Question for everyone on board

CANCER FREE
Depends

If the day after my successfull surgery, then almost 9 months. If the day after my last treatment, 6 months.

Mike

I have to agree with Mike
Arndog64,

I will have to agree with Mike with the time frame and when we are considered cancer free. Some Doctors use the date of the Surgery as the date that they may say that a person is cancer free. Some Doctors start from the last day of a person's treatments.

Both my Surgeon and Radiation Oncologist used both dates. My Surgeon went by the surgery date as his time line for appointments. My Radiation Oncologist used the last day of radiation as his time frame for my appts. Scheduling me to return at 3 months, then 6 months and then yearly. I split both of the appointments in such a way as to alternate them so I had one set of eyes on me often instead of 2 sets of eyes on me at the same month.

Now to answer your question, I am 6 years and 4 months out from radiation, 6 years 7 months from surgery. At the 5 year mark we are considered cancer free. I was told by both my Doctors that I didn't need to return and go buy a Lottery ticket. I asked both if they minded if I returned yearly and they both said yes, I could. So, I have scheduled to see one or the other after 6 months and then the other so I have eyes on me at a shorter time frame. I just feel that if anything were to return, I might have a better chance if I/we catch it early. My goal is to live to be 100 : ) like George Burns...

My Best to You and Everyone Here

Dates
I don't know at what point I actually became cancer free....

But I finished all treatments June 2009,and all scans that I have had since have been clear.

Best,
John

Kent Cass said:

Two years
My last rad/end of treatment was the first week of April 09. Hard to figure any other date as being the starting point for being free of the C.

kcass

Well,
I haven't actually been told I'm cancer free. I think the better question for me would be how long have you survived? (there is actually a thread on that. I find that one, and threads like this very inspirational. )

I found my lump and swollen lymph node on 10/9/08. Neck Dissection 1/09. I finished radiation on 5/15/09. So, 2+ years.

I'm Pretty New
Diagnosed October 2009 - last of "known" cancer removed December, 2010 - that makes me four months and six days out.

D Lewis said:

Almost a year.
On May 15th, I'll be one year out from end of treatment. Didn't know for sure I was cancer free till the three month PET-CT, but I assume it was the chemo and rads that did it.

Deb

Great if you can get it
but not everyone does. Like Hondo and Sweet I have never been told I'm "cancer free" but I am surviving. With me it's 4 spots on the lungs, one lung ganuloma, and a spot on the thyroid. When they start looking sometimes they find stuff, sometimes it's related and sometimes it's not. My magical words are, " No change since last scan" and I'm just fine with that. This cancer gets very personalized.

One day at a time...
My partner Mike was diagnosed 3/19/2010
Last chemo 6/7
Last radiation 6/17/2010
Two clean PET scans (Sep2010 and Feb2011)
Clear exams by ENT doc....
He takes one day at a time and as many of you have expressed-he's very thankful for everything and no longer sweats the small stuff.

God Bless....

hawk711 said:

Post treatment & NED
I am 13 months post treatment and 4 months since I took the surname "NED" too....
All the best,
Steve

It's been..
I had my surgery May 5 2010 so almost a year!! I can hardly believe it. I finished my treatments October 25, 2010 so 6 months post treatment

sweetblood22 said:

Krystenruth, almost a year!
Krystenruth, almost a year! That doesn't seem possible! You have come so far kiddo.

Ditto
So glad that you have come so full circle....I'll always remember your first posts....

Best Always,
John

Kimba1505 said:

NED...
Mark's last treatment for SCC Stage IV tonsil HPV+ July 20th 2010. He had radical neck disection, followed by chemo and rads. PEG pulled on August 19th. He has had 2 clean PETs since (NED).
Getting some accupunture to try to bump up his saliva production, some pain and tightness in his neck...but otherwise an amazing come back from a battle with an awful enemy.
Appreciating every single day,
Kim

survive
Last rad April 9th 2010. Last scan April 8th 2011. NED.

Steve