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Jan 1, 2022 11:19AM
- edited
Jan 1, 2022 11:27AM
by
exbrnxgrl
jeet,
Since your signature line is not public, we don't know the details of your bc. Overall, treatment for early stage bc “works" for the majority of patients. Roughly 70%, across all stages, do not recur. There is no cure for bc, just risk reduction as mountainmia stated, and for the majority of early stage patients life does go on with no recurrence.
Yes, there are scans but they can only detect bc when it has grown large enough to be picked up by the scan and that means it has already recurred. There is no scan that can pick up bc cells, no blood test nor anything else at present that can guarantee that your treatment has been completely effective.
Without knowing your particular situation, you may very well fall into the 70% that doesn't recur. If you do recur and choose not to treat, which is an option open to all bc patients, then you may be in for a rocky road. Breast cancer doesn't go away on its own. BTW, it is not a local recurrence that is terminal. It is metastatic bc to other body parts, typically bones, lungs, liver, or brain, that is terminal.
Again, I'm sorry that you were not aware of the realities of bc. I’m sorry you believed there was a cure or a way to definitely ascertain that your treatment was 100% effective. I only know of one member who refused treatment. She carried on for several painful years and then passed away. It was all far uglier than treatment, no matter how temporary, may have been. Untreated bc is far from a calm and peaceful process. It sure isn't fluffy and pink. Take care.
Dx
IDC, Left, 4cm, Stage IV, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
Dx
DCIS/IDC, Left, 4cm, Grade 1, 1/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-