Hi all, just having a bit of a melt. Had my recurrence stats through and it’s 19%. Is that bad? To me it sounds quite bad but I don’t really understand how it works. I’m coming up to 3 years post diagnosis.
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Hi there
Recurrence is a worry for most, myself included, and I’m not sure it ever truly goes away. In fact I’m waiting for a CT scan 9 months after surgery, and I’m worried it has spread and my recurrence rate was low in the first 10 years as I’m ER+
I don’t know what people class as “bad” but in my opinion even 1% is bad. With today’s medicine and science, it still surprises me there are no guarantees that it won’t come back.
Having said that, it’s a statistic. If you consider 81 people in 100 will not have a recurrence, that’s seems a more favourable way of looking at it. And these statistics may include people with other underlying medical conditions which put them at higher risk.
If I were 3 years along, I would like to think “so far so good” and every year with the “all clear” is reason to celebrate. We can’t ignore the statistics, and recurrence does happen but it reminds us to be vigilant and stay on top of annual check ups.
X
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Dear tired,
Sorry to read you are feeling so anxious at the moment, as Sal 1 has said we are all in the same boat worrying about cancer returning at some stage. As we move on including me we all dread when we have to have our yearly mammogram, waiting for the results is so stressful
I do wish you well, going forward with health and happiness going forward, take good care, be kind to yourself
Hugs Tili 
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Thank you Sal1. Yes I guess nothing is a given but your way of looking at the 81 is a much more positive way. I hope the scan results are good. X
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Thank you Tili. It’s an awful dresd we all share. I just hope that if it does come back it’s years down the line with perhaps new and improved treatments available. Good health to you x
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Hi tired, hope you are feeling better. I am told the fear of recurrance never really leaves you. I am curious that you have a recurrance percentage. I have never been given this. I have my 2 two year check up soon, so I might ask. Anytime I think about recurrance and my upcoming appointment, I go and do something nice - coffee and cake usually x
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Hi Poorly, well I didn’t initially want to know about my stats but when I had a meeting with my oncologist she had them prepared and went through them with me. Started off as 50% then with chemo, rad & letrozole it took the risk down to 19%.
Cake and coffee is quite often a good plan 
. Hope you stay well and healthy. X
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My mastectomy and Chemo was seven years ago, asked my oncologist why I have not been given the all clear. Her response was we cant tell you that. Feel I still live with it every day. Cant talk to friends or family, they dont understand how I feel
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Hi Karon, my god on the face of it that sounds awful for you. Is it because they don’t like to say people are definitely free from cancer generally? Are they just being pedantic about it? I’m so sorry you are in that position. Best healthy wishes to you. 
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I’m six years plus annual mammograms it’s always NED - no evidence of disease/ . We never get told we are cured simply because BC can return decades later . Unfortunately we have no choice but to live with that and be grateful we are so far OK
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Hello
I am about to come to the end of active treatment after my Phesgo jabs finish in July.
My oncologist told me that they never say “it will never come back” as they can never be 100% sure of that. She said they can only confirm that they have removed/obliterated everything that was there at diagnosis and done everything they can to try and stop recurrence. I asked her what I do once treatment is over and she said “you go away and get on with living your life to it’s full potential”. Easier said than done I think but I’m going to try my best to give it a go…
I have also been told I won’t get any regular checkups as I don’t have any boobs any more to have a mammogram and they don’t offer regular scans as “they often cause more anxiety and stress by showing tiny things that have to be investigated as possible cancer but turn out months later not to be”. So it’s down to me to go back to them if I think something’s wrong. I’m wondering if I should get myself a season ticket for the hospital as I’m sure I’m going to be running back there with every ache and pain! I do plan to do the moving forward course so hope this will help.
I don’t know how other people cope but I do admit I do find it scary too.
Big hug xx
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Thank you Jayesse and I hope you continue living cancer free
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Thank you Susan and long May those NEDs continue
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