Stages

[Friscok12]

I am stage 3 just finished chemo scan clear I am very confused today met a lady today who told me she was stage 3 terminal can you be stage 3 terminal x

[Lily-Anne]

You can be terminal at any stage. When you are diagnosed the stage is based on the FIGO score which is where the cancer is and the level of spread to other organs or tissue. The stage never changes regardless of any change. As it is a progression of that original staging

LA

[Hidden]

I'm stage 3 terminal as well - but I guess the label isn't as important as trying to live as well as you possibly can. Good luck and may your scan stay clear. Dawn x

[Choski]

In my opinion Terminal means you are in your last few weeks or week of life and this is an incorrectly and badly used phrase that is sometimes used when what Is REALLY MEANT IS that you have a CHRONIC CONDITION which can't be cured. Caps because this is important!!

"Terminal illness is a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient within a short period of time. "

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It's better and more correct in most cases to use the phrase or term PALLIATIVE - to treat symptoms and side effects but can't cure. So you can be palliative and HAVE a chronic condition which can't be cured but you are STILL HERE and STILL LIVING and NOT terminal.

Hope that makes sense,

I'm not underplaying anyone's situation and obviously you can be at that terminal point at any stage.

Clare xx

[Chamber in reply to Choski]

Thank you Clare for that reply. X

[thesilent1 in reply to Choski]

A very well explained response Claire. I had it said to me at the start of my chemo by a lady who was much further along than me, we were both stage 3b. I must say I got very down after that conversation. I am of the same opinion as you on this, in that I will only be terminal in my opinion when there is nothing else can be done for me. In the meantime, life is for living.

Ann xx

[LittleSan]

I absolutely endorse everything Clare says here.

You don't half talk sense Clare! You say everything I have in my head but no longer eloquent enough to get it out 😏. Sandra Xx

[Choski in reply to LittleSan]

you haven't heard me trying to find a word out loud!!! Luckily hubby understands !!

[triplets]

I agree..........and what would we do without Clare, bless her. xx My husband was diagnosed stage 4 bowel cancer in 2008, told not curable but no one has ever mentioned the word terminal. He is far from that as now into his 6th year of remission. xx

[Cropcrop]

If you think about it, we are all terminal with or without cancer, we all only have a certain amount of life available to us all, that may sound harsh but it's a fact and we need to live it as well as we are able.

A really good friend of mine was diagnosed stage 4 'terminal' ovarian cancer around the time I too was diagnosed. She is still here with us two years on, she is as well as she could ever hope to be, she has regular check ups, as do we all, she had some therapy and they explained to her that she wasn't curable BUT she was certainly treatable and manageable. Given her staging she believes her cancer will return BUT she believes it will be treated again and that she will beat it again. I believe attitude can help us deal with our horrible disease as can a strong belief in the treatments we have AND all the lovely ladies on here are the best support network anybody could ever hope for.

Claire has, once again, nailed it with what she's said and I totally endorse her comments.

Your scan was clear so that's brilliant news, take that on board, embrace it and move forward with it, you've been given a fantastic result so please enjoy your new normality. Take lots of care, sending big hugs and love ❤xx Jane

[Hidden]

Hi there. I was diagnosed 3c just over 5 years ago. I had 2 operations plus the usual chemo and happily went into remission for 18 months. Then it returned. I'd always alternated my check-ups between the onc and the surgeon. It was the surgeon's turn to see me when it returned. He said he'd no longer be able to see me as, since the OC had returned, it was now in-operable. I ventured to ask the question - if it's inoperable, then is it terminal? He said yes it was. I asked the onc when I next saw him for his opinion, he agreed, terminal. So I know what's ahead along the track, but isn't it for all of us at some time? I had chemo again and, as said, it's now > 5 years since diagnosis. I'm still here, in remission again (19 months) and feeling well. So you see that "terminal" doesn't mean at death's door. Good luck. You'll be fine. Pauline.

[Luchie in reply to Hidden]

Hi, your post made me so happy.. What an uplifting post.. Cheers to the many many years to come.. Take care.. Xx

[harpist_UK]

Totally agree with all that's been said. We need to use the most optimistic vocabulary we can (I for one don't use 'battle'). Terminal is such a negative word - it takes away hope and should be banned!

[rppizio]

I know many of you are from other countries and not sure if this will help or not, but what I am observing here in the US is when our doctors have no other main stream or viable treatments left and they tell the patient to consider a hospice service that is usually means they consider our time to be very limited (usually under a year). So as long as the doctors don't use that word on me I think I am doing good and keep moving forward. Hope this helps a little.

[Katmal-UK]

One thing I always bear in mind with the word 'Terminal' is that we are ALL Terminal. Nobody gets out of life alive. Best just to take life by the horns and live each day as your last, one day you will be right. Just my thoughts...... Kathy xxx