Ovarian Cancer Survivor

Michele Piepoli is on a mission to raise awareness about ovarian cancer. Diagnosed with Stage II/III ovarian cancer, she is the first to admit she ignored the warning signs that may have led to an earlier diagnosis. She is now cancer-free and telling women to listen to their bodies. She recommends women advocate for themselves and ask their doctor about screening tests that can catch this cancer before it advances.

For two years, I ignored the subtle symptoms that may have led to an earlier diagnosis. I blamed my symptoms on stress, working too much and not taking care of myself. A month before I received the ovarian cancer diagnosis, I had my annual physical with my general physician and was given a clean bill of health.

It wasn’t until I had a painful and severe infection that I learned something was terribly wrong.

I had been in excruciating pain for days and finally test results showed a raging infection in my abdominal area, an elevated CA-125 level and a tumor that impacted my colon and had wrapped itself around my appendix.

I was immediately admitted to the hospital with the priority to start treatment to clear up the infection, and within five days I had a supracervical hysterectomy, an appendectomy and a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Six weeks later, I started six cycles of chemotherapy. After my second cycle, I had another surgery, which included a bowel resection, an omentectomy and a biopsy of the vaginal and abdominal area to make sure the cancer had not spread. Fortunately, it had not. The ovarian cancer was considered to be between Stage II and Stage III.

Because ovarian cancer can recur, my doctor prescribed maintenance drug therapy in hopes of preventing a recurrence. I took it for two years and am now considered in remission.

I was very lucky that the doctors found the cancer when they did because there are no standardized screening tests for ovarian cancer. It is often called the “silent killer” as symptoms may be subtle until it metastasizes.

One biomarker – CA-125 – may be found in a blood sample. It is usually elevated in women with ovarian cancer, but other conditions can also cause it to increase, such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids and pelvic inflammatory disease. Another test used to diagnose ovarian cancer is an internal ultrasound. Neither is part of a routine annual physical or screening. They may, however, be requested by the patient. That is why I am passionate about getting the message out to as many women as possible. I believe more women’s lives would be saved if we had better screening tools and early detection methods to find ovarian cancer before it becomes advanced.

Although some types of ovarian and breast cancers can be hereditary, I had no history of cancer in my family, and genetic testing did not find any gene mutations that would increase my risk of ovarian cancer.

My symptoms were random and could easily be dismissed as stress or not getting enough rest. They included an intermittent menstrual-like pain, even though I was in menopause. I would have lower back pain that sometimes shot down my leg. When I look back at photos of myself at that time, I can see evidence of abdominal bloating, but I didn’t realize it at the time. Then there was the fatigue. It was significant.

Support from my daughter and granddaughter kept me going, and now we are closer than ever. I didn’t always tell my daughter everything. As a mother, you want to protect your children from pain, but they inspired me to go through the treatments. I wanted to be around for them. I also found comfort in talking with a friend who had glioblastoma. We bonded over our concerns for our families and fighting our cancers together.

I could not have gotten through all the treatments without the oncology nurses and staff who were so supportive and uplifting. They are angels! I still take treats to them even though I no longer have to go in for treatment. It’s my little way of saying thank you and letting them know how much I appreciate them. I never felt alone.

The nurse navigator was also so helpful. She gave my daughter literature to better understand the effects of the treatment, and she advised her on how to explain everything to my granddaughter.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis was a wake-up call. It gave me a second chance at life and my priorities and the way I spend my time with my daughter and granddaughter changed. I’m involved with the Georgia chapter of the Ovarian Cancer Alliance to help spread the word about ovarian cancer awareness. They are unique in that it has a program where volunteer survivors talk with doctors and medical students still in training so they can get a patient’s perspective, and learn what questions to ask since ovarian cancer can hide behind vague or illusive symptoms.

I recommend that you advocate for your health by listening to your intuition, knowing your body and not dismissing how you feel. Be willing to ask your doctor about adding a CA-125 blood test during your annual physical.

I share my story because if I can help one person, then it’s all worth it. And remember, embrace every day because there is hope. We as survivors are given a second chance.

Each day is a gift, a blessing.