Ovarian Cancer: A Patient’s Perspective

ANGELA MATTHEWS* was an active, healthy 43-year-old with four young children, a thriving career and busy social calendar when she first noticed the symptoms. Cramping, bloating, sporadic menstrual bleeding and unexplained weight loss prompted her OB-GYN to order an ultrasound. Angela was incorrectly diagnosed with a ruptured ovarian cyst, and over a period of four months, her symptoms escalated. “When I went back to my OB-GYN a month later, they did another ultrasound and also a CA125 blood test to check for cancer antigens,” recalls Angela. “When the results came back, my CA125 was 4,400 (a normal one is under 35). I was immediately referred to an oncologist, who was 99 percent sure it was ovarian cancer.”

Angela and her husband, Eric, were stunned. With no family history or other risk factors, a cancer diagnosis was thelast thing they expected. “We had no idea I was that sick,” says Angela. “We were just on a vacation, I was working full time, I was helping in my kids’ classrooms and running all four of them around for after-school activities.”

Angela’s oncologist explained that although her symptoms seemed mild, she was actually in a small percentage of patients who even exhibit symptoms. Known as the silent killer, ovarian cancer is one of the most deadly cancers in women. According to the American Cancer Society, only 20 percent to 30 percent of women diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer are alive five years later.¹ “When I asked about survival rates, my oncologist said it was about 30 percent with a high rate of reoccurrence,” says Angela. “She did explain, however, that the statistics tended to be outdated and not to pay attention to them. I told her I was going to fight this because I wanted to be able to hold my grandchildren. She looked straight at me and said, ‘I hate cancer so much that I have made it my life’s work so that women like you will be able to hold their grandchildren one day.’”

An Aggressive Treatment Plan

Angela’s treatment plan began with a full hysterectomy that removed her ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix. Before surgery, Angela was injected with a fluid that illuminates cancer in the body; during surgery, her organs “lit up like a Christmas tree.” Her anticipated stage 2 cancer was actually diagnosed at stage 3, and surgeons proceeded to remove a portion of her colon, part of her intestines and the fat layer in her stomach during the nine-hour procedure.

Angela was also fitted with an intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy port; her 21-day cycles included intravenous (IV) treatment of Taxol and IP treatment of Cisplatin. “The chemo went directly into my abdomen,” explains Angela. “I had to go through several hours of hydration, receive the chemo and then turn every 15 minutes for two hours so the drugs could reach all areas of my abdomen. My nurses and I called it ‘marinating.’ On days eight through 21, I would rest. This cycle continued for six rounds.”

Angela considers herself fortunate to have been treated at a university hospital by an oncologist who specializes in ovarian cancer. While going through chemo, she learned that not many oncologists offer the IP chemotherapy option. “Because it allows the chemo to go directly into the abdomen, it’s a game changer for patients and offers a much higher survival rate,” she explains. “I was also very fortunate to have an IV portacath for my Taxol treatments instead of having to go the IV route. This saved my veins from collapsing or getting major scar tissue.”

Beating the Odds

Today, Angela appears to have defied the statistics; she has been cancer-free since Dec. 9, 2015. A fighter by nature and a woman of faith, Angela says exceptional medical care and a positive attitude played huge roles in her outcome. “I never let myself think about dying, and I refused to read articles or look at statistics that talked about dying from my disease,” she says. “So many people think they don’t have control of their disease ortheirtreatment, but healing starts first with your attitude and your willingness to fight. I have always been competitive, and Imay have been surprised by cancer, but I refused to be defeated by it.”

*Names have been changed at the patient’s request.