how long does someone live after stage four of bone cancer treatment seems to be working?
441002
If they are talking about her NOT having chemo her chances are very good indeed .Best of luck.
26503
This was posted on Dan Fofelberg's official website\n\nIn May of 2004, Dan was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer.\n\n\nAugust 13, 2005\nA personal letter from D.F.\n\nFirst, let me send everyone some very good news. In our first 14 months of treatment, we have succeeded in slowing the progression of my prostate cancer down to an almost negligible level. Jean and I are thrilled and incredibly relieved and finally feel like we can at last take a breath. While we understand that what we’re dealing with is a long term condition that will have to be dealt with, monitored and treated for probably the rest of my life, we are terribly encouraged to have come so far, so fast. It has certainly been the most trying experience of our lives and yet has proven to be one of the most illuminating as well.\n....\n...I currently have no plans to return to the concert stage or the recording studio in the foreseeable future, but who knows? At least for now, I prefer to keep my options open.\n\n\nGood wishes for Dan can be posted at:\nhttp://www.thelivinglegacy.net/wishes.html
511680
Yes I do. They tell everyone that when you have skin cancer you will live longer if you get surgery and chemotherapy. I have not found that to be true. My aunt, uncle and a friend all had it and all died not long after getting those treatments. My dad has it too. He refused to get the treatments and is still living this very day and gets around just as good as he did back then. He has had it for 33 years.
211471
It totally depends on the type of cancer.  Some bone cancer is metastatic -- it came from somewhere else in the body.  Other bone tumors are primary.  There is a long list of types -- osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, mutliple myeloma, and the metastatic tumors.  Try to find out the pathological classification of the cancer from you medical records or physician, and then try a web search for a litany of information about the specific type.
761396
I have been there and done that.  I too had cancer on my back, and I waited to have it removed.  I guess I was waiting for it to go away or something.  I wish I had done something about it when it was still small, but on the other hand all cancers are not the bad kinds, but they do all grow and grow.  If left alone they will take over your body and that would be bad.  By the time I had it removed it ended up as a hole the size of a grapefruit in two places.  If I had waited any longer it would have grown around my spine and I would have been in real trouble.  I guess what I'm trying to tell you is; don't give it a chance to get a strong hold on you, and the longer you wait the worse it will be to get it all out.  They must cut, check, cut, check, and so on, until they have it all out.  This is a time consuming surgery, and it still could come back somewhere else even after you have it removed.  I just tank God I'm still alive, and I try to live each day as if it were my last day on earth.  Yeah, it made a different person out of me, but it is all for the better.  I now appreciate life, as I now know how fragile life is.  I hope this helps.  Good Luck!!!
1060034
Sometimes treatment doesnt work. It didnt work on my dad, he passed away because of lung cancer.  But it did work for my mom, that is a breast cancer survivor.  So it's not up to us or the doctors who are the lucky ones that get to live.
832412
If the cancer is in the bone marrow,  it will reduce the number of blood cells produced:  depending on what the cancer has metasisied into it would take on the "symptoms " of a blood cancer - so it will depend on the type of cancer blood cells.\n\nWhile you have given some good information,  you have left out critical details to discuss more (like type of cancer blood cells) .\n\nIf you go the the LLS.org web site you can get a better idea of what you are dealing with.\n\nSince it is your grandmother, I assume she is older and the prognosis for people with cancer/older is never good.\n\nspend as much time as you can with her and help her accomplish any "unfinished" things she may have.\n\nGood luck,\n\nJewells\n32 months ans still here
374033
The most advanced form is Stage IV which has a very low survival rate—only about 5 percent of those diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer will survive for five years. The overall five­year survival of all patients with ovarian cancer, regardless of stage, is about 30 percent.
169758
My husband has the same cancer as your father, but I think his might be more advanced that your dad's.  My husband is 63 years old.  He is taking the same treatments as your dad, but also a bone strengthener intravenously once every 4 weeks.  The bone strengthener is called Zometa, and this treatment takes about 30 minutes each time.  He also had 5 radiation treatments to his spine which helped greatly with pain control.  \n\nOnce cancer has spread beyond the prostate it can't be cured, but it can often be controlled for several years.  It sounds like my husband has many more spots of cancer in his bones than your dad does, and we are hopeful that he will have at least a few years.  The most important thing for your dad is to not break a bone - cancer in the bones makes them very brittle.  In addition to the intravenous bone strengtheners my husband takes calcium and Vitamin D every day - prescribed by the cancer specialist.  He takes very strong pain meds also.  \n\nThe day will come when the hormone treatments will stop working.  When that happens there is some research that suggests some chemotherapy drugs can give the person a few more months of life.  The overall life expectancy at this stage tends to be up to three years, but every individual is different and responds differently to treatment.  It will be affected by your dad's health otherwise, his strength in fighting this, his attitude, and his will to live.\n\nBe strong yourselves and take care of yourselves.  You need to take care of you in order to help him.  I have learned that.  It sounds like he is getting good care.  Ask about the need for bone strengtheners.  Also, good nutrition is very important in figthing cancer.  Make sure he eats a healthy diet, low in fat particularly.  Try to keep a positive outlook, and now is the time to live each day as if it is your last.  Life becomes precious when we realize it is on a timer.  Take care, and God bless.
1075253
I work in cancer research, so I know a bit about the statistics.\n\nIt will depend on the stage at diagnosis.  If it's stage I or II, it's possible.  Stage III is unlikely, and stage IV has a very poor prognosis - usually those who are diagnosed at stage IV only have a few months to live.\n\nI hope that this person has had an early diagnosis - cancer is a horrible thing - I wish your friend the best.
1046883
Is this for curiosity's sake, or a serious medical question? I only ask because in the latter case it's best to get information directly from the doctor treating the disease. I will say, however, that these things depend on a number of variables. First, do you mean "large small cell tumor?" What stage is it in? Has it metastasized (spread to other organs)? How healthy is the patient? How old?\n\nSmall cell carcinoma is a very aggressive cancer, spreading quickly and not always detected at an early stage. However it is also very responsive to radiation and chemotherapy, making it easier to treat once it's found. If the patient is healthy and able to endure the treatment, once they reach the 2 year mark things are looking good.
1117175
As my treating doctor well put it across - there is never a permanent cure for cancer of any kind. After a period of five years of treatment, the cancer has not resurfaced you are declared 'cancer free'. Cancer free means you will live a little longer as cancer cells are still alive and can surface at anytime , especially as your body is always vurnable.\n\nRegarding the donations, its a topic one rather keep away from.
859954
Yes, it is.  With stage IV breast cancer the choice of chemotherapy treatment depends on the patient's goal of treatment. If the goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life, it may be more desirable to select a chemotherapy treatment with minimal side effects. On the other hand, if the goal of treatment is to attempt to cure the cancer, treatment with more aggressive chemotherapy regimens is opted.  Either way, all the new advanced drug therapies have recorded average survival rates of fewer than 24 months—so your mom sure had a passion for life!  Here are some recent trial findings:\n\nET (Ellence® (epirubicin) and Taxotere® (docetaxel)): In a randomized clinical trial comparing ET to FEC (fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide) as first-line therapy for stage IV breast cancer, the response rate to ET was 63%, compared to 31% for FEC. The average time to cancer progression was 8.6 months for patients treated with ET, compared to 6.1 months for patients treated with FEC.\n\nTAC (docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide): In an attempt to further improve treatment, a third drug has been added to the combination of doxorubicin and docetaxel and evaluated as initial treatment for patients with stage IV breast cancer. Two years following treatment, nearly 60% of patients were still alive. The average survival had not yet been established past two years following treatment.\n\nAT (doxorubicin and paclitaxel): A recent clinical trial evaluated the use of AT in patients with stage IV breast cancer. Patients received AT or a common chemotherapy combination consisting of fluorouracil, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (FAC). The results of the two groups were then directly compared. The average survival time was 23.3 months for patients receiving AT versus 18.3 months for patients receiving FAC.\n\nTaxotere® (docetaxel) and Xeloda® (capecitabine): Researchers conducted a clinical trial to directly compare docetaxel plus capecitabine to docetaxel alone in the treatment of patients with stage IV breast cancer. Patients who received treatment with docetaxel/capecitabine were more likely to experience anti-cancer responses, have a longer time to cancer progression and survive longer when compared to patients treated with docetaxel alone. One year following therapy, 57% of patients treated with docetaxel/capecitabine had survived, compared to only 47% of patients treated with docetaxel alone.\n\nGemzar® (gemcitabine): Recently, clinical trials indicated that gemcitabine and paclitaxel is an effective treatment option for initial therapy of stage IV breast cancer. In one trial, researchers from France treated 36 patients with stage IV breast cancer or locally advanced breast cancer with gemcitabine and paclitaxel. Following therapy, approximately 42% of patients had an anti-cancer response. The average time to cancer progression was approximately 7.5 months.
463144
The 5-year-survival rate is a statistical way of looking at the death rate in a cancer. You can look it up online (I have to say, it is a rather depressingly low number) but please keep this in mind: It cannot tell you anything about your daughter's individual chances since statistics only deal with groups.\nSome people can die from othe stage 2 cancer in 6 months, others will live with a stage 4 cancer for 10 years. \nYour best bet is an honest discussion with the oncologist but always keep in mind, noone can give you an absolute number. They just don't know. How you react to treatment, how fast the cancer grows - it is different for different woman.\nMy mother died last year of ovarian cancer, between diagnosis stage IV and death were only 9 months. In this time we just did our best to be there for her, helped her with everyday work as much as possible, talked to her when and about what she wanted - including death. Towards the end  we all put our lifes on hold while hers ran out, just to be there for her. Most people aren't lucky enough to be able to do this. But she was very grateful to have her family to rely on. I don't believe this is much of a comfort for you. \nI wish you and your daughter the very best of luck.
334817
Stage IV is usually considered the last stage of cancer before it takes over your body and death occurs.  She should agree to have the Dr. check her lymph nodes and other organs, because Stage IV usually means it has spread there.  Luckily there are treatments that can extend her life and hopefully put her cancer into remission......Good luck and God Bless
1022679
Val,\n\nLots of people live for 10 years with MM;  you would have to go to the IMF for exact details on 5 year numbers etc but I know a couple of 15 years and just saw an announcement on the MMA listserve of one celebrating his 25th year.  \n\nMy doc thinks I am going to one of those 10+ year guys and I promised my girl 20+ and I AM !! going to make it for my son, her and my family.\n\nHate to say it but so of it comes down to luck of the draw on which "type of MM" you have,  how well you take to treatments, age, mental outlook,  and general "other" health.  Young, and strondg at diagnosis give you a better fighting chance than someone who is over 70 with other health problems.\n\n While I know some people that are doing well after 5, 9 and 12+ years.  I also know some people that are diagnosed and dead in less than 3 years.  That's the reality of MM;  it is, by definition, a terminal cancer without a cure but it is more treatable every month.  Even in  the last 2 years we have better drugs such as Velcade and others - with more in phase II trail as we speak.  \n\nMy biggest beef is when I was diagnosed, I looked at the NCI website and they give you the horrid 5 year survival of under 5 years.   That may have been true in the 90's but with all the new meds coming down the pike,  I think MM will go from a "terminal cancer" to a "treatable with no cure cancer" in the next coupe of years.\n\nBut that depends on $$ because $$ = research and reseach = cures,  so support the MMRF and the IMF; they are the front lines for a cure.\n\nHope it helps,  \n\nJewells\n28 months and still here
1117202
What kind of cancer did he have to start with?  There are people nowadays living with cancer.  My father's friend Tony is an example.  Tony was diagnosed with 6 months to live, terminal cancer.  He pushed for chemo anyhow and is still here 8 years later and the cancer spread to the colon and pancreas and started in the lung.  He has to be on maintenance chemo every 4 months to control it but he is living with cancer like people live with any illness.  Don't give up hope.  Depending where the cancer is, part of the liver if it's in the left lobe can be removed and he can still function with part of his liver.  He could also be eligible if push came to shove for a transplant from a relative.