lukemia, interesting.see the video. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/07/health/cohen-cancer-study/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter

found something interesting

[kontak TeamBCI]

Hi Rana - its interesting to see the work going on to treat cancer

[Hidden in reply to kontak]

yes kontak!! I' m waiting for the cancer fear free days

[kontak TeamBCI in reply to Hidden]

Rana a fear is always creeping there in the mind. Don't know when it will go. Now again 3 months routine check up is scheduled in this week for my sister.

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to kontak]

I talk to all my cancer patients, and I realize that almost all of them pass through this. This fear constantly lurks. Then I try to tell them, that do not ask me whether the disease will come back or not. Ask me whether, if it does come back, will we be able to treat it, and my answer would be yes. We will fight it every time it comes back. Not easy, I know, but we will. Easily said than done, I know, but we will.

[kontak TeamBCI in reply to sumeet_shah]

Yes doctor we will but as said its very very tough but we have to face whatever the odds comes in life and we will win

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to kontak]

kontak, yesterday, one of my patients who completed 4 years after treatment had come, and I asked her, how does it feel when a follow up comes close. Does it cause a fear? She said, the first few follow ups are always like that. She was so much afraid during the first follow up and could not sleep for several days prior to that, thinking what will the reports turn out to be. Even the second was almost like that. Then later, as time went by, and as routine life settled down, the follow ups did not cause much fear. She said, she does, sometimes, suddenly get thoughts, what will happen if it comes back! But she settles down soon.

So I guess, it's again a play of time. The first few follow ups are going to cause a lot of anxiety. But as one gets used to them, then the later follow ups may not be as anxious as the earlier ones.

[Hidden in reply to sumeet_shah]

I said my doctor I fear of recurrence and he made be laugh, yes I too, I fear of Cancer to me.

[rgci13]

I really think that everyone of us lurk the fear of recurrence of the disease and how to fight it back again.I have my check up in the first week of January and I am really scared not of anything else but the mammo. I know my blodd report etc will be fine but am worried of my mammo very much though I really try to think nothing will happen but still the fear lurks like any other BC patient.

[MsLockYourPosts TeamBCI in reply to rgci13]

I had a great deal of fear the first year when my mammograms came up - every 6 months for the first 5 years on the breast with the cancer. I think my fear was worst just after finishing my radiation, because suddenly I felt like I wasn't doing anything to fight my cancer any more. Even now, more than 5 years out, while I know the chance of the breast cancer coming back is slight, I still get a little nervous going into my yearly checks, especially because a friend with exactly the same type of cancer as I had did have a reoccurrence 11 years later, just before I started my journey. That cancer, like her first, was caught very early, and she is also doing well, now 6 years later. Ad the doctor said, it was dealt with, and successfully. The rest of the time I really don't think about it.

In the leukemia groups I belong to the advice most often given is see a specialist, improve your diet and exercise, and go out and live! The type of leukemia I have is very often chronic, so "watch and wait" is the preferred approach unless one has significant symptoms. It takes a while to adjust to the idea of not doing something, and initially I envied those with solid tumors which could just be cut out. I now know that anyone with any type of cancer lives with "watch and wait". We can focus on the cancer, or we can use it as a reminder that life is precious and do those things that we have been putting off "for later".

Everyone is different, and we each reach that point when we are ready to. In the meantime, I think it's important to express our fears to our doctors, in a support group, or to a special family member or friend. Putting on a brave face can make it harder to deal with what we are going through. Having someone who listens and helps us through our feelings is gold!

Pat

[MsLockYourPosts TeamBCI]

This technology is very exciting, but a long way off from potential use for the average leukemia patient. It is being used in trials for a very small number of those who have no other hope. The current leukemia treatments coming out of trials that will be more available are non chemo pills, and the trial results are very exciting. There are many questions about cost and who will be approved, still, but it is an exciting time in the leukemia world for those with chronic leukemias like mine. There are other treatments "in the pipeline" that offer even more hope.

[rgci13 in reply to MsLockYourPosts]

I know pkenn you are really really brave to face the disease. I was also when it was detected last year 2012 but check ups without mammo is okay for me . I am still scared of the mammo and my check up is on 6th of January. You really need somebody to tell your fears out and not to a person who will only say " oh don't worry . everything will be fine!' you need someone who has gone through it and understands your fear. I think this forum is one let out your inner feelings. Even I know of people who were absolutely for the first 5 years but the disease reoccurred after that. Then it becomes more frightful and I hope GOD only bless us by not letting the disease reoccur. Rest we can manage I presume. I sincerely pray for all who are with this disease that there is no reocurrence. Take care all my friends in this forum. WISHING EVERYONE A MORE BRIGHTER AND FEARLESS HAPPY 2014!