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Debra's cancer journey began in August 2013 when, after feeling pain when she bent over, was diagnosed with ovarian cysts. During a scheduled hysterectomy, it was determined that she had ovarian cancer. After 22 cycles of chemotherapy, she was officially cancer free in February 2015!
Sadly, she found out just last week that the cancer has returned. As of now, she has successfully undergone exploratory surgery. The plan was to do a laproscopic look to assess things and then decide if a larger incision and more extensive surgery was needed.
Dr. Fader found the tumor that showed up on CT - it was multiple small tumors in a non-essential organ called the omentum. Dr. Fader was able to remove the omentum and the small tumors within it laproscopically. There were additional small tumors on other organs that she left - in her words "They were too small to remove. It is a very low tumor amount and it should respond excellently to chemotherapy." Rather than doing a much bigger incision and surgery that would have put off chemo for recovery, Dr. Fader would like to get Debra to chemo ASAP and opted for going after the bigger tumor amount that was easily removable, leaving the smaller and less removable tumors.
While we sad and angry to have recurrence and Debra isn't thrilled about having tumor left, Dr. Fader repeatedly emphasizes the positives in this situation. Debra's tumor was very chemo sensitive in the past and she didn't have recurrence for 4.5 years - a long time in Ovarian Cancer - this points to 'good tumor biology' that will be sensitive again. Debra is young, healthy and can handle the stress of chemo again. Dr. Fader is feeling confident about getting Debra back into remission. We trust Dr. Fader, and if she is confident we are too.
Please continue sending your love and support through texts and posts here, on Facebook, and on her Caring Bridge site (where you can read much more and follow her journey to beat this again!)
Please also consider making a monetary donation if at all possible to help cover the medical expenses she is facing. Thank you in advance!
Sadly, she found out just last week that the cancer has returned. As of now, she has successfully undergone exploratory surgery. The plan was to do a laproscopic look to assess things and then decide if a larger incision and more extensive surgery was needed.
Dr. Fader found the tumor that showed up on CT - it was multiple small tumors in a non-essential organ called the omentum. Dr. Fader was able to remove the omentum and the small tumors within it laproscopically. There were additional small tumors on other organs that she left - in her words "They were too small to remove. It is a very low tumor amount and it should respond excellently to chemotherapy." Rather than doing a much bigger incision and surgery that would have put off chemo for recovery, Dr. Fader would like to get Debra to chemo ASAP and opted for going after the bigger tumor amount that was easily removable, leaving the smaller and less removable tumors.
While we sad and angry to have recurrence and Debra isn't thrilled about having tumor left, Dr. Fader repeatedly emphasizes the positives in this situation. Debra's tumor was very chemo sensitive in the past and she didn't have recurrence for 4.5 years - a long time in Ovarian Cancer - this points to 'good tumor biology' that will be sensitive again. Debra is young, healthy and can handle the stress of chemo again. Dr. Fader is feeling confident about getting Debra back into remission. We trust Dr. Fader, and if she is confident we are too.
Please continue sending your love and support through texts and posts here, on Facebook, and on her Caring Bridge site (where you can read much more and follow her journey to beat this again!)
Please also consider making a monetary donation if at all possible to help cover the medical expenses she is facing. Thank you in advance!
Organizer and beneficiary
Debra Sapcariu
Beneficiary