The Cancer Survivors Network (CSN) is a peer support community for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and friends! CSN is a safe place to connect with others who share your interests and experiences.

I have a question

juliababy
juliababy CSN Member Posts: 130
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Next month will be my dad's 1 year anniversary of finishing chemo for stage 3 colon cancer and he was originally diagnosed in July 04. When do you start counting as far as cured is concerned, from the date of surgery or from the completion of treatment???

thanks
Like Care

Comments

  • ernie53
    ernie53 CSN Member Posts: 68
    #2
    While completion of treatment is certainly cause for a celebration, I tend to look at my Diagnoses day as the anniversary date. I like to just celebrate being on the right side of the dirt!
    Like Care
  • littlejulie
    littlejulie CSN Member Posts: 311
    #3
    ernie53 said:

    While completion of treatment is certainly cause for a celebration, I tend to look at my Diagnoses day as the anniversary date. I like to just celebrate being on the right side of the dirt!

    This question has come up several times and I always find it interesting. I count my mothers anniversary from her surgery date because that is the day she was CANCER free.
    Like Care
  • ron50
    ron50 CSN Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #4
    Hi Julia, I consider the day of my op as the start of survival and the end of my ca ,cheers Ron.
    Like Care
  • fedester
    fedester CSN Member Posts: 753 Member
    #5
    hi julia,
    i agree with the rest of our family. i take it the day of surgery.
    all the best
    bruce
    Like Care
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo CSN Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #6
    fedester said:

    hi julia,
    i agree with the rest of our family. i take it the day of surgery.
    all the best
    bruce

    mmmmmm......maybe me being "down under" has had me thinkin upside down....lol! I have used the date that I finished chemo. My reasoning here is that if any little **** cells were still floating around the chemo should have beat the hell outa them!
    Going by that reasoning I have known NED for 2 years next month!
    Then again, being an ozzie, I guess some things have gotta be different....lol!
    cheers, Ross n Jen
    Like Care
  • spongebob
    spongebob CSN Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #7
    Being a good sailor, I had a party celebrating BOTH. Oh... and I also included the date of my first colonoscopy and the date of my first infusion, and the date of my first...

    (well, you get the idea - EVERY day is a celebration!!)

    Well, i have a party to attend

    Cheers

    - SB
    Like Care
  • taraHK
    taraHK CSN Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #8
    I asked this question of my docs and was told it should be from date of surgery. This is because this is what has been traditionally used in research studies -- so all the research data uses this -- if you want to compare one tx against another, etc.

    But I'm with SpongeBob -- I like to celebrate at every available opportunity!!

    Tara
    Like Care

Discussion Boards