PBS - The Truth About Cancer - Page 2

MJo · 04-21-2008, 09:32 AM

Testicular cancer may be very treatable, but, yes, it had spread to Lance Armstrong's brain when he was diagnosed. I guess that makes him Stage IV. I read that the cells were on the surface of his brain. THey hadn't grown "vertically". Which apparently made it easier to treat the brain mets.

dlaxague · 04-21-2008, 01:21 PM

<snip> Remember none of us would be alive today without Herceptin so there have been some great advances.

I'm alive without Herceptin. Losing the toss in the adjuvant trial was one of the hardest blows of those early days. Of course now I'm less upset (smile), as I'm still here after 7 years.

Not everyone got it. And of those who did, it looks like it works for roughly half adjuvantly and less than that in the metastatic setting.

You probably meant "some of us wouldn't be alive" and that's true. I just wanted to make sure no one misunderstood.

Debbie Laxague

</snip>

AlaskaAngel · 04-22-2008, 05:09 AM

I "missed out" on Herceptin also, and then eventually chose not to have it, so here is one more who is still alive and well without it at over 6 years out. Although I was stage I and not stage III like Debbie, I also have never had a taxane at all (at least at the time the thought there was that taxanes only benefitted HR negatives). I also did not have dose dense treatment. And I have never had an AI, either.

It is very puzzling sometimes, and of course even those who received all of those things do not know with any certainty that any or all of those treatment options helped at all. We only know that for some, they do.

AlaskaAngel

hermiracles · 04-22-2008, 10:10 AM

Thanks for posting about this show - and especially providing the internet link Cynthia - otherwise I may not have been able to watch it in Australia.
I did like the program - as much as I try and stay positive the realism was a good balance. I'm gad I got to see it.
Blessings
Hermiracles.

AlaskaAngel · 04-22-2008, 10:59 AM

You are welcome -- I'm glad you were able to see the show in Australia as well, and that you all are finding the program to be worthwhile and truthful. Thanks, Cynthia, for helping everyone to see the PBS program.

AlaskaAngel

Heide · 04-22-2008, 12:18 PM

I didn't know anything about the documentary until I was flipping thru the channels last night and found it being aired again on PBS. So after watching a few minutes I decided to tape it and watch it later. I will watch it tonight. I went to Dana Farbar for a 2nd opinion last Summer so it will be interesting to see the footage. Take care everyone.