Just about to start chemo for stage 3 grade 3 cancer. Positive up to now as surgeon told me it was treatable and treatment who focus on a cure. Saw oncologist today and asked about survival rates. Devastated to hear his assessment. Concerned and sad
Hello. You can also check survival rates if you go on NHS Predict. By no means am I saying don't discount doc and what he said but it may also give you an angle and see where he is coming from. They use the same tool. Think mine was grade 2. Treatment is coming on a lot from previous years so hoping that you have a plan in place. We are here if you need anything x
I don't know what to say. I think it does depend on each case and the NHS Predict is very techy. If you are starting chemo then i think you have plan in place so its just a case of seeing how your body copes and reacts with it. I haven't had chemo so can't comment but there lots of people who have. There are separate chemo threads which may help. All I can say is that you aren't on your own. Yes we all have had different routes but we all want rid of the gremlins. Its a lot to take in. Perhaps if you need others to talk to then either your breast care nurse or even use the Macmillan phoneline. Wishing you luck x
The first follow on qusetion I would have to your doctor is this: is his prediction calculated specifically for you, or is it based on general statistics and would be his response for all patients who have your type, grade, and stage of cancer?
The reason I am asking this, is that the general statistic encompasses everyone. This would inclue women who are much older than you and who have background health conditions that you don't. Moreover, those statistics are out of the results of treatments as they were given in the past. We, who are going through cancer now, are going to be part of tomorrow's statistic, which is going to be much better than yesterday's statistic thanks to all the new treatments and protocols that keep coming up.
If, however, his response was not a general statistic response but was specific to you, I would ask the question again once the next series of scans is done, which may be part way or all the way through chemo.
By the way, the figure he came up with is interesting because it is so specific (as opposed to an estimate of, "roughly 50-60%.") I am interested in how he got to that figure. Also, there is a big difference between the statistic quoted for the UK and that quoted for the US, so again I am wondering, for instance, if the figures are from the same time period.
Hi Daisy12, I am just new to this. Started chemo last Wednesday. I found out I had cancer in Feb, first diagnosis was secondary breast cancer with not great prognosis and was also told the statistics which was devastating to hear. After another biopsy I now have breast and ovarian cancer and both treatable. All I wanted to say is every case is so individual. Statistics are based on so much information but not on you. I have two girls and my only way to deal with the news was to think I will be the one to beat this. Everyone I speak to has a different story, none of us are the same. Stay positive x I know it’s hard and a tough road ahead but we can do this! Be kind to yourself. X
Thanks GreyCats. He used the NHS Predict tool which seems to be online tool to help identify which treatment is appropriate for different stages of cancer and how each treatment impacts survival rates. It’s based on a range of studies I think. However it does say it ‘can only provide the average survival rate for people in the past of a similar age and with similar cancers’ so am taking from this that the prediction is not specifically for me. Good suggestions for questions for him when I see him again.
thanks Cammy. Really appreciate your message. Like you I have 2 girls. Yes hard to hear the stats. I started off getting a positive response from surgeon about prognosis so hearing the stats from the oncologist yesterday kinda cut the legs from under me. Will try to stay positive. Chemo starts Thursday
Ah. Yes, I am familiar with the predict tool and have had some fun playing with it, looking at how my own statistic changed when I added or subtracted treatments. Still, I always keep in mind those things that I told you earlier -- this statistic is based on yesterday's treatments, protocols and results, and include people whose starting points were not as good as mine (I got into this with no background health issues.)
