The ultimate fear we have about cancer is that it is not found early. That by the time the cancer is diagnosed the cancer. For example, with cancer of the breast this means that one already has breast cancer metastasis In those cases, the woman’s chances that she will still be alive 5 years following diagnosis declines considerably. Even with aggressive treatment a large number of women will die from the disease at that stage.
When my spouse was told she had breast cancer was truly terrifying. The worst aspect was waiting to determine just how poor her disease was. Even though she had no symptoms my greatest fear was that we would discover she had stage 4 breast cancer. Luckily, it was noticed before it spread. She had no lymph node involvement and the tumor was fairly small. Yet she had to undergo 3 tries at a lumpectomy. On all three occasions the margins came back positive for the cancer. Following the third effort her surgeon suggested a mastectomy. This was more major surgery followed by breast reconstruction. Plus after that five years of hormonal therapy
In many ways she was lucky. She did not have advanced breast cancer. My wife did not require chemotherapy because her cancer responds more effectively to hormone therapy than to chemotherapy. My wife doing great now. This is an experience, though, that I would not wish on anyone else. And I cannot envision what families must endure when the diagnosis is one of advanced breast cancer. My heart goes out to anyone touched by this disease.
As with cancer of the breast there are different cancers which can be diagnosed early, allowing one the possibility of surviving the cancer with correct treatment. For example, there are screening tests for men with prostate cancer , for women for cervical cancer and for both men and women with colon cancer . By following the recommended screening guidelines one can greatly improve the chances of detecting the cancer early, before it spreads.
The above is not meant as medical advice. It is merely for general informational purposes. Make sure you consult with a physician regarding your health issues and before taking any medical advice.