Is Recovery from Stage IV Ovarian Cancer Possible?
Ovarian cancer is a struggle many people have faced, whether you are the one who has it, you know someone who has it, or you already kicked its butt. Cancer is not only a tough situation for the diagnosed, but it is often painful for the family and friends of the afflicted. The way one deals with the struggles it brings is always a little different, depending on each person or family that has to face this emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually draining experience. When people are newly diagnosed with a late stage cancer, such as stage IV, they often feel as though the bottom has fallen out beneath their feet. Some people may really consider giving up hope, but everyone who is still breathing still has some fight left in them. It is in these trying times that you must grab yourself by your bootstraps and soldier on.
Fighting ovarian cancer does not only involve physical and mental strength; it’s more than that. Fighting any cancer needs education about your body in order to break any expected limits. Fighting cancer requires you to have close contact with your soul religiously or generally in order to reason with it to hold onto your body long enough to grow very old, wrinkly and to be satisfied with the life you lived, and it needs you to know so much about yourselves and the cancer to turn the table and get a firm grip on your opponent. Believing in something bigger than the disease can make even stage IV ovarian cancer go away. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that 69% of people diagnosed with cancer who also had spiritual and/or religious beliefs show better physical health and remission rates.
Ovarian cancers are the 7th most typical cancer that affects women; 1 every 75 in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in her lifetime. For the sake of general information about ovarian cancer, there are several types of ovarian cancer: Epithelial Cancer, Primary Peritoneal Cancer, Fallopian tube Cancer, germ cell tumors, stromal tumors, and sarcomas.
Epithelial
Epithelial cancer is the most common type of ovarian cancer; 90% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer have it. There are 5 types of epithelial cancer which include serious, endometrioid, clear cell, mucinous, and unclassified or undifferentiated. (Epithelia cancer general)
Primary Peritoneal Cancer
Primary peritoneal cancer is very similar to Epithelial and is treated with the same approaches and is found in people over the age of 60.
Teratoma of the Ovaries
Teratoma of the ovaries are germ cell tumors that begin eggs cells; it is very rare that is usually found in women at their 20s. There are two types of teratoma mature which is not cancerous and immature which is cancerous.
Granulosa Stroma Tumor
Granulosa stromal tumor of the ovary happens to less than 5% of women. There are functioning and nonfunctioning tumors. The functioning tumors release hormone oestrogen affecting the reproductive system and encourage secondary sexual characteristics to develop.
Fallopian Cancer
Fallopian cancer occurs to only 1% of women which started as the fallopian tube, the tube which eggs travel from the ovaries to the uterus.
Doctors use the International Federation of Gynaecological Oncologists system to know which stage the cancer is from 1-4. Stage 4 of ovarian cancer generally means that cancer has spread to other distant organs such as the lungs (stage 4a) and liver (stage 4b). This cancer is treated with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and biological therapy according to general health, cancer stage, and what cells look like and behave under the microscope. At this stage, cancer can be treated with primary chemotherapy to shrink cancer than with surgery to debunk cancer according to how fast the cancer is growing, where it has spread and general health. However, if cancer spread can be managed to be removed without primary chemotherapy then chemotherapy is applied after surgery to shrink what is left of the cancer that wasn’t been able to be removed through surgery. But if all the cancer has been removed through surgery chemotherapy is used to reduce the risk of it growing back. And if the chemotherapy has no control over the more advanced cancers, a biotherapy approached is used, called bevacizumab.
Although the approaches may be aggressive, you must never lose hope not even for a second, because technology and science are being improved every day discovering more approaches and treatment to cure ovarian cancer. Medicine can mostly be painful and hard, but it is a good thing it exists.
Survival Story
Trina Hammack is a 5-year stage 4 ovarian cancer survivor through surgery and chemotherapy. She knew the statistics and the odds. Trina is a healthcare practitioner that second handily knew precisely about what chemo and radiation could do to her body, but she allowed herself to accept the treatments with no second thoughts and gave space for her miracle to work itself. Later on through the follow-ups the cancer shrunk and shrunk through chemo until she became cancer-free. Trina was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in 2008 and came out the fight as a winner. It's 2017. Science has had 9 years to improve, so statistically you have more odds than Trina. Give the miracle its space to work and believe that it will.
The survival rate of stage 4 cancer is 17%. That may be a scary number, but it is a number that is not 0. A clinical trial can improve these chances, according to Dr. David P Carbone: “The treatments we use today were discovered, tested and first made available to patients in clinical trials—and the drugs that are the future of cancer treatment are in trials today. I want to emphasize that being in a clinical trial is how you get access to the next generation of cancer treatment.” There are so many many clinical trials for many different types of cancers that focus on late stages. So if you are not having the criteria of a specific trial you might have the criteria for another.
Exercise has proven to increase chances of survival through improving general health, making your body more ready for treatments and benefiting mental health. It makes you less nauseous while lowering the risk of being depressed. After consultation with the doctor and several tests being taken such as red blood cell counts, a program can be created for you. You would rather not lessen the quality of your life dragging yourself into depression. Life is still present and is not leaving you unless you let it. Walk around as much as you can, go out, adopt a dog and walk it around. This is a privilege to realize the value of life and fight for it more.
Undergoing treatment changes how you feel and how you look. The loss of hair and the tiredness could easily drain your mental energy making you feel bad for yourself. Whenever you start feeling down just remember you are not alone. There are many services provided to make you feel better. Many hospitals offer salon services that specialize in fitting wigs and makeovers. Cognitive Behavior Therapy helps you think in a more positive way, helping you set up goals and learn new skills. Other than the services provided, therapeutic massages can lessen the side effects of the cancer treatments, alongside pain, nausea and fatigue according to a research publish in Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing.
Many studies show that laughter can help recover from cancer; it is complementary to medicine rather than the cure. Laughter therapy helps relieves stress, pain, and gives a sense of well-being. It’s not just okay to still have a sense of humor, it is recommended. Being surrounded with people who can make you laugh is one of the best things that can ease pain during the treatment.
Surviving cancer is possible as long as you believe that you and your loved ones can win this fight together. Paying attention and caring about you mental and emotional health just like your physical health can play a huge role in curing the disease and allowing you to live a life full of wellness instead of fear and hopelessness. Have faith. A quality life is all about having faith and believing that this too will pass.
References
The American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovarian-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
Cancer Support Community http://www.cancersupportcommunity.org/clinical-trials-cancer
Cancer Research UK http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/ovarian-cancer/types
National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms?cdrid=754716
Hope 4 Cancer Institute https://hope4cancer.com/blog/trina-stage-4-ovarian-cancer/
Cancer Fighters Thrive http://www.cancerfightersthrive.com/guide-to-boost-your-self-esteem-and-self-image-while-undergoing-cancer-treatment/
