BC calculator website (effects of treatment options)

otter

BC calculator website (effects of treatment options)

otter

Hey, everybody--

Here's a website where you can get an estimate of prognosis (average life expectancy) based on your age, tumor type, tumor size, ER, PR, etc.  You can also type in different treatment options and see what effect they would have on average life expectancy with your type of tumor.

http://www.cancer-math.net/brcancercalcs.html

Be forewarned--some people might not like to see the results. I was pleasantly relieved, when I found out how helpful chemo would be if my LN turn out to be positive (won't know that until mastectomy + SNB on Tuesday).

The site is provided by Harvard Medical School, so it seems to be legit.

otter 

twink

ewww... I didn't like what I read.  I should ignore stats I think.

Thanks for posting though Otter.

CookieOkie

Twink:

Again, you're an angel. I liked what I saw to. Although I wasn't sure on what to put in in treatment so I just put in the dose dense one.

thanks

cookie

otter

Oh, Twink, I'm sorry. You sound so strong on these boards, so I'm sure the "statistics" won't keep you down for long.  I thought about not posting the link, because the results will look worse than some of us are hoping for.  A woman where I used to work (I'm retired now) has had two dx of invasive BC, with eventual mets to bone and elsewhere.  She was told there was only a 20% chance she would be alive in 5 years.  She said she intended to be that one in five! 

I think the calculator takes a pretty broad-brush approach.  For instance, it doesn't factor in the initial surgical treatment (OK, mast has the same long-term outcome as lump/rads); there is nothing about rads following mastectomy; and it doesn't mention Oncotype testing.

Also, the "average life expectancy" is based solely on age.  There is NOTHING to account for my family's long, strong history of heart disease and Type II diabetes.  I've always figured heart disease would eventually get me.  Now that I've been dx with BC, it looks like there might be a race.

otter 

twink

It's okay otter, my problem.  I think I'm just having a bad day.  Waiting for tests with just enough info to worry me and not enough to tell me much of anything.  Blah.  Why do they always call on Friday?

koshka1

Very Interesting... Thank you.

kosh...

susieloutoo

Hi all -

Please help a chart challenged girl....I did the first calulator and I don't understand how to read it...It says first that the average life expectancy is 45 some years....is that 45 PLUS my age? Or is that 45 years with no treatment? ARGH...I feel dumb.

Thanks Susie

AnnNYC

Hi Susie, I think it must mean 45 years PLUS your age,

because mine said "average life expectancy is 28.9 years"
and I'm 55 -- so I'm guessing you are 38-40???

susieloutoo

I am in 37...good guess!

Thanks so much.

Susie

Anonymous

Whew.....I just did that chart thing too and was wondering about the years....it says that I will live 33.8 more years....but I agree, I think it is a very broad range but I too was happy/relieved to see that my choices for treatment were probably well in line with the cancer that I had...the only thing I could have done to add more years is to have a 3rd generation of chemo (that I know NOTHING about as I didnt have any chemo) but even with that it only added 3 yrs...yes I know 3 yrs can be a long time but in the grand scheme of things Im thankful for what I can get....