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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 15 October 2015

Ovarian cancer survivor, Meghna, 30, tells you why. Here, she shares her experience – symptoms and treatment – and her learnings.

Please tell us a bit about your condition. 

I have a rare form of ovarian cancer called Granulosa Cell Tumour (GCT). These are classified as stromal tumours originating from the sex cordGCT accounts for about 2-3% of all ovarian cancer cases. I was staged 1a (12x7cm tumour removed intact).

When were you diagnosed? 

I was diagnosed in November 2014 at the age of 29.

What were the early symptoms? 

I believe I had symptoms starting from December 2012 and consisted mainly of abdominal cramping and sharp back pain on my left side (tumour was in my left ovary). My symptoms used to go away and come back every 4-5 months Is there a history of ovarian cancer in your family? 

No. I have the FOXL2 mutation, which is responsible for the tumour. However, this is a somatic mutation (not hereditary).

What is your present condition? 

“N.E.D” (No evidence of disease). I am monitored by blood tests/exams every 3 months and an ultrasound every 6 months. The tumour markers for GCT are Inhibin A and B.

Please describe your experience of managing ovarian cancer.

I was lucky to have the tumour removed before it ruptured. I chose not to do chemotherapy since its effect on GCT is still debatable and there was no evidence of cancer cells left behind after my staging surgery. I have a pretty normal and active life and I don’t even think about the cancer until it is time for my 3-month check-up.

Any related complications? 

I had 28 lymph nodes removed from my abdomen during surgery. This puts me at high risk for acquiring lymphedema in the future (abnormal swelling in legs).

What medications are you on? 

No medication, however I am trying to cut back on processed food and I take a vitamin D supplement.

What were some of the challenges you faced and what is your advice to patients who face similar challenges? Have you learnt anything in managing in your condition that you wish you knew before?

1. Be aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer (infographic below) and if you have recurrent pain like mine, insist on a scan.

2. It is hard to tell if an ovarian cyst/tumour is benign or malignant before surgery. Never have a cyst removed by your regular gynecologist, and insist on having a gynaecologic-oncologist perform the surgery. Many of my fellow survivors had their gynaecologist or fertility doctor ‘drain’ out the cyst or cut it open inside the patient, only to discover later that it was cancer and they had spilled the cells everywhere. It is very important to remove the cyst intact, even if you do not know of its malignancy.

3. See a gynaecologist every year for your annual exam/pap test. Many of my friends in India have never been to a gynaecologist and consider a pelvic exam too invasive. On the contrary, it is a very important procedure to detect any ovarian or uterine abnormality and the pap test is an important screening for cervical cancer.

4. Premenopausal women like me have the option to receive ‘fertility sparing’ surgery where the other ovary and uterus is left behind (only if they look normal). Also, many of my fellow survivors have no trouble getting pregnant naturally after their surgery, and have very healthy babies. The only risk to getting pregnant is if you are actively/were recently receiving chemotherapy.

What kind of specialists do you consult and how often? 

I see a gynaecology-oncologist every 3 months.

Have you tried complementary medicine or therapies, like homeopathy or yoga? 

No. I do practice yoga once a week but it is more for managing stress.

What was the hardest part of the treatment? What kept you going? How has this changed your life perspectives and ambitions?

Getting through the surgery was easy. The hardest part is always wondering when/if the cancer will ever come back. I have learned the hard way that it is very important to be your own advocate and to never ignore your symptoms.work in software engineering and get paid very well, but I learned that money is really not that important if your job is stressful and you don’t like what you do. Taking care of your health should be your first priority. I enjoy the outdoors and there are many countries (and mountains) on my bucket list and I take time off to visit as many of them as I can.

 

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