Understanding
Treatment
Understanding the treatment process entails knowing your options and deciding
with your doctor what plan is best for you. Enlist your friends and family
to keep a watchful eye for any news and information regarding developments
in cancer therapy. Read the paper, scan the Internet, join an on-line
chat group and talk to cancer survivors who can tell you about their own
experiences. This will also help build a support system as you go through
treatment. Remember to discuss with your health care team any concerns
or questions you may have about your therapy and to obtain the advice
of your physician before starting any new activity that affects your health.
Oncology nurses are part of the gynecologic team and are able to answer
questions and address concerns you may have. In addition to your gynecologic
oncologist and the oncology nurse, the cancer libraries and information
centers located throughout Continuum can help provide information on a
variety of topics related to cancer. At these resource centers, you will
find extensive information about different types of cancer, collections
of survivors' stories, nutritional information and relaxation tapes. The
staff at these centers are available to assist you in your search for
information. There are also other excellent organizations throughout Continuum
and elsewhere that have been created to help patients who have gynecologic
cancers and their families. Click here for
a list of these organizations.
Support groups for cancer patients are ongoing, and there are support
groups for family, friends and caregivers. The oncology nurse or social
worker can arrange for individuals who experienced similar cancer treatments
to speak with you. This support helps patients and families realize that
treatment, though difficult, is manageable and temporary.
Surgery
Preoperative Preparation
If a hysterectomy has been recommended, a bowel cleansing may be ordered.
This can be a one- or two-day preparation including the use of laxatives
and enemas, a clear-liquid diet, and no ingestion of food or liquid after
midnight before surgery.
Ovarian
Surgery
In most cases, an oopherectomy, removal of the ovaries, is required to
prevent a recurrence of cancer. Since the ovaries sit adjacent to major
blood vessels and lymph nodes, the tumor may extend into other structures.
Therefore, a hysterectomy is also performed for ovarian cancer. A procedure,
debulking or tumor cytoreduction, may be required in order to eliminate
tumors in surrounding areas. This may lead to the removal of part of the
bladder and/or intestines. The surgeon tries to remove all tumors that
are seen. In some cases, not all of the cancer can be removed. A tumor
that is left behind is either microscopic, which is too small to be removed,
or is attached to a vital organ or blood vessel. Sometimes there are hundreds
of tiny tumors that cannot be completely taken out. In all cases, the
important factor is that most of the tumor is removed, making additional
therapies more effective.