Cure vs. Cured vs. Remission
For centuries, doctors have used the word “cure” to describe a medical condition that’s completely gone and will never come back. For example, if you have appendicitis and doctors remove your
appendix, you’ve been cured.
In the language of cancer, “cure” works differently, ibid.
Almost two-thirds of American adults go online to search for health information for themselves or for others.
You can search online 24 hours a day, you don't have to deal with sick patients in the waiting room and you're never asked for your Medicare or insurance card.
You can also manipulate your search to get the results you want or start your search anew if you don't like the results.
https://www.nextavenue.org/paging-dr-google/
My BIL (brother-in-law) died a few weeks ago after a brave, 6 year battle with prostate cancer.
3 Stages of Coping With Cancer: There Are Better Days Ahead
This is Amy’s story . . .
Nov. 1, 2018 was the worst day of my life, one I will never forget. I had received those three little words nobody wants to hear: “you have cancer.” My diagnosis was a stage 4 well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor in my small intestine with metastases to my regional lymph nodes. I had an emergency surgery two days prior for a bowel obstruction that come to find out was my primary
tumor.
Despite my cancer diagnosis, my prognosis doesn’t have to be what science says it is going to be. I decided to not let my cancer define me and I put it to the back of my mind as best as I can. I decided to live, really live. I am now doing things I never thought I could or would do.
https://www.curetoday.com/view/3-stages-of-coping-with-cancer-there-are-better-days-ahead
Jerome was my wifes older brother and her best friend growing up. He was everything a brother could and should be.
Tall, handsome, athletic . . . his high school friends called him “Triple Crown” . . . a label we never heard until his memorial service.
If you have a symptom or a screening test result that suggests cancer, your doctor must find out whether it is due to cancer or some other cause. The doctor may start by asking about your
personal and family medical history and do a physical exam. The doctor also may order lab tests, imaging tests (scans), or other tests or procedures. You may also need a biopsy, which is often the only way to tell for sure if you have cancer.
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging/diagnosis
The odd thing about his cancer is, his PSA was always normal. His other routine tests were also normal, but a biopsy revealed something different.
He had advanced stage prostate cancer. Most prostate cancers are slow growing . . . the common prognosis is, you will probably die of old age before the cancer gets you.
If you have cancer, your doctor will recommend one or more ways to treat the disease. The most common treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Other options include targeted
therapy, immunotherapy, laser, hormonal therapy, and others.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000901.htm
Because his cancer was unusual, and he lived near a proton treatment center, he was accepted into a grant program that not only approved experimental treatment but also covered most of his OOP (out of pocket) costs.
Initial treatments showed promise . . . he had few side effects . . . and the cancer was responding.
“Cure” is not a word used lightly . . . especially with cancer. If there are no signs of cancer for 5 years, you might be considered cured.
He was cancer free for a little over 4 years.
And then it returned . . .
Prostate, thyroid, testicular, melanoma and early stage breast cancer.
Some experts don't use that word, noting that you can never be sure that cancer will go away for good after treatment. They prefer to say "remission," meaning there's a chance the disease can return. But in general, a person who stays cancer-free 5 years after a diagnosis has better odds of recovery.
That benchmark doesn't mean you can’t die from cancer or even that you don't still have it in your body, but it is a good sign.
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/5-curable-cancers
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