question

John23 said:

How long?
How long?

You'll hear from many here, that have lived longer than the
prognosis, some by many, many years (I'm one of those).

I was diagnosed as stage 3c/4 back in 2006 (but accepted the
"3c" as accurate). I finally found out recently, that I've been a
stage 4 for all that time. My prognosis in 2006 was very bleak,
at best......

A prognosis is based on how fast a rate the cancer is growing
right now (time of diagnosis). The time is then projected based
on the assumption that the cancer will continue to grow at that
same rate. Using that arbitrary "formula", they try to determine
how much damage the cancer will cause, and when it will take
over critical organs that our body cannot do without.

So the assumptions can be wrong, or they can be very accurate,
and we have no real way of knowing until the chubby lady sings.

There are things that can be done to slow the progress of cancer
cells, or even put the whole thing into remission. Chemotherapy,
radiation, etc are the usual ways, but there are other very good
alternatives also (I never did chemo or radiation, opting for
an alternative instead).

Your aunt should get another opinion regarding her cancer
situation. The opinion should come from a specialist outside
the area, if possible. It should never be from a physician in the
same group or organization as the initial physician.

Don't feel that you will be insulting the physician. Most all decent
physicians welcome other physician's opinions. It's a good way
for them to learn of new techniques and procedures that they may
not have had time or resources to have found out about otherwise.

There are many ways to rid the liver of cancer; the liver is one
of the few organs that can replicate itself (If they chop off a chunk,
it manages to grow back). So having cancer in the liver isn't
the end of the picnic, not if it's addressed soon enough.....

So as far as a "time frame"? I chose to assume I wouldn't be
around, and did things in an effort to make sure my wife won't
have too many issues to deal with "after I'm gone".

The upside, is that I'm still here, and having made some aspects
of life easier for her, it's also made my life easier as well.

"Prepare for the worst; hope for the best", is my suggestion to
anyone diagnosed with cancer. It doesn't do anyone well to
"think positive", if in doing so, they're evading having to face reality.

The reality is - cancer is considered a terminal disease.

Not too many people (or animals) get cancer and survive
without ever having a problem with that cancer.

I have gone since my diagnosis of cancer in 2006 without any
trace of it, but I expect I'll die from cancer eventually. The "odds"
are stacked against me; that is reality.

When I'll die, isn't something that can be determined in advance.

Like that blade of grass that grows between the cracks of a
busy highway, we cannot determine life expectancy very well.

Take a day at a time, and get your aunt other opinions for some
sort of a resolve to her cancer situation.

Study all the information carefully, and explore the alternatives
as well. Your aunt -does not- have to get sick from treatments
to get better and/or live longer.

There are other ways, always.

My very best wishes for you all.

John