life expectancy?

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couragehealth
couragehealth Member Posts: 3
in Colorectal Cancer #1

What have others discussed with their doctor about life expectancy and colon cancer?  Did your doctor share survival odds or stats?

Would you like to know what the odds are but need some help?

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  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited October 2017 #2
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    Survival

    Yup with my attitude I'd ask anything.  I'm just wanting to know what to expect.  I've heard of some of my friends that have had cancer and know nothing about their stage, treatment or cocktail.  I'm thinking why would you not want to know these things especially if you have treatment coming up.  Some people just don't want to know and can fully understand.  It's hard hearing the truth, but it seems easier to deal with than the linger of question you have in the back of your mind.  Some people can roll off their back anything looming in the future, even if it's a follow up to an appointment, but some people worry about everything (unfortunately that's me).  Hope you decide what you want to do.  Did you have a diagnosis?  If so, please share your story so we can help you along.  Wishing you the best.

    Kim

  • Kristine1217
    Kristine1217 Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2017 #3
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    I don't really want to know

    I don't really want to know so I don't ask or listen. 

     

     

  • mozart13
    mozart13 Member Posts: 118
    #4
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    Long life

    I am planing on living, those non sense statistics will just mess up with my appetite.

    cheers !!!!!

  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #5
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    Statistics apply to groups; not individuals

    None of us has our expiration date stamped on our forehead (unless assigned by the judge!)  I had one dr absolutely assure me that based on my diagnosis my maximum life expectancy was 5 years.  That was in 2007.  I'm healthy, doing everything, living a normal life.  Oh, and I'm not dead, and don't have any plans of dying for a long time yet!

  • couragehealth
    couragehealth Member Posts: 3
    #6
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    thank you

    Thanks for the replies.  I should have been more clear - I'm not a patient but I'm asking because I want to build tools to help other patients, including family members.

    Many of you have pointed some problems with the stats - they are not personalized.  For example the calculator at Sloan uses data from 1990-2000.  That's ages ago!

    The goal of having better data could lead to spotting more effective treatments sooner or showing how certain places are better than others in achieving results.  Of course comparsisons need to be apples-to-apples but I think we all want everyone to see potential signs of improvement so we can investigate further.

    Thank you.

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,280 Member
    edited October 2017 #7
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    couragehealth said:

    thank you

    Thanks for the replies.  I should have been more clear - I'm not a patient but I'm asking because I want to build tools to help other patients, including family members.

    Many of you have pointed some problems with the stats - they are not personalized.  For example the calculator at Sloan uses data from 1990-2000.  That's ages ago!

    The goal of having better data could lead to spotting more effective treatments sooner or showing how certain places are better than others in achieving results.  Of course comparsisons need to be apples-to-apples but I think we all want everyone to see potential signs of improvement so we can investigate further.

    Thank you.

    Wouldn't allow it for me or

    Wouldn't allow it for me or my wife. They can stuff their ballpark,best guesses. I won't live my life on anyone elses "timer", some number that keeps bouncing around my head. For what advantage, to get ready? I was and am ready without feeling like some set amount of time is slipping away.........................................Dave

  • BRHMichigan
    BRHMichigan Member Posts: 368
    #8
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    beaumontdave said:

    Wouldn't allow it for me or

    Wouldn't allow it for me or my wife. They can stuff their ballpark,best guesses. I won't live my life on anyone elses "timer", some number that keeps bouncing around my head. For what advantage, to get ready? I was and am ready without feeling like some set amount of time is slipping away.........................................Dave

    No expiration!

    I love your attitude, Dave.  Early on I peeked at stats on the internet.  No more.  I hope we all live to be 90.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,800 Member
    #9
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    beaumontdave said:

    Wouldn't allow it for me or

    Wouldn't allow it for me or my wife. They can stuff their ballpark,best guesses. I won't live my life on anyone elses "timer", some number that keeps bouncing around my head. For what advantage, to get ready? I was and am ready without feeling like some set amount of time is slipping away.........................................Dave

    Don't tell me what to do

    I know the stats, my Oncolgist told me them right out of the gate, but, being a bit rebellious, my attitude is 'don't tell me what to do - how long to live'. If your say five years, I'll go for 10. 

    I have set a goal to live to 82. Of course, when I get to 81, I will bump that up to 88. 

    Tru

  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #10
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    age

    Only 82 ???  I'm already 85.  What shoud I hope for-100 ?  Good luck to you  Trubrit.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,800 Member
    #11
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    danker said:

    age

    Only 82 ???  I'm already 85.  What shoud I hope for-100 ?  Good luck to you  Trubrit.

    Indeed!

    I'm more than happy to bump it up, Dan.  And when you reach 90, I'll bump it up again. 

    You are my inspiration. 

    Cyber hugs! 

    Tru

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    edited November 2017 #12
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    The Importance of a Second Opinion

    or, dealing with idiot doctors. My first Onc gave me less than a year. That was in Feb 2004. I didn’t really ask him, he must have thought he was being helpful. With my second, and current, Onc I never raised the question. Statistics can be very misleading and it’s human nature to want to know everything. The problem is, no one knows how an individual will respond to treatment. I’ve heard of good and not so good results for every approach out there. 

    I really find it to be unprofessional for doctor, usually inexperienced ones, to tell you what they think will happen. 

  • Mikenh
    Mikenh Member Posts: 777
    edited November 2017 #13
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    All of the doctors that I

    All of the doctors that I spoke to said I'll do fine. What I've learned on these forums is that you can never really know until there's a ton of information about you made clear and that takes a lot out of you in most cases. It may be very well that I'll do fine, maybe even likely. But the doctors don't know if I have something like the BRAF mutation which is one of the toughest for CRC or something milder. I think that they do know a lot more after the pathology report of the tumor and lymph nodes and scans of the liver and lungs.

    I'd say live life like it won't be long, at least until you have a lot more information.

    My mother went into the hospital for a heart attack several years ago. The doctors told her that she should say her goodbyes to family as they didn't expect her to last the night. She's still alive, about three years later, living on her own in her own home and going out to do her regular activities. Sometimes their analysis is wrong or sometimes God performs a miracle.

  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #14
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    I was told

    It will get you , too many lymph nodes and way too aggressive. If there is someting you want to do , do it now. I don't expect you to survive any more than three years. My surgeon was very honest and very experienced. This jan 22nd will be the 20th anniversary of my cancer removal with no recurrence. Ron.

  • SophDan2
    SophDan2 Member Posts: 150 Member
    edited November 2017 #15
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    Just don'r pay the bill!

    If the doctor gives you 1 year to live, don't pay your bill, and they'll give you aother year Sealed

  • xNTP
    xNTP Member Posts: 38 Member
    edited November 2017 #16
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    dwg a new curve

    I think a candid negative assessment can be important, for someone (e.g. at least the caretaker, even if the patient won't handle it well, or would be "hexed"). 

     I was mad at one oncologist because his view conflicted with a previous dr that we trusted and that this new view was severely financially conflicted.  However I did listen and include the possibilty that he was more accurate in his assessment.  Turned out the previous dr was overcautious on telling us uncertain, really bad news.  This in itself could have been fatal.  I do still think that the oncologist was financially conflicted but still provided important information.

    I take the stats seriously. To me, bad stats reflect a particular treatment course for a particular group.  I consider the curve in several parts.   The tail survivors represent some conditions or information that may have potential opportunities for others.

    My operating principle is that if you don't like the result or statistics, then you have to do something(s) much better, often intelligently different, to get on a new curve.

  • Lily Flower
    Lily Flower Member Posts: 260 Member
    #17
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    I do not look at the stats.

    I do not look at the stats. It doesn't define me as individual. Everyone is different. I set my own goal and stat. 

  • Lily Flower
    Lily Flower Member Posts: 260 Member
    #18
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    SophDan2 said:

    Just don'r pay the bill!

    If the doctor gives you 1 year to live, don't pay your bill, and they'll give you aother year Sealed

    Hahaha good one Barry! Hey if

    Hahaha good one Barry! Hey if I keep not paying I'll get to live forever. Lol

  • SophDan2
    SophDan2 Member Posts: 150 Member
    #19
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    Lily Flower said:

    Hahaha good one Barry! Hey if

    Hahaha good one Barry! Hey if I keep not paying I'll get to live forever. Lol

    In hope that you do Lily!

    In hope that you do Lily!

    I hope the same for me!

  • Lily Flower
    Lily Flower Member Posts: 260 Member
    #20
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    SophDan2 said:

    In hope that you do Lily!

    In hope that you do Lily!

    I hope the same for me!

    Here's to our eternal life of

    Here's to our eternal life of cancer free! Cheers! :)

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