Breast Cancer Life Expectancy

Question: Life expectancy of stage 3 breast cancer? My mum has recently been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She has had lymph nodes removed which tested positive to cancer. She is only 44, never noticed the lump till it was red and sore and it was misdiagnosed at first for a cist. I was wondering what tests are now to follow to see if the cancer has spread further into her body, and what is the life expectancy on something like this?

Answer: Are you in the UK? (I'm going by your spelling of 'mum'.) If so, any further tests will be according to the protocol of the hospital your mum is under. Some, like the one where I was treated, run no further tests at all, and some will do scans. Your mum will have regular routine check ups. I assume as she had affected lymph nodes she is having/has had chemotherapy and radiotherapy? The purpose of these is to destroy any remaining cancer cells. There are no guarantess and nobody can tell you what your mum's life expectancy is. All her doctors can do is give possible survival stats based on her individual case - her grade, stage and number of lymph nodes involved. Nobody can say whether or not the cancer will spread to some other part of the body, thereby becoming stage 4, at some time in the future. I was diagnosed with breast cancer four and a half years ago, stage 3 grade 3 with 13 lymph nodes involved. Currently I am fit and well, with no sign of cancer at my last routine check up. I recommend these websites to your mum, and to you. As well as having loads of information, they have forums where she - and you - can talk to other people who are or have been in the same situation as yourselves and read about others' experiences: http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk http://www.breastcancer.org My best wishes to you and your mum

Question: what's your life expectancy and quality of life going to be if you have breast cancer? I'm doing a breast cancer reserach report for life science, and i really need help with it.

Answer: It varies enormously according to stage, grade etc. When doctors talk of survival rates, they are talking about five or ten year survival rates. A recent research figure is 72% of women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer will live for at least 10 years after their diagnosis. Figures include all women who have had breast cancer and are still alive after that period, including those whose cancer has returned and those who are terminally ill. Survival rates vary according to stage, grade etc. Around 90% of women diagnosed with stage I breast cancer survives beyond five years. This drops to around 10% diagnosed with stage 4. I was diagnosed with greade3 stage 3 breast cancer with 13 lymph nodes affected 4 years ago; I had surgery, chemo and radiotherapy and I'm fit and well with no evidence of cancer at my last routine check-up. I know one woman who is still here after 18 years. A friend died two weeks ago only i8 months after diagnosis. Quality of life? It depends. 4 years on mine is pretty good; I am a little restricted physically because I have lymphoedema as a result of surgery, and I live with the fear of recurrence and metastasis as there is no all-clear with breast cancer - it can recur at any time. If someone has secondary breast cancer, where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, their quality of life changes considerably. For information, look at these sites: http://www.breastcancer.org http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk

Question: What is the life expectancy of stage IV Breast cancer? It has metastasized to one lung and spots on the other lung. It is also in the clavical bone. Your answers are appreciated! Thank you!

Answer: Wait do you have cancer? If so, I am really sorry and I'm praying for you. If not, I hope you don't get it.

Question: Life expectancy for metastatic breast cancer to the lungs, spine and brain being treated by chemo radiation? My mum has metastatic breast cancer. It has spread to her lymph nodes, lungs (4 tumours), spine (T7), and we just found out that she has at least 7, small (mm), slow-growing tumours in her brain. She is having heavy duty chemotheraphy, then will have two weeks of radiation to her brain, then another bout of chemotherapy. What life expectancy should I expect for her? No-one will tell me and I just want and need some idea even though I know it won't be 100% accurate. Thankyou My god that is so awful I am so sorry to hear about your Mum. I dont know what I am going to do without my Mum - she is everything in the world to me and it scares me so much to think that I am going to be on this earth without her, longer than I have been here with her. i wonder how it will change me as a person? What type of person I will become? It is so so hard and I cant believe she is having to go through this

Answer: I'm so very sorry about your mom, hon. The reason no one is giving you a life expectancy rate is likely because they don't know. She could very well beat this thing and live another 50 years. All you can do is be supportive and be there for her. And treasure each and every moment.

Question: What is the life expectancy of someone with breast cancer? How long will they live? How normal will they be?

Answer: Many women survive and are cancer free after treatment. Others live only 1 or 2 years. There are different types of this disease. Some are more curable than others. The sooner it is discovered and treated. the better the chances for recovery.

Question: I have secondary Breast cancer in my lymph nodes and bones? what is my life expectancy? Does anyone else have secondary breast cancer in thier bones and lymph nodes ( in my neck) ? how long have you had the secondary cancer for, I was diagnosed in August '08. My cancer was Eostrogen Positive, I am taking hormone treatment does anyone take any complimentary medicines as well? what are they?

Answer: I'm really sorry that you got this after going through breast cancer. It doesn't seem fair does it. but no one can tell you what your life expectancy is. You could go into remission for a long time but it's a question I know I would even try to answer. I don't think anyone here can say how long you have. Only God knows that. You were diagnosed in Aug of 08 and just a few months later in Nov. 08, I had a bi-lateral mastectomy. I just pray in years to come no rogue cancer cells went on a trip in my body. I know that if it does happen, I only pray I can deal with it. You have my prayers and support. Maybe you should ask this question with your Dr. He would be the best qualified to answer this. God bless you.

Question: what is the life expectancy of someone with breast cancer?

Answer: It depends on what stage it is diagnosed at and what treatment options they choose. My friend had a lumpectomy, chemo, and radiation four years ago and she is still cancer free. Another women diagnosed at the same time with the same stage of ca chose to have just a lumpectomy because chemo and radiation had all the side effects (hair loss, vomiting,). she died last week.

Question: life expectancy of someone with stage 3 breast cancer? Shes also not responding well to treatment.

Answer: Cancer is measured in 5-year survival rates. This is the percentage of people with the same disease and stage that are still alive 5 years from diagnosis. Stage 3A is 67% and 3B is 54%. It is very unusual for breast cancer to not respond well. You do not mention what type she has or how long she has been on this treatment. I’m sure her oncologist will make adjustments accordingly. She can always get a second opinion.

Question: what is the life expectancy of someone with brain mets breast cancer when they are sleeping 14 hours per day?

Answer: There is no way to know for certain...but when a person is in the end stages of cancer, they tend to sleep more because the body is exhausted from the battle with the malignancy and effects on the general health. Probably somewhere between 4-6 weeks

Question: What does stage 2b in breast cancer cases mean ? Can it be cuHow long is the life expectancy of such a person.

Answer: There are several stages of breast cancer Stage 0, I, II, IIa, IIb, III, IIIa, IIIb and IV with a Stage 0 being a noninvasive, in situ cancer and IV being advanced with metastases (we call these "mets"). Metastasis is singular, metastases is plural. Early stages of breast cancer include Stages 0, I and II. Later stages include II with axillary (armpit) lymph node involvement and III. Advanced is Stage IV. Stage IIb means that the tumor is no smaller than 2cm but no larger than 5cm and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes OR that the tumor is larger than 5cm and has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes. I wouldn't know which applies to your question. If there is lymph node invovement, that makes this a later stage cancer. With a Stage IIb there is a 76% 5 year + survival rate.

Question: If a woman has breast cancer and has a mastectomy and is told she is cancer free does this affect life expecta My wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer non-invasive ductile carcinoma. She had a double mastectomy, cancer free acoording to her doctor. Will this affect her life expectancy?

Answer: The fact that it was non invasive is a good sign, because it means it was confined to the ducts. Usually, doctors will wait for a patient to be symptom free for 5 years before giving the all clear. When cancer is removed surgically with no other treatment, the cells that are removed are affected cells and surrounding cells. However, I don't believe anyone can completely "remove" the cells which are in the process of transforming, that's why most cancer is treated with follow up chemo or radiotherapy, in order to destroy the transforming cells over a period of time. I think this is going to be a wait and see situation.

Question: breast cancer? my friend fears she may have breast cancer, she had two abnormal mammograms...she has said she wouldnt get treatment.she is only in her early fourties ,what is her life expectancy?

Answer: Breast cancer is very curable if found early. Mastectomy is usually not necessary. Chemotherapy is not always required. It makes no sense to decide against treatment before even knowing if there is a malignancy and what type and stage it may be. Survival is impossible to predict without knowing "IF" there is cancer, what are the characteristics, and what is the stage?

Question: If cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc are on the rise, why is our average life expectancy so high? You know what they say, cancer, diabetes, etc, is on the rise, 1/4 of all people will get cancer, 1/8 of women will get breast cancer, etc. Heart disease is on the rise, chemicals here and there will give you cancer. Food will give you cancer, blah blah blah. Then why is it our life expectancy has increased to our 80s? Back before we worried about dioxins and chlorine and such, people worried about polio and tuberculosis, and our life expectancy was around our 40s and 50s!

Answer: New and advances in technology probably play a role in both sides. Though the heightened life-span probably wins in this tug-and-war-battle. For example radiotherapy can now be used to get rid of most cancers. A coronary artery can be unblocked by performing angioplasty.

Question: life expectancy in cancer? hi, could anyone please let me know what the life expectancy of a cancer patient may be? here are the details: brain methastases (7 tumors, quite large, inoperable), originating either in the breast or the tyroid. 58 yrs, female, heavy smoker... has developed a left hand side paralysis due to brain tumors. i look forward to hearing your answers. thank you

Answer: www.nci.gov there is a chart for every cancer by age and by stage but, hate to tell you, but 7 inoperatable tumors on the brain is usualy fatal rather quickly. good luck, Jewells 34 months and still here

Question: how long can i expect to live after ive been through chemo for breast cancer? ive been through chemo then double masectamine and then radiation.... im on tamoxifen.... whats the average life expectancy after ive been through all of this.

Answer: It is impossible for anyone to tell you your life expectancy, and impossible even to give statistics (for what they're worth) as you don't give any details about your individual cancer. Nobody can make you any promises or give you any guarantees. I had mastectomy, chemo and rads too and in July I stop taking Arimidex after 5 years. It's five and a half years since my diagnosis and I'm fit and well with no sign of cancer at my last check up. I know someone who has so far survived 18 years.

Question: Stage 4 breast cancer? What is the life expectancy for someone with stage IV breast cancer, age is early 60's. They've decided to only treat it with hormones (anti-estrogen) because of how far it's spread.

Answer: Hi, In medicine , life expectancy for that condition, lower than 50%. But in real life, there's a lot survival from this condition. People with cancer need all support and learn to be positive thinker, that could be a major help for them to survive. Contact any cancer caregiver group in your country, gather and learn everything you need to know to survive as : keep out infection or reduce pain. Be positive and supportive.