, and…
Read this storyStage IV Ovarian Cancer: Bre’s Patient Story
At age 26, this patient had worsening bloating, stomach problems and abdominal pain that several doctors initially dismissed. An emergency-room CT scan showed large tumors, and surgery that had been expected to be straightforward instead revealed Stage IV…
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