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OVdialogue – consider joining our team in the role of Peer Support Volunteer. Over a few hours each week, you would be part of a team that helps connect people, support conversations and are thought leaders for OVdialogue. This is your opportunity to give back to those who have/continue to support you through the tough times, share your unique experiences, and help celebrate successes. For more details of what this entails, please reach out to @Mfallis (mfallis@ovariancanada.org).
Can chemo start before the genetic testing has been done?
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I am recently diagnosed (3 weeks ago), high-grade serous, stage 4, and I saw the gynecological oncologist for the first time yesterday. Obviously my case is a bad one because the main tumour is big (12cm by 8cm) and the cancer has already metastasized to my lungs. My one chance appears to be if I prove sensitive to the chemo, but the oncologist was annoyed to see that genetic testing had been overlooked, and said she'd order it ASAP because the results could help determine which treatment might work the best. I'm in a hurry to start chemo (for obvious reasons of this being my one chance) , but can they start chemo before the testing is done?
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@TotallySurprised
What a Rollercoaster ride you have been on!
In answer to your question, yes they can. I believe they can adjust it along the way if need be. From my understanding genetic panels can take 4-6 wks but not sure what a rush ASAP would do in speeding that up and hope I is much quicker than that.
Keep us posted and you are in my thoughts.
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Thanks for that hopeful note, especially given the apparent wait for the tests to come back. I'm desperately trying to get up to speed as fast as I can on all this stuff info about things like BRCA and HRD genes, as well as some new things I'll post a question about tomorrow, when my mind will be a bit fresher, I hope. I still don't really understand who makes the choices for the chemo used, whether my newly met gynecological oncologist (who lives in a different city) or the yet to be met oncology team in this small city, who have no expertise in this particular cancer and see few cases of it a year. So I want to know as much as I can s soon as I can, in case I can help myself in some way with advocacy.
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@TotallySurprised
I think I can help field that for you. What may happen is that either your gyn onc or someone they refer you to will oversee everything and the place closest to you will administer their instructions for treatment like chemo. Although they aren't there physically and you have minimal exposure to them, they often follow behind in the background. Kind of like a principal does initially with a parent/teacher issue.
Please be assured you will be put into very capable hands. This part is difficult for you as it is part of the unknown which is always so hard. It is for every one of us. Especially the waiting which is oh so difficult. Don't overload your brain either. Read, write down thingals/points, walk away, do something fun and come back to it. You will absorb more that way.
You will get there in the meantime you have US Teal Gals!0 -
Thanks for sharing your hard-earned wisdom, as usual.
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