I Just want to find hope and hear hopeful stories on here of people who have known family members or friends - who managed to recover from "terminal" cancer.
I'm sad to hear your mom had stage 4 cancer. Nobody can know how long someone will live with cancer, it depends on many things, like the type of cancer, if it has become metastatic or not, how healthy your mom is etc. There are several people on this forum who are 2+ years on from being diagnosed with stage 4 cancers including me. So unless she has been told it is terminal (usually 6 months life expectancy or less) keep your hopes up and even with a terminal prognosis keep your hopes up. Meanwhile spend time enjoying her company. Kim
Kim has already written much of what I was going to say. Like Kim, I have been living with a Stage 4 cancer for over two years now, beating the odds but aware that I have so far been extremely lucky.
I was told I had about a 5% chance of surviving for as long as I have. This can sound pretty hopeless but it does mean that 1 in 20 people in my situation will survive for over 2 years. The survival rates quoted are based on averages and don't take into account factors such as age (cancer is extremely common in the over 70s), physical fitness (which affects how much chemo you can take without being made extremely ill), the state of your immune system and whether or not your cancer is the only thing wrong with you.
Some people believe that having a positive attitude helps. I don't believe that, except that if you have a positive approach you are more likely to decide to have what is potentially painful or uncomfortable treatment such as surgery, chemo or radio therapy. Also feeling depressed can magnify how bad things feel, even without having cancer.
I agree with everything you have said Katie. I was also diagnosed with stage 4b Ovarian Cancer in November 2015. I have undergone chemo and debulking surgery. I had my scan beginning of June and was told there was no evidence of disease. It is early days also for me, but I am determined to battle and be as positive as possible.
I also spoke to my oncologist with regards to survival rates, as I had read the statistics on the Internet, he informed me that a lot of the statistics on the Internet are years old. Treatment for all cancers are improving all the time. In my mind there's always hope, no matter what stage you are.
Hi there I know this post is old now. But I'm still in remission from stage 4 womb cancer. Diagnosed Nov 14 finished Chemo in May 2015. No recurrence yet. Stay strong everyone. It can happen x
In that case, I was told at my 3 monthly consultation that there's no trace of myeloma - 6 months clear now.
I feel exactly the same as before I was told - this is how it is and it's sufficient for the needs of the moment.
According to figures I've previously read, about 15% of myeloma patients achieve this remission without a stem cell transplant. Ironically, if I'd have had one, I'd not have survived the colitis and sepsis..
My father has recovered from stage 4 prostate cancer that has spread to his spine, damaged his spine and nerve and got him paralysed from chest down.
He was given very little chance to ever walk again. He had a surgery on his spine, and received radiotherapy and hormone therapy. 4 weeks later he started to recover slowly slowly and went to a rehab. ( didn't receive any other therapy after this) a year later today he is walking on his own for short distance, relearning to drive, and 100% cancer free.
Thanks so much for this post that I've just seen. My grandad is 83. Has been fit and healthy all his life and walks miles every day. He suddenly lost use of his legs and they found a tumour on his spine. It has spread from the prostate and so this is very similar to your dad as my grandad has stage 4 cancer.
He has a blast of radiotherapy which means he has regained the use of his legs etc but now has to slowly learn to walk again. Can I ask how old your dad is please? Your post have given me hope as it's early days and we are in the dark at the moment other than knowing he is having hormone injections.
Hi xiana something different for you, I've been living with stage 4 cancer, it's prostate gone to lymph nodes, spine, ribs, pelvis and a lung, i was diagnosed Feb 2016 had hormone therapy and cemotheropy now and again specialist said uncurable, i call it my uninvited guest. I'm living a normal life would still be working but got to look after my disabled wife. Hope you keep well.Best wishes... Billy
