An Online Prediction Tool on Cancer Survival Rates...

NATSGSG

Hello Everyone:

While reading an article at the National Library of Medicine (NLM) pubmed website called "Update on Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Early Breast Cancer" at this link, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4197909/  

I came across mention of a prediction tool designed by the Eastern Cancer Registry and Information Centre and Cambridge University, U.K. that gives survival rate of breast cancer patients based on receipt of treatment or not. It's a really really cool site to visit after you get your biopsy pathology results. Then go to links below to read some more to educate yourself on the types of treatments, including immunotherapy (current hot topic in cancer treatment. There's a video link included below if you rather watch than read it). As you are educating yourself, you will begin to feel calmer and less afraid of what's ahead of you, believe me *!*

Here's the link. Please read the "Info for Patients and the Public" to get an idea of how it's being used. Again, it's only a prediction based on a mathematical model.

http://predict.nhs.uk/predict.html

The more proactive we are in educating ourself, the better off we will be in cruising through this journey, and the braver we will become. Well, at least I found it to be true for moi's case. Please, please, please think only positive thoughts at all times..... never let negative or despondent thoughts into your mind at any time... If we look hard enough, there may be a solution residing somewhere in the tons of info residing in the National Library of Medicine. I will caution though that since the majority of authors of articles there were written researchers, doctors and professionals contain much medical terminologies, it could be dry reading.

Therefore, one needs to know these terminology to find what we want, what we need. Which is why starting to learning quickly them makes finding info a much easier task. There is an online medical dictionary in there.

Still, begin with a wonderful pdf about understanding your pathology report and its terminology from our own breastcancer.org site called Your Guide to the Breast Cancer Pathology Report at this link

http://www.breastcancer.org/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&term=pathology&commit=Search

or at The National Cancer Institute. It too has a very comprehensive pdf file on the same subject at below link, along with many illustrative pictures and graphics to make your understanding easier:

http://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/wyntk-breast-cancer

Print it out and look it over again and again until you are familiar with its terms and meaning. It is while we are waiting that that's the best time to start one's reading, one's education. Occupying oneself during this time gives one greater hope and strength and desire to face it.

(i) >>> If you already got your biopsy report, and wish to know how to read your pathology report, click on this link:

http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/52288/understanding/

(ii) >>> If you are interested in reading about the current hot cancer treatment topic "Immunotherapy," please click on this link:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/62/topic/831945?page=1#idx_13

(iii) >>> or If you'd rather WATCH VIDEOS of Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy instead of reading the above links, here's the discussion of this topic by the National Institute of Health. Very hot topic currently. Most interesting too and cancer patient can look forward to the day when this is another treatment for us with few side effects or side effects that are more bearable:

http://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?Live=14764&bhcp=1 

http://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?Live=14780&bhcp=1

(iv) >>> If you wish to learn more about the different methods of Breast Reconstruction Surgery, here's the link:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/831857?page=1#post_4398229

(v) >>> This link has an article that explains why sentinel & axillary lymph nodes (The Lymphatic System) are important to our body. Please click on this link if you wish to read more:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/91/topic/830688?page=1#post_4372736

(vi) >>> If you want to know how to ice your hands and feets to reduce/prevent neuropathy during chemotherapy, I have listed the instructions in someone else's thread at this link below:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/763459?page=42#post_4378503

>>> Has it ever occur to most of us that how much the National Cancer Institute (NCI) can do in terms of encouraging and sponsoring cancer research throughout the U.S. is related to how much funding they get or not get from the Office of the President & Congress? Well, below is a video link of the quarterly (?) NCI Board of Scientific Advisors' Meeting that discusses how limited funds they have are being disbursed towards cancer research they want to do or cannot do because of these budgetary constraints.  It's a fantastic eye opener that I believe is worth our time watching when you have time...

http://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?Live=15875&bhcp=1 

http://videocast.nih.gov/PastEvents.asp?c=93  (this link gives all previous meetings)

************

Finally,

If you are interested in reading about my Stage IIA  Grade 3 breast cancer journey thus far, feel free to click on below link. Though I must give you a heads up that it's rather long as I try provide as much details as I can... So here goes:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/147/topic/831038?page=1#idx_8 

Thank you for visiting my thread.

May God give us all the strength, determination and drive to come out of it all V-I-C-T-O-R-I-O-U-S-L-Y.. @!!@

windingshores

I have been doing research since late February when I was first diagnosed. I am a proactive person who has found it nearly impossible to get a sense of certainty from doctors, testing or my own research. A HER2 positive result at least gives some certainty about treatment, even if the specifics are debatable. For HER 2 negative, hormone positive tumors, decisions can get murky, especially with intermediate Oncotype scores. In my experience, pathology results differ from lab to lab, physician opinions differ, and studies online contradict each other. For me, the healthiest place I can get to is to realize we are all just guessing, make the most informed guess I can (with the MD I trust the most) - then hope for the best, watch a lot of Netflix, take a lot of walks, try to work well, and most of all love my (grown) children a long as I can.

NATSGSG

@windingshores - thanks for visiting this thread...please do not give up.

Here's is a link of many medical articles pertaining to HER2 - and ER/PR + for you to sift through and read...hope you will find something that can be of use and help to you....stay the course of getting well so you can enjoy life some more, OK?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=hormone+receptor+positive+and+human+epiderman+growth+factor+receptor+2+negative

Search criteria can always be changed to find more or other info pertaining to one's situation too.

It is true there are studies out there that contradicts each other. How I myself go about deciding which test results I want to use or follow is based on reading whether their method, logic and criteria makes sense to me, and whether they are transparent in their reporting. Reading many articles will also give one a sense of what to do. At least to me it did and help me make own final decision in treatment in conjunction with my doctors.. *!*

I didn't really follow all my SO, OPS and MO advice until I understand the basis of their recommendations. Then, we discuss some more, and we eventually come to a compromise, as you will see if you have time to read my journey..

All the very best to you in your journey...

windingshores

I have been hard at it for months and have hardly given up. I was trying to say that your advice does not apply to many people. You have positive HER2 which already determines your course, at least most of it.

I have already read the studies cited. I am a competent researcher and proactive patient. I was trying to say that often research is not effective in situations where the science is just not there yet.

NATSGSG

windingshores, true, true, cancer comes in different stages, different grades, different sizes, different hormone receptors (- or +) and different hormone epiderman growth factors (HER2 either - or +), which makes each of us unique but which determines the course of our treatment plan, and whether we choose to follow it or not,  modify it or not. Other factors that are taken into consideration include whether our Sentinel Lymph Nodes (SLND) are positive or negative, and if our axillary nodes are taken out or node. Sometimes, even whether we choose to have Lumpectomy (aka Breast Conserving Surgery BCS) or Mastectomy are taken into account in treatment plan as well.

Me, being HER2+ also mean that I, like you, have to do my research. In the end, I have to decide what treatment plan I want to follow or not follow. There is no such a thing as a clear-cut plan - but there are such things as STANDARD TREATMENT PLANS or plans that are currently adopted by most doctors based on clinically proven methods at a certain point in time. These changes too as new medical and scientific knowledge comes to light. If I did not do my research or reading, I wouldn't have been able to discuss the plan I want. If I didn't educate myself, I would have no choice but to go with the standard treatment plan, whether it's really good for me or not.

Therefore, perhaps my suggestion (not so much advice) may be appropriate for others but not for you. I'm very happy for you that you are quite pro-active in your own research (bravo!),  . I wrote what I wrote in this thread in the hopes that such information will be helpful to others, perhaps a point from where to start. I've always believe more info is better than less to enable us all to make better choices, and perhaps better decision.

Choice is something we all have - no one can force us to make any decision against our will. Every cancer patient have rights. That mean patients can cancel any part of treatment plan recommended by their doctor, and propose one that they found via their own research that may have proven to work for their own situation. As to the link I've provided in my earlier message, please feel free to ignore it.

Perhaps others who comes later who are EP/PR+ and HER2 - may find those links useful.

@ 

NATSGSG

Hello Again:

There's another method of cancer treatment called IMMUNOTHERAPY, besides chemo and radio therapy. If you are interested in reading more about this method of treatment, here are several links for more information. It seems there are fewer side effects from this type of therapy:

(1) This article discusses the progression of using immunotherapy in breast cancer treatment:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3587160/

(2) This article talks about combining immunotherapy with other therapies for better cancer treatment outcomes;

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3608094/

(3) This article talks about combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy aka chemoimmunotherapy:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2919833/

(4) Below link discusses using our own immune system to treat cancer:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3587160/

(5) This link talks about how immunotherapy can impact how cancer is being treated:

http://www.cancerresearch.org/cancer-immunotherapy/impacting-all-cancers/breast-cancer

NATSGSG

hello, to members who are interested in articles where one's BC is

(a)  triple negatives (i.e ER -, PR -, HER2 - ) this link might be helpful to you. The majority of breast cancers associated with the breast cancer gene known as BRCA1 are triple negative....One will need to find the ones that are pertinent to oneself since there's tons of articles in here.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=triple+negative+breast+cancer&cmd=correctspelling

 All the very best everyday 0!!0

Kicks

NAT_SG/NATSGSG/nat_hu - why do you assume that none educates themself on their BC - WRONG! Most (if not all) of us are quite capable of doing our OWN research on what applies to us individually.

But then I'm not a "Freelance Educater'.

NATSGSG

@kicks, does the sharing of information constitutes a violation of assuming that "none educates themselves?" Wow, then I am so guilty of it by your definition !! However, if my sharing of information helps EVEN 1 fellow member here, then I shall be most happy to have contributed.. Your calling me names and making accusations of this and that sort every time you get an opportunity in this site doesn't really bother me :-)

But since you seem to have a lot of time on hand, I wish you'd start your own thread to share your own unique cancer experiences which could be  interesting and more productive to others too, don't you think?  After all, you have time enough to police and criticize practically most threads I have posted. I have no idea for this hostility. ...There's a saying in Buddhism that says what goes around comes around...

wrenn

this feels a bit spammy. You have been very bust posting links in all of your posts

wrenn

nat, i'd be interested in hearing your cancer experience. I think that is what most of us find useful about the forum. We are all pretty good googlers but personal stories are very important to us.

...and wishing karma on a member is not very zen

NATSGSG

hello wren: my personal experience link was listed at the bottom of the top of this thread. Because it's personal, it's rather detail and lengthy, so I'm afraid it will consume a lot of your time to read it... It's probably more interesting to fellow members who are new. Those who've already completed their cancer journey may find it rather boring. So it's a matter of perspective. However, I do thank you for asking.

There is absolutely no desire to wish anyone "un-Zenic" in any way - though oftentimes, classical sayings are a good way to remind myself and others of it.

Best regards to you, wren.

and an advance thank you to fellow members who don't find my threads boring or unproductive.

@

P.S. One can always SKIP reading a thread of disinterest to one with just one touch, isn't that right? ))

NATSGSG

@ Have a fantastic summer...