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    Ovarian Cancer? You Can Not Be Serious!
    Ovarian Cancer? You Can Not Be Serious!
    Ovarian Cancer? You Can Not Be Serious!
    Ebook121 pages2 hours

    Ovarian Cancer? You Can Not Be Serious!

    By Mike F. Janicek M.D. and Janice M. Coggins MSW

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    About this ebook

    THIS IS THE NOW. I am still here. Call me blessed. Call me determined. And yes, call me very grateful. Now call me a writerbecause I need to share my story.
    I have been diagnosed with the fifth most common cancer killer of women: ovarian cancer. I have broken through to a brighter time. My mission now is to increase the likelihood that many more stricken-women, may also live beyond the onset, diagnosis, and treatment of ovarian cancer.
    This book begins with my story of being here as a survivor. I love to meet other survivors because they are like instant family. I often hug them simply because we have walked the same path.
    For me, having cancer is real, and I embrace it as being part of who I am now. Just as I believe that each time Moses spoke of God, and Paul spoke of Jesus, it deepened their relationships with God. So it is with me. Telling my story often helps keep me in touch with my true self and with my God. Cancer may be part of me, but I am more than just cancer. And I refuse to give it more power than it is due.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAuthorHouse
    Release dateFeb 25, 2013
    ISBN9781481713559
    Ovarian Cancer? You Can Not Be Serious!
    Author

    Mike F. Janicek M.D.

    Janice Coggins is a cancer survivor, educator, spiritual leader and speaker. She has taught human development and health care administration at the undergraduate and graduate school levels. She received her bachelor of science degree from Delta State University in Cleveland, MS and her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS. Janice is a certified spiritual director and an ordained minister. She is a passionate activist for ovarian cancer awareness and treatment, serving on two boards. She presently is creating the Teal it Up Foundation, a nonprofit charity that sponsors golf tournaments to raise money for ovarian cancer research. She resides in Arizona and Colorado. A portion of the proceeds of this book will go to support ovarian cancer research. www.ovariancancerjourney.com

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      Book preview

      Ovarian Cancer? You Can Not Be Serious! - Mike F. Janicek M.D.

      Ovarian

      Cancer?

      You can NOT be serious!

      Janice M. Coggins, MSW

      Foreword by Mike F. Janicek, M.D.

      US%26UKLogoB%26Wnew.ai

      AuthorHouse™

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.authorhouse.com

      Phone: 1-800-839-8640

      © 2013 by Janice M. Coggins. All Rights Reserved.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

      Published by AuthorHouse 3/6/2013

      ISBN: 978-1-4817-1356-6 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4817-1355-9 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2013902350

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Please address all inquiries to:

      Janice M. Coggins

      www.ovariancancerjourney.com

      Editor: Barbara Crane

      Cover and Interior Book Design: Fusion Creative Works,

      www.fusioncw.com

      First Edition

      For additional copies please visit:

      www.ovariancancerjourney.com

      Contents

      Dedication

      Acknowledgments

      Foreword:Ovarian Cancer: What It Is and Why It’s So Deadly

      Introduction

      Chapter 1:Trekking to Parts Unknown

      Chapter 2:Finding the Survivor in Me

      Chapter 3:Smiles and Inspiration

      Chapter 4:My Journey of Faith and Spirit

      Chapter 5:Cancer CANS for Caregivers

      Chapter 6:Keeping the Faith

      Chapter 7:Sharing the Joy

      Chapter 8:The Journey Continues

      Epilogue

      Grace Space

      Appendix:Signs, Statistics and Risk Factors

      References

      Dedication

      To women who are struggling with any medical adversity and

      especially in memory of women who have died

      of ovarian cancer.

      To Tom and Callie, a couple from my past, who taught me,

      by example, about living in the now.

      Acknowledgments

      I am deeply indebted to the many people who have embraced my journey not only through cancer but through life, as well. I am especially grateful to my editor, Barbara Crane, and publisher AuthorHouse. The book really was supported by a friend, who wants to remain anonymous. Her guidance and instruction were invaluable. I would also like to thank Camille Claibourne and Skip Rendall for their contributions in the early stage of the book. Randy King, a business leader and friend, provided much needed encouragement when I was ready to give up.

      My family has been an inspiration throughout the process of writing the book and LeeAnn Newcomb has offered technical, as well as emotional support. My Bible Study friends have prayed that this book becomes a reality and I am grateful for their constant support. I also acknowledge the technical support of Danielle Hatchett, Susan Miller and Laurie Ullmann. I would not have one word typed without them.

      I am grateful to Dr. Mike Janicek for his dedication to women with gynecological cancers, and always a special thanks to his staff at Arizona Oncology, who are like family to me.

      Today may there be peace within.

      May you trust that you are exactly where

      you are meant to be.

      May you not forget the infinite possibilities that

      are born of faith, in yourself and others.

      May you use the gifts that you have

      received and pass on the love that has been given to you.

      May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

      Let this knowledge settle into your bones and allow

      your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

      It is there for each and every one of us.

      Mother Teresa

      Foreword

      Ovarian Cancer:

      What It Is and Why It’s So Deadly

      For those of you who aren’t really sure what ovarian cancer is, let me tell you a few tidbits about this tenacious foe. I’ll spare you rehashing the statistics. Statistics don’t really help you understand why this is such a deadly disease. They just restate the painfully obvious year after year.

      First, the typical ovarian cancer isn’t even really an ovarian cancer! It is now thought that this disease originates from the fimbria—or fingers—at the end of the fallopian tube that collects the egg after ovulation. Studies have shown that the very beginnings of ovarian cancer can be detected microscopically in the fallopian tubes and nowhere else, and that the early cancer cells sprinkle themselves on the ovaries and spread throughout the peritoneal cavity without necessarily forming a visible growth on the tube itself. Thus, by this definition, ovarian cancer is inherently already a metastatic disease from day one.

      This also explains why there is a disease called primary peritoneal cancer which is identical to ovarian cancer, and can arise even when a woman has had her ovaries removed! Doctors have known that fallopian tube cancer, ovarian cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer are essentially identical disease processes with different names, but with the same treatments and prognosis. We now finally understand why. And this is the key to understanding the disappointing progress to date in the early detection and treatment of ovarian cancer. Know thy enemy, if you want to understand this disease and what those experiencing it are truly facing.

      If a cancer passes quickly through its pre-cancerous state undetected, and becomes metastatic the moment it is born, what hope is there for catching it before it becomes cancer? Slim to none. This explains why over 75% of ovarian cancers are found in the late Stages III and IV.

      I have many intellectual and personal disagreements with those who vigorously promote symptom awareness for ovarian cancer. By the time a woman has bloating and difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, it’s already Stage III or IV. These symptoms arise from cancer cells that have spread into the upper abdomen, causing fluid to accumulate. Those with ovarian cancer who report pelvic pressure and urinary symptoms may have a large mass in the pelvis, perhaps early Stage I or II. However, it is now also thought that the less common ovarian cancers which do not spread and do not cause the upper abdominal symptoms may originate from a different mechanism, a small cystic invaginations of the ovarian outer skin that then form large relatively self-contained tumor sacs. Thus, symptom awareness may just be another way of differentiating the two basic types of ovarian cancer: misleadingly termed early and late stages, and have nothing to do with early detection.

      What gets me into a disagreement with the symptom awareness folks is not their passionately good intentions, but the fact that even ultrasounds and CA-125 and other blood tests simply aren’t effective screening tools. I hate to see a woman blame herself, or her other doctors, for not picking up on this sooner. The Retrospect-scope always sees clearly. Most brain cancers are preceded by headaches. But urging everyone with headaches to think brain cancer isn’t likely to effectively impact early detection of brain cancer. On the other hand, awareness of stroke symptoms, and early intervention is an example of important symptom awareness, because immediate intervention impacts outcomes very dramatically.

      OK, so to this point we know that the typical ovarian cancer isn’t even ovarian cancer, it metastasizes from the get-go, it doesn’t give off symptoms before it’s too late, and there is nothing out there for screening. "Got any good news?" you are thinking.

      Well, I’m not done yet. Let’s talk about what ovarian cancer does after it’s born. Because its playground is the entire peritoneal cavity, it can spread like an infection and coat virtually all surfaces inside the pelvis and abdomen very quickly. There are roughly a billion cancer cells per gram of tissue—or something the size of an M&M! A measly six M&Ms of cancer would equal the human population of the entire planet! When families ask me in the waiting room after surgery Did you get it all?…I have to bite my tongue and explain that I may have gotten all the visible disease, but the total amount of microscopic tumor infiltrating tissues can number in the millions and billions of cells… hence the need for chemo after surgery. (I actually use the analogy of: I wash and scrub my hands all the time—but can you see any bacteria left? I show them my hands, and of course they can’t see the bacteria…but there are always some still remaining.)

      Now imagine being a giant the size of the Earth and try scooping up all humans on the planet with a spoon the size of Texas in a few hours…but don’t destroy the native animals or forests in the process (i.e., the equivalent of normal tissues in the body). You’ll scoop up the cities and towns…and the planet will survive…but you won’t get every single one of the 6 billion people. Time to bring out the poisons (chemo) to finish the job.

      To understand how chemo can work—regardless of the exact mechanism of tumor cell killing—one must know a little bit about logarithms and Darwinian evolution as well. Let’s say a drug kills 90% of the cancer with each treatment—sounds fantastic! (Don’t be greedy. It’s not possible to kill 100% at once since at any given time a percentage of tumor cells are in resting phase and are completely immune to the effects of chemo.) Let’s also say a person has the equivalent of an M&M (1 billion) of tumor cells scattered unseen throughout her tissues after debulking surgery (surgical removal

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