I like your comment about bc being ‘the gift that keeps on giving’ ms molly! as a recipient twice now, I must say I would have preferred flowers…
the trick is to not let anxiety over a possible return take over your life, and yet not to be complacent - it is possible and I wish it for all of us
Well my onc says nobody can have any guarantees…but…to get on with your life whist remaining vigilant. If a symptom persists for more than 2 or 3 weeks get it checked.
My bc came back after 8 years clear, as secondaries in spine and lungs…
I too wish Jennifer Saunders well, I’m sure what is written is Agent or ignorant media comments re ‘cured’.
We are never cured…I have a very straight talking BCN and Onc.,…I am in remission or NED never cured …even 6 yrs after dx.
My aunt was dx with bone secs., 15yrs after original dx and stomach secs., 3yrs later…she lost her 18yr fight last year.
I’m sure there are BCN’s and Onc’s who try to ‘cushion’ paitents, although I am a very anxious person [on medication for it] my BCN’s attitude was ’ right you’ve got cancer now get on with the treatment and yr life’…she was always there for support, sympathy and advise…but would also give a ‘kick up the bum’ if needed too…[unfortunately she left NHS last month to head our new local Maggies Cancer Centre].
I think we’d all like to be ‘cured’ but reality is the little bugger may always come back and bite us on the bum.
Yes-tnbc is much more aggressive in the first 3 years then by 5 years it begins to level off and if there has been no recurrence by 8 years post dx then they are less likely to have recurrence/mets than +++ patients who can indeed have bc related problems after many years.
No one can be ‘all clear’ after 9 months.I feel that Jennifer sanders has been less well informed than the rest of us.
Good Luck everyone
Valxx
My GP friend told me that ‘they’ (Medics) don’t consider anyone ‘cured’ from cancer until they have had TWENTY years NED!!!
I don’t suppose that’s something anyone really want’s to hear, consequently, no one ever says it to us.
Sue x
With media reports of celebs with bc and how they have beaten the disease it is no wonder that many women believe that breast cancer is no longer a killer. I do think the media has a responsibility to educate and inform, but many newspapers are only interested in sals, the ‘truth’ rarely comes into it.
As Jennifer Saunders has seemed to want to keep away from the media during her treatment, I can’t imagine that she would have issued the statement that she is all clear. My money is on some half baked journalist who got his/her facts misconstrued. More likely she has no evidence of disease, which is very different from “all clear”. That sort of language doesnt sound like the sort she would use anyway and certainly not to a paper.
It sounds as if Martina Natratilova has the same PR company. Journalists need a intensive course in, not only tact, but the reality of breast cancer prognosis.
AlexG