Any Survivors of Stage 4 Cervical Cancer?

I have been undergoing treatment for cervical cancer stage 4A since April/04. The radiation, chemotherapy and blood transfusions seem to be endless. I heard somewhere that stage 4 cancer has a 1 in 10 chance of survival. Is that right?? Does that depend on where your cancer is? I'd love to hear from anyone with stage 4 cervical cancer. I need to know what I should be prepared for...more surgery..more radiation...etc.

Thank You!

Sheryl

I hope this gives you some belief that you can beat this. Percentages mean nothing for an individual. There are many people who do survive cancer. Look at Lance Armstrong (read his books). Look on the National Cervical Coalition's Website. Below is a letter I found. Hope is your best friend.

I know it is hard to focus on survival but you have to.
I hope this helps.


In Oct. 2000 I was diagnosed with cervical cancer stage 3 at age 45. I had radiation and chemo, ever since I had the radiation I have never had a normal pap smear and I wonder does every one have normal pap smears or is this part of the side effects? The one thing that happen was 4 months after my last treatment my brother died from cancer and then had a sister in-law tell me it was my fault that I got cervical cancer. This has really brothered me I feel so guilty. She had told me when me when I was on the road to recovery and here it is 3 years later and it is still on my mind every day
Janet, West Covina, CA

Sheryl,
No one can tell you what your course of treatment will be or when your cancer will be conquered. Statistics really don't matter. All of us face the same outcome, either we are in the group that beats this disease or in the group that doesn't. Most of us do beat it, or beat it back for years and years.

Katiebells,
What did your SIL mean when she said that? It was your fault your brother died from cancer or your fault that you didn't? Or something else? Second question, WHY would she say something like that? What was her point? Has she ever apologized and explained the remark? No one chooses cancer, so how is it 'our fault'? Are 5 year olds with brain cancer at 'fault' for getting cancer? What do you have to feel guilty about? Surviving? I guess I do not understand your SIL's comment or your reaction to it. No one with cancer has anything to feel guilty about. Even dogs and cats and babies get cancer! Surely that isn't 'their fault'!

Hugs,
Janie

Sheryl,
Please don't pay too much attention to statistics,. there was a thread about this just yesterday. . in case you didn't see it here is the link. http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...hreadid=161921

(((Sheryl))) Welcome to Cancer Concerns!

The girls are right--try not to focus on the statistics. You are much more than a statistic. And treatments continue to improve all the time--the medical field is constantly making new finds. Just set your sights on being as healthy as you can be.

I only recall 1 woman who posted here about 1-1/2 or 2 years ago who has stage 4 cervical cancer. She only posted a couple of times, so there is very little info on her case. I remember that her cancer developed very quickly--she had a normal PAP and then 3 or 4 months later they found she had stage 4 cancer. It was an unusual case.

And I agree--look to Lance Armstrong and his recovery from cancer. What a story! And you can look right here to find several women with stage IIIc ovarian cancer. They are a wonderful group of inspirational women who are overcoming some scary odds. But they are overcoming them! Even though there are obvious differences between ovarian and cervical cancer, they are still both gyn cancers and have many of the same effects on us emotionally.

Good luck, Sheryl! We hope to see you continue posting on Cancer Concerns.

I think I know where your SIL was coming from. She's probably aware that most cervical cancers are caused by the human papilloma virus which can be transmitted sexually. To many people, this lends cervical cancer a stigma.

However, what she is not aware of is that many, many people carry HPV without even knowing it. Why, she could even be infected . So many women have been unfairly shunned, and marriages unfairly strained, over this mistaken conception of cervical cancer as "just another STD."

I'm glad you were finally able to get the treatment that you needed; I saw some of your old posts about your insurance difficulties . I hope you're being treated at a cancer center? They're your best bet for new clinical trials, etc. If you've been able to get a remission with your chemo and radiation, that's excellent! As far as further surgery, without knowing what type of surgery you wound up with in April, it's impossible to know what might be in your future. One thing is certain, though, and that's the need for a GYN-oncologist to be coordinating your care, rather than the "regular" GYN doing it with the "regular" oncologists. They don't quite understand it all as well at the GYN-oncologists do!

Big s. You're in my prayers!

Audrey

Justcheryl

Welcome to Hystersisters and Cancer Concerns!

I am an ovarian cancer patient, stage 3C, currently in treatment. I quit looking at the statistics for my cancer ALONG time ago. Too depressing....

As the other ladies have said before me, statistics are just that. Each person is an individual. My oncologist told me just 2 days ago that I am responding very well to treatment, and I take all of that positive news I get and enjoy every day of my life. I will beat this and so will you !

Hi Sheryl, Please listen to the ladies who are saying not to focus on statistics. A childhood friend of my husband was dxed with breast cancer which had spread to the bones a year ago; the stats were heavily stacked against her. She recieved chemo and is following a healthy diet, exercising, etc. This past month her PET scan showed no cancer anywhere. We are individuals and not statistics. I will keep you in prayer.
s, peggiesue

Thank you all for your response! I know I shouldn't think about stats. I understand everyone responds to treatment differently. I guess because of how my cancer was discovered and how aggressive my doctors have been with my treatment, makes me wonder if the doctors aren't telling me something.

Maybe I should explain my situation. Some of you may have read my old posts with my insurance fight to approve a hysterectomy and all the pain I had been going through since Jan/04. Well my insurance did approve a laparoscopy and D&C in April. My GYN found cancer at that time. It blew my mind since my pap came back normal just 8 months prior! My Dr gave me the name and number of a highly respected GYN/Oncolologist. After my first appointment with her, I was scheduled for staging surgery within a week. That came back stage 4A, my lower lymph nodes, bladder and body wash came back positive. I started chemo and daily external radiation right after staging. I also have a Radiation/Oncologist that is very attentive but when I look into her eyes, I see pity. She always ends our conversations with "Don't worry; we are going to be very aggressive with your treatment". So here I am, 29 externals, 4 chemos, 3 blood transfusions, 2 hospital stays for severe dehydration (my treatment has been VERY hard on my body/stomach) and 1 internal (going for 2nd next week). Still my Gyn/Onc says she will not perform a hysterectomy even once the cancer is under control. I can't help wondering "How long will I have to continue treatment?”, "Will my life ever be normal again?" & sometimes when I'm alone I wonder "Will I live to see my two children grow up?"... It's so hard not knowing.

Sheryl

Sheryl,
So sorry you are going through this! Please hang in there. We can beat cancer but the voyage isn't an easy one.

I too had radiation and chemo but no surgery. I was told that chemo with radiation has the same cure rate as surgery and that there is no need for a hysterectomy after chemo and radiation. I was told, 'we'll kill it rather than cut it'.

I am surprised that the doctors have not told you the length of your treatments. How many more rads and how many more chemos? Can they give you some idea of when you might have a break from treatment? If you knew when this was going to end, it would give you something to look forward to.

I finished treatment in July '03 and my life is very 'normal' now.

I hope you get some more direct answers from your doctors soon!

Hugs and comfort,
Janie