Cancer Research UK main site

New to the site

LeeH75
Offline

Hi everyone, I’m Lee I’m 44 years old and Ive been through an awful 12 months. Thought I was getting over things and more happens. Last December I was basically diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma buried deep in the pelvic region. Difficult Surgery then followed in April and I was recovering after what I was told a successful operation. I Then had an update scan last month and now I’ve got to go back for 6 weeks of intensive radiotherapy because they’re saying it’s highly likely cancer cells remain in the area as they wasn’t able to clear as much tissue as they wanted. All the way through this I’ve never looked at google, this being I have and the first thing I saw was survival rates of people diagnosed with my type of cancer. Now I’m really worried more than ever that I’ll never get rid of this thing and I won’t be here long enough to see my kids grow up. Having a really down moment this evening. Sorry for the long message but my heads in bits and probably for the first time this is affecting me mentally aswell as physically. How accurate are these survival rates anyway?

  • Offline

    Hay .. 

    We all have "loose it" days .. I cryed for 2 days solid at one point .. you know I cussed at it .. yelled at it .. pictured my funeral ... your not alone .. even super man would "loose it" sometimes .. and your not super your just human .. 

    You know I felt so much better after .. because I got it all out .. I got up .. brought a pair of pink vertual boxing gloves... got in the cancer boxing ring ... looked it in the eye... and got ready to kick it's *** right back ... 

    You can do this .. being brave means .. being scared witless but still doing what you have to any way.. that's real bravery .. it's about admitting your scared .. we all are .. once we have cancer, it's always there lurking in the shadows ... but get those boxing gloves on .. come on, join us in the ring ... cancer wants us to lay down and never get up.. wants us weak... but don't let it .. let's get it on the run together ...

    Sending you a vertual hug.... always here if you want a chat...  Chrissie x

  • Offline

    Hi Lee . Welcome to the forum the club nobody wants to join, most on here have one problem of some sort or other, take me for instance in Feb 2016 i was diagnosed with prostate cancer that has gone to lymph nodes, spine, ribs, pelvis and a lung, its not curable i just have to live with my uninvited guest, my point is even if you have odd cancer cells there it can still be treated and you can still have a good life, i was told i would nead cemotheropy before a year was up i still haven't had it yet and its over three there estimates can be way off just live your life as normal as you can i know it's hard but try to relax and ignore the cancer in time it does get easier I've found that out please get on with you life and enjoy every day as much as you can.. Best wishes... Billy

    P.s we all still have bad days but we have a lot more good ones, 

  • Offline

    Hi Lee and welcome to the site.

    I’ve been to several cancer conferences as a patient rep and the first thing anyone presenting about survival rates says is that these should not be applied to single patients as there are too many variables and no-one is average. 

    This is because these are average rates across a very large number of patients (well into the thousands). Average survival rates generally don’t take into account factors such as age, general health and fitness or co-morbidities. The older and less fit you are and having other conditions such as heart or liver problems all reduce an individual’s likelihood of survival. On top of all that there is a very cruel random element with outcomes varying for no obvious reason.

    The danger in reading the statistics as a patient is that it can make the situation seem insurmountable leading you to give up. I was aware at the outset that I had about a 3% to 5% chance of survival. I translated this as a one in twenty chance but reminded myself that this included people who refused treatment, old and infirm people and people with other lufe-threatening issues which might prevent them having cancer treatment. This rationalisation made it easier to put my fears to one side and get on with my treatment. The fears never went away but they became manageable. 

    Statistically half of patients will live longer than average. All you can do is to try to do everything you can do to be part of that group. 

    I’m not advocating blind hope, just outlining how I kept sane yet hopeful during the early part of my treatment.

     

    Good luck!

    Dave

     

Speak to a nurse

Quick links

Follow us

Registered with Fundraising Regulator (logo)
Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ.