Cancer 5 yr survival rates - cheer me up
Discussion
I know there's lots of cancer survivors on here, and lots of others who know someone affected - if any of you can cheer me up a bit I'd be a very happy lady.
I was diagnosed in March 09 with breast cancer whioch had spread into my lymph nodes - 15 of the 20 were cancerous when they took them out. Having had surgery,chemo,radio and now hormone treatment I have a 66% 5 year survival rate, and when I badgered my breast care nurser for her experienced gut feeling as to my prospects, her response was 'not good'.
Somehow the idea that I have a 1 in 3 chance of not being here in 3.75 years doesn't fill me with glee. I'm told these are 'only' statistics and I shouldn't take them too seriously - but I can't help it. I'm hoping if there's lots of people out there who been quoted something similar but are still around 10 years later that I might see things a bit brighter - as it is my mind goes walk about to all sorts of horrid things like funerals, secondaries and where they will strike, how my husband of 32 years will cope - really cheerful stuff!!
I was diagnosed in March 09 with breast cancer whioch had spread into my lymph nodes - 15 of the 20 were cancerous when they took them out. Having had surgery,chemo,radio and now hormone treatment I have a 66% 5 year survival rate, and when I badgered my breast care nurser for her experienced gut feeling as to my prospects, her response was 'not good'.
Somehow the idea that I have a 1 in 3 chance of not being here in 3.75 years doesn't fill me with glee. I'm told these are 'only' statistics and I shouldn't take them too seriously - but I can't help it. I'm hoping if there's lots of people out there who been quoted something similar but are still around 10 years later that I might see things a bit brighter - as it is my mind goes walk about to all sorts of horrid things like funerals, secondaries and where they will strike, how my husband of 32 years will cope - really cheerful stuff!!
This might sound totally awful/insensitive/harsh but you might die of something totally unrelated way before the cancer gets you.
Sorry if that offends you, but that's how it is. You're dealing with the stuff you know about (which is fantastic!) but you just don't know what is around the corner.
Life your life. Enjoy your life. Don't worry about what might be in 3/4/5 years.
Sorry if that offends you, but that's how it is. You're dealing with the stuff you know about (which is fantastic!) but you just don't know what is around the corner.
Life your life. Enjoy your life. Don't worry about what might be in 3/4/5 years.
Pal of mine got diagnosed with cancer of the kidney which spread to the liver, he drank like a fish and smerked loadsa tabs, still does.
Went on chemo and took to it like a duck to water, no side effects at all. That was 5 years ago and apparently he is still in the clear.
drop me a line if you want more info......although he's a different sex (I think) it might help
Went on chemo and took to it like a duck to water, no side effects at all. That was 5 years ago and apparently he is still in the clear.
drop me a line if you want more info......although he's a different sex (I think) it might help
You could look at it like this: when they say 65%, it isn't a biased coin flip. It depends on your lifestyle to date and the lifestyle from the point of diagnosis. So you can improve chances of survival or otherwise, depending on your choices.
Worthwhile speaking to your local Macmillan cancer centre.
Worthwhile speaking to your local Macmillan cancer centre.
I'm sorry to hear about your health issues, I'm a male so can only try to empathise with the issues surrounding breast cancer, but the one thing that seems to crop up with people who are suffering from cancer is that a good positive mental attitude is vital in terms of your prognosis.
Cheer up...you've made it this far in life, and you've plenty more years ahead of you yet.
I wish you all the very best, and look forward to you posting in five years time saying..."Well what was I worrying about?"
You take good care, and be strong inside, it WILL make a difference.
Cheer up...you've made it this far in life, and you've plenty more years ahead of you yet.
I wish you all the very best, and look forward to you posting in five years time saying..."Well what was I worrying about?"
You take good care, and be strong inside, it WILL make a difference.
Thanks guys for response so far. Difficult to be positive when you get the news I've just had - fresh off the phone. Brothe rin law had breast cancer (1 of 250 men per year) 4 years ago. Now confirmed with secondary bone and lung cancer and about to chemo again. Sitting here in tears - can't help worrying about him but also selfishly thinking of me. Off to bed I think see if I can shut my brain up - it's times like this I wish I didn't have one.
I've not experienced cancer and hope I don't (though with my crap genes I probably will), but if they tell you that it's a 65% chance of living 5 or more years, then it's more likely than not you will is the best way to think about it... Stay positive. Plus you don't know what's around the corner in 5 years in terms of medical advances etc. Chin up! Plus if you have been married 32 years then you've lasted longer than an awful lot of folks...
Sorry to hear this BSL. I've followed your posts on health issues over a number of years (I'm in a similar camp myself on a number of them) and have always thought you come across as a fighter not a quitter.
You mention funerals and the like. I think everyone needs 'a plan' about this, since any one of us could be hit by a bus tomorrow. (Personally, I'm opting for the wicker coffin and woodland burial since I rather like the idea of being eaten by worms, but hey, that's me.)
Write it down, stash it somewhere safe, tell your nearest and dearest where it is, and then forget about it. Statistics are averages: some may have longer, some less. This may sound trite, but try not to worry what the future holds and concentrate on wringing the neck of every day.
I'm sure you'll pack more into these than many experience in a lifetime.
Live. Love. (A lot.)
You mention funerals and the like. I think everyone needs 'a plan' about this, since any one of us could be hit by a bus tomorrow. (Personally, I'm opting for the wicker coffin and woodland burial since I rather like the idea of being eaten by worms, but hey, that's me.)
Write it down, stash it somewhere safe, tell your nearest and dearest where it is, and then forget about it. Statistics are averages: some may have longer, some less. This may sound trite, but try not to worry what the future holds and concentrate on wringing the neck of every day.
I'm sure you'll pack more into these than many experience in a lifetime.
Live. Love. (A lot.)
Broomsticklady said:
Thanks guys for response so far. Difficult to be positive when you get the news I've just had - fresh off the phone. Brothe rin law had breast cancer (1 of 250 men per year) 4 years ago. Now confirmed with secondary bone and lung cancer and about to chemo again. Sitting here in tears - can't help worrying about him but also selfishly thinking of me. Off to bed I think see if I can shut my brain up - it's times like this I wish I didn't have one.
See if you can find your local cancer centre. They offer a range of services from counselling to complementary therapies. It can change how you feel. I do voluntary work at one such centre and clients always leave my classes in a much better mood.My mother-in-law has been having treatments for various cancers for at least 24 years (her whole body seems to be riddled and I’ve lost count of the number of chemotherapy treatments she’s had – I know that sounds a bit callous but none of us can actually remember), in addition she had a quadruple heart bypass about 18 years ago. Add to that she is 76 and has never been particularly fit…the list just goes on and yet so does she.
We don’t know how nor do the medical fraternity. She enjoys her life has loads of interests and makes the most of her time on a day-to-day basis. So keep positive and I’ll reply to you posting on the forums in 20 years time.
We don’t know how nor do the medical fraternity. She enjoys her life has loads of interests and makes the most of her time on a day-to-day basis. So keep positive and I’ll reply to you posting on the forums in 20 years time.
A friend of my wifes had a double mastectomy and then went out and got her pilots licence then went onto being a crop sprayer in Kenya for many years after her op so you just can't generalise.
But as she said just get on and enjoy your life to the full, we all have only 1 life so pack as much in as possible, totally change your lifestyle and get your mind on doing something daft/dangerous that you have always wanted to do.
Looking forward to your posts in a few years time saying I'm still here people.
The very best of luck.
But as she said just get on and enjoy your life to the full, we all have only 1 life so pack as much in as possible, totally change your lifestyle and get your mind on doing something daft/dangerous that you have always wanted to do.
Looking forward to your posts in a few years time saying I'm still here people.
The very best of luck.
If the ground doesn't get you, the chemicals will!My Nan had a major heart attack and was told she wouldn't make it through the night most likely. About a year later she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to have the breast removed and a lot of treatment. We were told that was probably it for her.
She then got glandular fever.
Then she got dangerously high blood pressure amongst a plethora of other conditions. The doctors wrote her off pretty much and said she was circling the drain with months to live.
She wasn't ready to die. 10 years later she died of old age.
A saying I really like that isn't meant for this purpose, but I relate to is:
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"
My Nan was old, frail and weak. She was however, determined not to die.
Never stop fighting. You'd be surpsied how much influence your mind has over your recovery.
She then got glandular fever.
Then she got dangerously high blood pressure amongst a plethora of other conditions. The doctors wrote her off pretty much and said she was circling the drain with months to live.
She wasn't ready to die. 10 years later she died of old age.
A saying I really like that isn't meant for this purpose, but I relate to is:
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"
My Nan was old, frail and weak. She was however, determined not to die.
Never stop fighting. You'd be surpsied how much influence your mind has over your recovery.
Edited by RobbieB on Friday 4th June 13:44
Broomstick Lady, my wife first had a breast tumour removed in autumn 1997, and then a second in spring 2000. After all that time and with the aid of Arimidex treatment until Christmas 2008 when osteopaenia meant she had to stop, she was clear. Last October she was found to have a third tumour and has just finished chemotherapy having had yet more surgery. There are many types of breast cancer (and cancer in general) - grade, oestrogen sensitivity, other hormone dependences, staging, and your genetic legacy, all affect the outcome. All of this means that it's roughly equivalent to calculating the exit trajectory of a moonshot to say whether you're going to be around in five or ten years so live your life now and let the future take care of itself - you can only marginally affect it anyway by managing your diet, exercise, smoking, etc. My wife's paternal aunt first had breast cancer many years ago and her daughter had it too. The aunt had a double mastectomy for a recurrence what must be twenty years ago at least and she's just died - at 93 years old. There's no certainty and you wouldn't want to be on your death bed and realise you spent half of your remaining life worrying when you could have been enjoying life, would you? My thought are with you, and with you husband. It's quite difficult for your family too, I know.
Edited to add that I've calculated you approximate age from your profile and if it's any help, you're probably in the age bracket where the severity is less than it is for younger women.
Edited to add that I've calculated you approximate age from your profile and if it's any help, you're probably in the age bracket where the severity is less than it is for younger women.
Edited by motco on Friday 4th June 14:14
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