Questions

[Butterflyfree]

Hi, I have been in remission 6 years now ,have some questions . When I was diagnosed it was stage 4 large b cell, does being diagnosed stage 4 mean I had cancer for a long time and that is why it was a 4? What are the chances it could come back ? I had someone tell me it would come back and eventually I will die from it.Is this true ?

[1Anj1]

If you were diagnosed at stage 4 and have been in remission for 6 years then you are extremely lucky.

Why waste your time and energy on what could have been. Concentrate on staying healthy and in remission and look forwards.

Long may your remission status continue

[Felix_2010]

I think the person who told you that was very cruel and unless they are a doctor, I would take no notice. Everyone is different. I don't know what your prognosis is but 6 years in remission seems like you've pretty much beaten it to me. A lot of our health depends on our state of mind, staying positive and not letting negativity bring you down. Please don't let this comment eat away at you ! You're in remission! You've been healthy for 6 years! Concentrate on that ❤

[Shar0n Volunteer]

Hi Butterflyfree, I can only generalise as I don't have the same type of NHL as you. I know that staging in indolent (slow growing) lymphomas does not equal staging in other, more aggressive cancers. It refers to the number of areas in the body with enlarged lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis. Some people are diagnosed with nodes in the neck, others in the lungs or abdomen etc. The more areas affected, the higher the stage. Any or all of these can go into remission after treatment and some will reduce on their own. Staging is used by doctors to determine whether you need treatment and what type etc.

The only things you need to know are a) that you have the illness and what type and b) whether it requires intervention to reduce the size and number of enlarged nodes.

Everything else is down to looking after yourself to the best of your ability with healthy eating, exercise that you enjoy (and do regularly), sleep and enjoying life so that you can stay positive.

I can tell you that many people are living a long time with good remission from NHL. Also most people know very little, if anything about lymphoma and their input is of no use at all so just disregard it and put any questions to your doctor at the next checkup. You have obviously achieved a good remission so far and long may it continue!

[Butterflyfree in reply to Shar0n]

Thank you.

[rasp]

I had the same cancer stage 3b. I was told that just referes to how many areas of the body are affected. My doc told me with this kind of cancer the longer it stays away the less likely to return. Of have been in remission 5 and a half years.

[nellynaim]

If you are in remission for 5 ys, it is less likely to come back so stay optimistic. Can I ask you what subtype of large B cell lymphoma you had ?

[Butterflyfree in reply to nellynaim]

All I was ever told was I had stage 4 large BCell,I Don't even know what large B cell means

[Dlindquist54]

So I was diagnosed with large b cell. My oncologist is a lymphoma oncologist. Before I got to him they thought I had ovarian cancer, then pancreatic cancer. Many people have told me I'm way better off with lymphoma if I'm going to have cancer. My oncologist didn't give me a stage. He said it's not the same as other cancers and I'm sure he explained but I don't remember. He also told me I'm treatable, probably not curable. My other general oncologist thinks after 5 years I'm in remission. My internal medicine DOC said I was stage 4 because I had lymphoma in my abdomen area between my ovaries and pancreas and I had fluid around my lungs making it difficult for me to breath. He said stage 4 cause it was in both halfs of my body. I have to believe my lymphoma oncologist. So I do whatever I can to put off having a reoccurance. He told me I would not have the same treatment but only one drug with a reoccurance. I'd rather not do that either. I've looked into Gerson and some other herbal remedies but not sure about those either😉. My lymphoma oncologist has people years out from treatment and years out after reoccurance. I heard 9 and 15 years out so far. I'm almost 64 so I'm good with 15+ as I have a lot to do yet😉