One of the first things that a patient diagnosed with cancer does
is find out the cancer survival rates for their cancer. Whilst this in
itself is not necessarily a bad thing. It is only part of the story, any
cancer patient has to learn how to survive the cancer statistics rather
than learn how to survive the cancer. It is a normal human reaction to
want to know whether or not your type of cancer is typically easier to
cure when compared to other types. However it is not necessarily helpful
because your doctor can only predict the future based on a national
average which is by knows means your future.
The survival rates for cancer can be terrifying and misleading as well as downright depressing. It is easy to see why some people give up and do not get their full treatment options explained; therefore they cannot utilize their full range of options. It is one of life's constant ironies that at a time when you are at your lowest ebb you have to be extremely positive.
Not all cancer survival statistics are frightening some are extremely heartening. For instance the five year survival rate for prostate cancer is ninety eight percent. Which in effect it means is that out of every hundred people who contract prostate cancer, at whatever age and whatever stage of the cancer ninety eight of those will be alive and well five years later and two will be dead.
Lung cancer has some frightening figures and they include the fact that once lung cancer has metastasized or spread to the rest of the body, only three out of every hundred people or three percent are likely to be alive five years later. What it does not tell you is the fact that the majority of diagnosed lung cancer are in a late stage, nor does it tell you that your lifestyle has an impact and you can reduce the risk of lung cancer by stopping smoking.
Cancer survival statistics can only give both you and your doctor a general idea; of how likely it is that you will achieve a remission. What it cannot predict is how proactive you will be in searching out new treatments, how much you will be prepared to change your diet and eat food less likely to cause cancer. It cannot tell you how serious your condition is compared to your individual self it can only make a comparison across the national average.
What cancer survival treatment can show is how most people with your type of cancer respond to treatment. Armed with this information you can work out a treatment plan and work out the pros and cons of each and every option individually. No one can tell you whether or not you should treat your treat your treatment aggressively or not, but they can help you make up your mind as to what is likely to happen to the general population at large if you don't.
One of the most important factors to take into account when you are looking at five year remission statistics is the fact that they are five years out of date. They cannot reflect new breakthroughs and types of treatment in the last five years, and ten year studies are even more out of date. Even taking into account those factors they cannot help you to decide on your course of treatment because you have to take into account your individual lifestyle. To put those statistics into any sort of meaningful way you need to approach your doctor and have them explained to you in the light of your situation.
How you view those statistics will have a bearing on your personal outcome regarding cancer statistics. For instance some people will see a seventy percent survival rate over five years as a very positive figure and others will see that as frightening because it means that one in three people will die. One of the first things you have to do regarding cancer survival statistics is how much credence you personally are going to give them.
The survival rates for cancer can be terrifying and misleading as well as downright depressing. It is easy to see why some people give up and do not get their full treatment options explained; therefore they cannot utilize their full range of options. It is one of life's constant ironies that at a time when you are at your lowest ebb you have to be extremely positive.
Not all cancer survival statistics are frightening some are extremely heartening. For instance the five year survival rate for prostate cancer is ninety eight percent. Which in effect it means is that out of every hundred people who contract prostate cancer, at whatever age and whatever stage of the cancer ninety eight of those will be alive and well five years later and two will be dead.
Lung cancer has some frightening figures and they include the fact that once lung cancer has metastasized or spread to the rest of the body, only three out of every hundred people or three percent are likely to be alive five years later. What it does not tell you is the fact that the majority of diagnosed lung cancer are in a late stage, nor does it tell you that your lifestyle has an impact and you can reduce the risk of lung cancer by stopping smoking.
Cancer survival statistics can only give both you and your doctor a general idea; of how likely it is that you will achieve a remission. What it cannot predict is how proactive you will be in searching out new treatments, how much you will be prepared to change your diet and eat food less likely to cause cancer. It cannot tell you how serious your condition is compared to your individual self it can only make a comparison across the national average.
What cancer survival treatment can show is how most people with your type of cancer respond to treatment. Armed with this information you can work out a treatment plan and work out the pros and cons of each and every option individually. No one can tell you whether or not you should treat your treat your treatment aggressively or not, but they can help you make up your mind as to what is likely to happen to the general population at large if you don't.
One of the most important factors to take into account when you are looking at five year remission statistics is the fact that they are five years out of date. They cannot reflect new breakthroughs and types of treatment in the last five years, and ten year studies are even more out of date. Even taking into account those factors they cannot help you to decide on your course of treatment because you have to take into account your individual lifestyle. To put those statistics into any sort of meaningful way you need to approach your doctor and have them explained to you in the light of your situation.
How you view those statistics will have a bearing on your personal outcome regarding cancer statistics. For instance some people will see a seventy percent survival rate over five years as a very positive figure and others will see that as frightening because it means that one in three people will die. One of the first things you have to do regarding cancer survival statistics is how much credence you personally are going to give them.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer or have a reoccurring cancer visit us at http://www.thewordisHOPE.com
and find the hope for healing. Make a leap of faith from Cancer victim
to Cancer Survivor by reading the stories of Hope and Encouragement from
simple people like you that fought and believed and recovered. If you
are a cancer survivor, we need your story with all the details you are
willing to provide.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rita_Goldman
0 comments:
Post a Comment