Is Lymphoma diagnosis a death sentence?
I've heard people survive to five years, but does lymphoma eventually get them? I've been making plans, but if I don't have much time left, I want to get some things done, even if I have to not do other things. What's the chance of surviving this? I have stage IIB, large B cell diffuse lymphoma. Thanks for your honesty.
Comments
Your disease is potentially curable. That means cured, free of disease, done with it forever. Not all are cured unfortunately. There is something called an International Prognostic Index (IPI) which your oncologist will be familiar with. Your IPI score gives a good assessment of chances of complete response to therapy and also survival. It requires more than just stage- also age, LDH, performance status, extranodal sites involved.
You need to plan on being cured but be prepared if you are not.
Blessings
No. It is not.
No cancer is a death sentence. The best way I have heard this put is that no one on Earth can accurately, 100% put an expiration date on your forehead. It's just not possible for anybody to know how you, a UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL, will react to the disease. Your body is unique. Your mind and will to live are different from other peoples. Your faith is YOURS, it's between you and God, no one else -so how you pray and how you believe could make the difference.
Rather than a death sentence, take this as a test of faith, courage and patience.
There was an article on CNN today about a little girl, 9 years old, who has been diagnosed with cancer a 4th time. She survided 3 diagnosis (and seems her parents were also told she wouldn't make it etc..) The doctors rely upon their limited experience of seeing patiens and also on some statistics which no one really knows how are actually calculated. Will to live and optimism are many times drivers in a person's recovery. And again, my experience is that faith in God, placing your life in God's hands and asking for His mercy can change the course of events.
This is quite a good starting point
http://www.virtualcancercentre.com/diseases.asp?di...