94.8% Mortality Rate? Lovely.

Listen to your onc, who knows the details of your case and treatment, not some website that appears to have a glitch!

Hi-  I used a survival calculator that shows an 84% survival with treatment.  I have been told by one Onc my survival rates are between 40% and 84%.  ( I have since change oncs since she was getting me confused with another patient.)  But, the point is even on my worst day my survival rates are waaayyy better than what your calcualtor says.

Just read an article by the American Cancer Society that mentions that in developing countries cancer is often not treated because they have so many other health and social concerns to deal with and the survival stats are terrrible.  So, if your stats are from a world wide data base chances are they are skewed to the negative.

I've heared those stats mix in all ages and the type of bc in one big pot.  It's not specific for your age, tx type, etc.  Don't give the results a second thought and stay away from those calculators  

I'm Stage IIIc TN with initial chemo-resistance, and even MY odds aren't that low! 

I would agree that you have to be careful when looking at stats on any particular site - you really don't know what factors are being taken into account.  Those numbers usually include women who don't do chemo, who haven't followed through on all treatment, who don't have access to the same care as other women, etc.

Monique: I agree with Kerry...perhaps there was a misunderstanding?   If you give me the address I will run my numbers also.

BTW, only listen to and read the stuff that makes you feel good and talks about progress they are making with bc and all the good things they now do for us. You don't even know-there could be a cure in 15 years.  Like the tag in my signature reads "I have been through many things in my life, some of which actually happened" which is Mark Twain.   Don't get concerned with conjecture and mortality rates.  Get concerned with living and enjoying yourself.  I don't know about you but I have no idea when the end is so I will keep living each day happy and healthy until that changes!!  

Keep singing that old song "Born to be alive!"  That should help you through the rough patches!

I'm also at the "bad" end of stage III with vascular invasion and a mammary node so I refused to use any calculators.  I really didn't want to see any statistics and even told my onc not to discuss prognosis with me.  I only wanted to hear about her plans for treatment. 

As others have said those calculators lump everyone together regardless of other health problems, level of care etc.  It truly is a crap shoot for us. I see you had a clear PET in December. That's excellent!  Did your onc ever discuss Zometa with you?  Although the evidence is not clear, many of us in Stage III are receiving it as a preventative measure.

i remember the week after my diagnosis, i used that calculator - big mistake. I ended up sobbing and crying saying why did God give me my babies if I wasn't going to be around for them. I was completely devastated by those stats...I avoid them like the plague now and try to enjoy my life.

But I also totally agree with Clarice, that survival stats on the whole are useless!!

Monique - did you use Lifemath.net?  If you did, make sure you are looking at the SURVIVAL and not MORTALITY because you can set it either way!  There are two different graphs.  I think you may be misreading something - unless you are stage 4 I don't understand how this calculator is pulling this up -

If not, then toss out that web page and ignore it.  I can't tell you how many people I've heard of who've been told they have six months to live, or a year or whatever and years later they're still alive.  If you're really upset about it, ask your oncolgolist to go through your tumor details (all those little T numbers whatever they are) and ask where he's getting HIS percentage from.  My experience is that they're pretty honest - if they thought you only had a 5 and a half percent chance of survival, he'd tell you that I believe!

i ignore the stats - they don't matter, i think, because when we beat them, we beat them; and God forbid we don't, we have bigger fish to fry. but i'm not trying to minimize the fear or gatekeep your feelings. i'm just trying to send support and hope - you are HERE today, and surviving - and i think your plan to "stick with what the doc told me" is a good one!

sending you hugs and energy.

xo

j

We won't know the effects of current treatments for many years -- those stats reflect the type of treatment that women had 5 to 10 years ago. Also, I've heard of women with Stage 0 cancer who went to get a recurrence, and of women who are Stage IV who have lived for 20+ years. It's easy to drive yourself crazy with statistics but as others have said: they aren't you. And until they can design a study that factors in all of your specific details, they will never be you.

I cannot add to what all the other wise women have posted before me.

I just wanted to tell you what my RO said to me yesterday when I asked him about statistics on soem things.  He said, "Well, for you, it's either 0% or 100%"

Yeah, yeah...statistical math is that way.  It's either going to come your way or it's not.

Don't spend a moment worrying when you could be living and enjoying life!