Everywhere I turn, I see news about marvelous advances in the fight against breast cancer. Nancy Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, writes on the Komen website, "We have come a lon...
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Good advice, Phyllis-
PJ Hamel
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 09:29 PMre: Good advice, Phyllis-
Phyllis Johnson
Friday, June 20, 2008 at 06:47 PMI'm not sure why researchers use five years. I think there was a time when so few people survived cancer for five years that it seemed a good measure. Some studies do go out ten years or more, but the problem with ten-year stats is that they can't take into account recent advances in treatment, so they tend to be unrealistically discouraging to newly diagnosed patients.
replyre: re: Good advice, Phyllis-
Aks
Monday, June 23, 2008 at 07:11 AMMy wife got recently diagnosed (she is 34) and she underwent surgery and is now undergoing post treatment (even though it it not metastatis and had not spread to the lymphnode but to reduce the statistical risk and that she is young). The advice was based on the grade (3), the size (2 cm). We were provided with the recurrence probability based on histopathology report based on some of the aspects mentioned above. I felt that gave a more information on the recurrence aspects (and how the difference treatment options would reduce the recurrence - in this case both chemotherapy / hormone therapy were effective in reducing the recurrence - 82% without, 8 by chemotherapy, 6 by hormone therepy, radiation will be required as it was breast conserving surgery. We are waiting for the FISH test to see if Herceptin would be effective as HER-2 is borderline to enable targeted thereapy). So as you rightly pointed out while the 5 year test is encouraging there is news that we hear everyday - my aunt has gone 18 years without recurrence and one of our friends who did not take post treatment got it back after 10 years. I think the 10-15 years is another gauge with post treatment and without post treatment that we should also look at. If you have seen that data I would appreciate if you could pass it on (anyway at the end of the day we must not forget to live everyday).
replyre: re: re: Good advice, Phyllis-
Phyllis Johnson
Monday, June 23, 2008 at 04:34 PMMy advice to anyone making treatment decisions is to ask your oncologist about the studies that investigated treatments for patients most similar to your wife--young, similar tumor types, etc. You probably won't find any that are exactly like her, so reading a combo of studies will help you make some guesses about which way to go. Gather as many facts as possible and then go with your gut and don't look back! You will have made the best possible decision for you with the best info available at the time. I wish you the best as you try to decide what to do next.
Phyllis
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It seems so many women think, "Whew, OK, I passed the 5-year mark, I can stop worrying." Which is fine -DO stop worrying. But don't lose your vigilance. Cancer can come back 8, 12, even 20 years later. As can lymphedema, if you're a candidate for that. So think positively; expect the best; and prepare to keep "the worst" at bay by understanding what your breasts normally feel like, and being aware when any changes happen. Phyllis, I hope that as time passes and the research continues to happen, you'll be sending out fewer condolence cards... thanks for this important post. - PJH
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