How can they know this?

[KirisMum]

Thanks so much, all. This is incredible support, and means a great deal to me. I am no ostrich with my head in the sand, but with everything changing so quickly and dramatically in breast cancer treatment and research, this latest prognosis just didn't ring true.

Another thing that didn't add up: when we met with K's oncologist right after she was diagnosed Stage IV in April, based on the scans done then, and the liver biopsy, her oncologist said she could live 10 years. Now that sounded like a lot to me, but I was happy to take it. Now, three months of taxol, herceptin and perjeta later, her tumor markers are down to normal, the cancer in her lungs, lymph and bones has disappeared, there is new bone growth (probably due to her strenuous physical workouts), her liver mets have shrunken, there are no new lesions, and she has has, in short, a "phenomenal" response to chemotherapy. So HOW, on the basis of this, is her prognosis suddenly cut in half??

I know I'm quibbling, and there is really no answer to this, and more than that, I was not privy to this latest conversation, so don't really know all the parameters -- because her cancer is particularly "aggressive," she says, and liver mets are the most dangerous, because there was more bone involvement than they thought---but they knew about the extent and profile of her liver tumors from the beginning, and the bone cancer is resolved....?

It's enough to drive anyone crazy.

I thank you all for your most welcome and informed responses. Hope everyone is having a wonderful Fourth!!