Bobbi Olson overcomes ovarian cancer

Tanith L. Balaban Arizona Daily Wildcat Bobbi Olson (middle), wife of UA men's basketball coach Lute Olson, talks during a basketball game at McKale Center. Olson, who had ovarian cancer last year, is currently showing no evidence of the disease.

"She is in a point right now where she is clear of the disease," said Laurie Young, spokeswoman for the Cancer Center. "She's doing very, very well."

University of Arizona Medical Center doctors held a press conference in August to announce Olson's diagnosis. At that time, the cancer had spread from her ovaries to her abdomen.

Young said a surgical operation in September targeted a tumor in Olson's ovaries and the spreading cancer.

"We continue to follow her and monitor her," Young said.

Olson will continue to undergo "intraperitoneal treatments," a method of dealing with the cancer that prevents doctors from having to perform intravenous chemotherapy.

"(It) allows us to deliver treatment directly to where the tumor is located," Young said. "It eliminates some of the side effects associated with the treatment."

Olson's troubles began after a June trip to Hungary, where she underwent emergency surgery to remove an intestinal blockage.

Doctors later said she was suffering from the most common type of ovarian cancer, known as stage-3C.

Shortly after the diagnosis, UMC doctors including David S. Alberts, a UA medicine professor, began intensive therapy.

Alberts, joined by Dr. Hank Hallum, who handled surgical operations, said in August that Olson underwent four chemotherapy sessions during the summer.

Alberts also said that Olson's outlook was positive and she had a firm chance for long-term survival.

UA Intercollegiate Athletic Director Jim Livengood said last night that his department is happy to hear about the new diagnosis.

"The news we got was extremely exciting," he said. "There's not a more wonderful person around than she."