Ovarian Cancer: Allison's Patient Story
This ovarian cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Treatment
- surgery and chemotherapy
Treatment course, step by step
- A growing right ovarian mass was surgically removed during pregnancy.
- Chemotherapy began at 23 weeks of pregnancy and finished in September 2011.
- Seven weeks after giving birth, Allison had her right ovary removed.
What happened, in summary
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 biggest concern was how treatment might affect her pregnancy and baby.
Her oncology and high-risk obstetric teams coordinated her care, and chemotherapy was delayed until the second trimester. Allison began chemotherapy at 23 weeks of pregnancy and completed her final treatment in September 2011. Nearly a month later, she gave birth to Lucas, a healthy baby boy weighing more than seven pounds. Seven weeks after delivery, surgeons removed her right ovary.
The experience required Allison to manage cancer treatment and pregnancy at the same time, with support from oncology, obstetrics, nursing, social work, and surgery. By the time of the story, she was celebrating Mother’s Day with Lucas and her two young stepsons.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by Dana-Farber. Read the original in full
How we source and attribute stories Accuracy and limitations
These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer