5 Years On
Well, it is has been a while. I figured I had better update this with the good news. My five years scans came back clean. So, things are looking really good!
Where do we go from here? This UCLA site seems to provide some guidance(click). The survival stats are at the bottom. I believe I am classified as localized intermediate risk. The chart indicates 81% 5-year survival, 46% 10-year survival, and 45 % 15- year survival. That charts indicates there is still some risk and that most of the dying happens between the 5th and 10th year. Two thoughts on this. First, the curve is already flat between 10 and 15 years. That means the flattening happens before ten years. Second, the cancer has to appear before it kills you. At 5 years I am not only alive, there is no sign of cancer. The disease free data would be pulled more towards the present day since disease recurrence happens first.
Kidney Cancer is not like other cancers. It can hide for decades and come back. The UCLA page sums it up best. "After treatment for kidney cancer, routine, life-long surveillance will be necessary."
But, the smart money is for me to survive this. Hell, I am not supposed to talk to my onc again until 2012. Since they only schedule into 2011 I don't even have an appointment scheduled. Heck if you look at the old protocols before UCLA stuck its nose into this, the surveillance ends after 5 years. I would be completely done with this scan shit. But everyone know people from UCLA are full of shit anyway.
Anyway, for the first time since 2005, there is no life or death appointment on my calender with a date and time certain. And, that feels incredibly good!
Where do we go from here? This UCLA site seems to provide some guidance(click). The survival stats are at the bottom. I believe I am classified as localized intermediate risk. The chart indicates 81% 5-year survival, 46% 10-year survival, and 45 % 15- year survival. That charts indicates there is still some risk and that most of the dying happens between the 5th and 10th year. Two thoughts on this. First, the curve is already flat between 10 and 15 years. That means the flattening happens before ten years. Second, the cancer has to appear before it kills you. At 5 years I am not only alive, there is no sign of cancer. The disease free data would be pulled more towards the present day since disease recurrence happens first.
Kidney Cancer is not like other cancers. It can hide for decades and come back. The UCLA page sums it up best. "After treatment for kidney cancer, routine, life-long surveillance will be necessary."
But, the smart money is for me to survive this. Hell, I am not supposed to talk to my onc again until 2012. Since they only schedule into 2011 I don't even have an appointment scheduled. Heck if you look at the old protocols before UCLA stuck its nose into this, the surveillance ends after 5 years. I would be completely done with this scan shit. But everyone know people from UCLA are full of shit anyway.
Anyway, for the first time since 2005, there is no life or death appointment on my calender with a date and time certain. And, that feels incredibly good!
posted by cheesie_67 at 1:52 PM
5 Comments:
congrats! 5 yrs and NED is awesome. I'm at 2 yrs & NED and it's my own kind of awesome.! Isn't it grand getting that break from appointments - I'm still on the 3 month schedule, but think that if my August chest xray and Oct catscans are clear, I may get a 6 month reprieve which would be wonderful.
Enjoy your 'normalcy' - as if any of us come out of this 'normal'. :-P
This makes me happy friend.I am no cancer survivor ,but watched my bro in law pass on from a brain tumaor two years ago,so great news u have going there!
Wonderful news!!!! Live,laugh,love.
Tom, again, THANKS for having the courage to share your journey!! This is VERY great news for you and your family. I am so thrilled to hear you beat this disease. You are truly blessed. Take care, Trisha Kendrick
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