How many progress to Stage IV?

['lizbeth]

I looked again at the statistics and realized that the last years for collection of information was about 2007 or 2008. The most recent years information is an estimate. So diagnosed cases are not an actual number since 2009.

Look at the graphs for breast cancer, the 5 years is from 2001 to 2007. For any cancer too, not just breast.

No one seems to be tracking anything. All this money going for cancer research and we don't even know for sure how many people have been diagnosed.

And so I see an even larger challenge to get tracking for recurrence, which would help to identify where progress is being made, or not made in the "War on Cancer."

How are we going to get busy doctor's to report recurrences?

Maybe by setting up a program through ACS, like when a patient is first diagnosed. And the patient can self report? Both initial diagnosis and recurrence?

[Her2husband]

Hi Pamelamary,

I am glad you asked this question. My wife has just finished her post bilateral mastectomy dose dense Chemo and is about to start radio. she has also started Herceptin.

She was diagnosed 3c her2+ and had 11/24 positive lymph nodes. This is the part that scares me. I try not to look at prognosis calculators but having an idea of stats helps to understand where we sit in all of this.

I am hoping through the treatment she is recieving that it does not progress and that she is not in the 25%

Good luck to you all.

J

[Lani]

her2husband--look up this thread I started

At SABCS less than two weeks ago even better stats were presented

I have had stomach flu since---hence the paucity of my posting. Will eventually get it posted. In the meantime, note that node positivity does not preclude effective treatment with adjuvant herceptin

Happy holidays!