Cancer research offers more hope than people think

Hi

Thanks for sharing this. I heard the survey covered on the Today programme on Radio 4 yesterday. They did a good job with an interview with a woman who’s been living with incurable cancer for ten years and a spokesperson for the Institute of Cancer Research. A thoughtful piece, I thought. 

I think the points they make are spot on. I’d add that more oncologists need to get on board with this too. So many people rock up in this community having been told they are “incurable” and taken that to mean “terminal” and given very little help to understand that this is likely not the case and that one immediate task is to learn how to live with cancer. I include myself in this. 

Have a great day, Jane. I’m battling my way through train delays to get to UCLH’s trials unit as I type. No one is a bigger advocate of research than me! 

xxx

Dear , I too heard the segment on the today programme, I’m a radio 4 addict. It was what sparked my interest and led me to this article. Oncologists do a fantastic job but it cannot be denied they need to work on their soft skills a bit more. As always good communication is at the heart of this problem, doctors need to talk to their patients more and we need to let them know what our philosophy to treatment is.

Hi Daloni

i agree with everything you have written. When I was diagnosed in August I was told that my prognosis was 10 months 15 at best and offered palliative chemotherapy.. Having lost my husband at 55 last year following his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, my son at nearly 12 having to deal with another parent having cancers I was devistated. I have an aggressive cancer of the womb which the oncologist told me does not have a good prognosis. I have asked for a referral to a trial. Looking at some paper immunotherapy trials are being conducted on my cancer. You know from Eve that womb cancer is the fourth most common cancer for women. Take care xx

Totally agree too!  I was totally that person incurable = terminal.  Diagnosed in August thought I would be dead now.  But although I don’t know if my treatment is doing anything yet (first scan on 19th) but all I do know is I’m feeling stronger and generally better than I did in August.  So I’m def still here and I’ve just got everything crossed for 19th although I’ve asked not be given my results till after Christmas! 

Hi

Good move! Delaying the scan results until after Christmas shows a good healthy attitude to what’s important. Enjoy the holidays

xxx 

Dear just wanted to wish you well for your scan of the 19th and thank you for your comments. I think it’s a great idea not to know your test results until after Christmas as it won’t make any material difference to wait a few weeks and it will be a morale boost for you to have your Christmas undisrupted.