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Please let me know if Chemo killed enough 'spread' to allow for debulking surgery.

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Hello All

I couldn't have my debulking surgery as the lesions were all over the intestines, bowel, bladder, rectum, omentum, peritoneum and diaphragm.  Has anyone else been able to have debulking surgery after chemo (when the cancer was spread to so many organs and tissues)?  It's daunting to think that everything rests on how well the chemo kills all this cancer (to allow or not allow for debulking) so any success stories would be a great boost, thanks. 

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  • Hello,
    I have just joined to respond to your post. 
    Your situation sounds very similar to mine. I had neoadjunct chemotherapy (chemotherapy before and after surgery) and interval debulking. I had three cycles of chemotherapy and it was effective at bringing the cancer under control enough for surgery. My cancer had also spread considerably. I had more chemotherapy after surgery and just finished early April. In my case, it was successful and there were no signs of disease in the post treatment CT scan. There is, of course, a very high rate of reoccurrence but for now I am very grateful. I remember looking desperately for success stories when I was diagnosed.
    You are one person and you are unique. Don’t get overwhelmed by the statistics. Concentrate only on the facts as they pertain to you and take every step one at a time. 
    I hope this will give you a boost.
  • It did - thank you very much. 
  • missvixx
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    It was a miracle for me!  My initial mass when it was found was over 34 cm.  It was down a ton after three rounds of neo-adjuvant chemo.
  • Great to hear this.  Mine is small lesions everywhere rather than one large mass.  But I try to stay hopeful. 
  • missvixx
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    Great to hear this.  Mine is small lesions everywhere rather than one large mass.  But I try to stay hopeful. 
    I believe in you.  It's so hard to be hopeful sometimes, but you've got this.  I am hoping they get it all with the chemo and you get to come out of surgery cancer free <3