BC calculator website (effects of treatment options)

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otter
otter Member Posts: 6,099
edited June 2014 in Recommend Your Resources
BC calculator website (effects of treatment options)
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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited February 2008

    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 

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  • twink
    twink Member Posts: 1,574
    edited February 2008

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

    Thanks for posting though Otter.

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  • CookieOkie
    CookieOkie Member Posts: 74
    edited February 2008

    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

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited February 2008

    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 

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  • twink
    twink Member Posts: 1,574
    edited February 2008

    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?

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  • koshka1
    koshka1 Member Posts: 678
    edited February 2008

    Very Interesting... Thank you.

    kosh...

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  • susieloutoo
    susieloutoo Member Posts: 107
    edited February 2008

    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

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  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited February 2008

    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???

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  • susieloutoo
    susieloutoo Member Posts: 107
    edited February 2008

    I am in 37...good guess!

    Thanks so much.

    Susie

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2008

    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....

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