Hi All
Just wondered now that my treatment has finished -surgery and RAD’s. oh and tamoxifen for 5 years do I say I have HAD breast cancer or am I a breast cancer patient??
Hi kayty
I’ve been asking myself the same question during the last few days - had surgery, waiting to start rads and tam - can anyone please advise???
Hi
I usually say that I was treated for breast cancer in 2003 and that I’m in remission from breast cancer.
Hope that helps
Becks xx
Hi, I’m in the same position, but i like to say that i have HAD breast cancer, just be positive it sure helps…
I just say that I have had treatment for breast cancer and so far, so good.
I say I’m in remission.
karen x
I say I’ve had breast cancer and am hoping it never comes back!
xxx
Don’t think I like the word remission!! Anyone else feel like this!?
Bottom line is you say what you want to say! Some say “I had breast cancer” soon as the surgery is done, because as far as they are concerned the lump was there, it’s been removed. Finished. Other’s (like me) are aware they are going through the chemo and other treatment because no one knows if there are any cancer cells lurking around or not, and prefer to say “I am being treated for breast cancer”, or “I’m having treatment to stop the cancer coming back” . When I’m through with treatment I think I’ll be one who chooses then to say “I had breast cancer”, may or may not add “and I hope it doesn’t come back”. In the medical lingo we are told “no evidence of disease”. Personally “in remission”, is not a term I like for this either. In fact I don’t know that it’s particularly accurate, what we hope (and for most of us it is the situation) is that it’s gone, and won’t be back, it’s just that no one can tell us that for sure. Over here (in Australia), and I think it’s creeping up in UK now as well, “breast cancer survivor” seems to be the in thing. Personally I hate it, sounds as though we are hanging on by our finger tips, and I don’t feel that way. The trouble is coming up with something that really works - would love to know what others think. Came up with “breast cancer graduate” the other day - only joking, but it kind of describes been there, learnt a bit, moved on, that sort of thing. Still thinking… Sarah
"Came up with “breast cancer graduate” the other day - only joking, but it kind of describes been there, learnt a bit, moved on, that sort of thing. Still thinking… Sarah "
I rather like that…:0)
I say - “I am a breast cancer survivor”
- which avoids suggesting I am ‘cured’ (I’m fine now, but I still feel saying ‘cured’ would be tempting fate) but also sounds positive!
Sarah
I usually just say to people I had breast cancer and if I’m asked any more I tell them it could come back.
I don’t like all those words like survivor and victim that get used when referring to cancer patients. To me a survivor is someone who has been in a disaster like the Titanic or the recent earthquake in China.
I’m living with breast cancer. (woops…thanks Horace…completely Freudian…just edited cause I had typed BEAST cancer.)
Clever and deliberate or Freudian slip Jane?Its a beast of an illness either way.Hope you are ok.love Valx
Hi
not living with breast cancer at the momment as far as i know prefer i had breast cancer which may or may not come back.
love mel
I say I had surgery for breast cancer 5 months ago (mastectomy) and finished treatment 3 months ago, so I’ve been there done it and NOT doing it again.
‘Living with’ is a pretty accurate description. Sure beats ‘survivor’. I also have no problem with ‘remission’ and would jump for joy if I could use that term to describe me. Sadly that will never be the case.
Jenny
I too would love to use “remission”. I try to explain that my cancer is inactive and stable but I am “living with breast cancer”
Denio
When I had my 5 yrly review with my bc surgeon in Feb, he told me: “pleased to say you are in remission”…who am I to argue or discuss semantics with a brilliant bc surgeon?
As for cured - I could spit nails when anyone talks about bc being cured. None of my doctors ever use this word, so why should I? I was told some 30 yrs ago my Crohn’s was incurable, and perhaps this is why I am not frightened of an incurable disease. I believe bc is now like Crohn’s, asthma, diabetes et al …some of us will die of those diseases, but now with exponential research and new treatments, many of us will live long and productive lives. Yes, I fear for those young women with aggressive breast cancer, but no-one knows what their ultimate prognosis is
Jane - I have just been accepted as a Community leader/Board member for the US based medhelp site for Crohn’s - very honoured. They have also asked me to be a Community Leader for bc, but I know zilch compared to you…would you be interested?
Whew, it is late, off to bed.
Take care all,
Liz…
I prefer to say I am in remission, or living with breast cancer, I dare not say I am cured in case I am tempting fate, anyway I find the people who say I am cured are the same people who have no understanding of how it feels and persist in telling me to get back to normal
Dawne