If you have cancer, you may have questions about how serious your cancer is and your chances of survival. The estimate of how the disease will go for you is called prognosis. It can be hard to understand what prognosis means and also hard to talk about, even for doctors. Show
Some of the factors that affect prognosis include: Learn more about
Cancer Staging and Tumor Grade. When you have cancer, you and your loved ones face many unknowns. Understanding your cancer and knowing what to expect can help you and your loved ones make decisions. Some of the decisions you may face include:
Many people want to know their prognosis. They find it easier to cope when they know more about their cancer. You may ask your doctor about survival statistics or search for this information on your own. Or, you may find statistics confusing and frightening, and think they are too impersonal to be of value to you. It is up to you to decide how much information you want. If you do decide you want to know more, the doctor who knows the most about your situation is in the best position to discuss your prognosis and explain what the statistics may mean. If you need help coping with your prognosis, you may find our information on Coping With Cancer helpful. Understanding Statistics About SurvivalDoctors estimate prognosis by using statistics that researchers have collected over many years about people with the same type of cancer. Several types of statistics may be used to estimate prognosis. The most commonly used statistics include:
Because statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to you. Everyone is different. Treatments and how people respond to treatment can differ greatly. Also, it takes years to see the benefit of new treatments and ways of finding cancer. So, the statistics your doctor uses to make a prognosis may not be based on treatments being used today. Still, your doctor may tell you that you have a good prognosis if statistics suggest that your cancer is likely to respond well to treatment. Or, he may tell you that you have a poor prognosis if the cancer is harder to control. Whatever your doctor tells you, keep in mind that a prognosis is an educated guess. Your doctor cannot be certain how it will go for you. Where to Find Cancer StatisticsNCI collects and reports on cancer statistics through its SEER Program, which stands for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results. From the Cancer Stat Facts page on the SEER web site, you can find answers to the most commonly asked questions about cancer statistics for many cancer types. You can also browse the latest SEER Cancer Statistics Review. If You Decide Not to Have TreatmentIf you decide not to have treatment, the doctor who knows your situation best is in the best position to discuss your prognosis. Survival statistics most often come from studies that compare treatments with each other, rather than treatment with no treatment. So, it may not be easy for your doctor to give you an accurate prognosis. Understanding the Difference Between Cure and RemissionCure means that there are no traces of your cancer after treatment and the cancer will never come back. Remission means that the signs and symptoms of your cancer are reduced. Remission can be partial or complete. In a complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. If you remain in complete remission for 5 years or more, some doctors may say that you are cured. Still, some cancer cells can remain in your body for many years after treatment. These cells may cause the cancer to come back one day. For cancers that return, most do so within the first 5 years after treatment. But, there is a chance that cancer will come back later. For this reason, doctors cannot say for sure that you are cured. The most they can say is that there are no signs of cancer at this time. Because of the chance that cancer can come back, your doctor will monitor you for many years and do tests to look for signs of cancer’s return. They will also look for signs of late side effects from the cancer treatments you received. Video SeriesThis video series explores three cancer patients’ and their doctor’s thoughts and feelings about prognosis. The videos explain key points about prognosis and how doctors and patients can talk about it in a clear and supportive way. Two viewer guides are also available: for patients (PDF-210KB) and for provider care teams (PDF-210KB). Understanding Cancer Prognosis Video Series PlaylistHow many years after breast cancer Are you clear?Beyond the first 5 years
As time passes, the risk of recurrence steadily decreases. Many survivors celebrate their 5-year cancer-free date because it is well known that the vast majority of patients who have not had a recurrence by that time have a relatively low risk of recurrence at all.
Are you cancer free after breast cancer surgery?Women who've had breast cancer can still get other cancers. Although most breast cancer survivors don't get cancer again, they are at higher risk for getting some types of cancer. The most common second cancer in breast cancer survivors is another breast cancer. (This is different from the first cancer coming back.)
When are you considered a breast cancer survivor?Common definitions include: Having no signs of cancer after finishing treatment. Living with, through, and beyond cancer. According to this definition, cancer survivorship begins at diagnosis and continues during treatment and through the rest of a person's life.
What are the chances of getting cancer again after breast cancer?On average, 7 percent to 11 percent of women with early breast cancer experience a local recurrence during this time. For patients with a family history of cancer, or a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, the cancer recurrence rate is higher. The risk of finding new cancers, such as ovarian cancer, may also be higher.
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