When do we get the `ALL Clear` ? Confussed with different peoples perception of the ALL CLEAR!!!!!

[TinaWright]

I hear so many people say they have been given the ALL clear very quickly after their treatment.

I have 12 weekly check ups and I can only be told there is no signs or evidence of reoccurance as far as they can tell from one 12th weekly appointment to the next.

I thought the ALL Clear was when we no longer needed to be seen as a patient in oncology. I`m sure a matter of a couple of months after treatment is too soon for an All clear prognosis, Surely we need to be discharged from the clinic to be given the ALL Clear?

So why do so many people get it so wrong and say they have the All Clear when that is impossible?

[BusyLizzie]

Hi Tina,

I think this was also discussed in April:-

ovacome.healthunlocked.com/...

Love Lizzie

X

[MargaretJ]

Hi Tina!

I am of your mind! They told me from the start that this is incurable. I do not look for "al clear" only a period symptom free. As a result I live for the moment and look for quality of life and all its positives. Mind you I am 71 and have already had a good life! I'm told that they got "everything visible" in the latest op and just hope for a nice long period free of symptoms.

Margaret!

[Hidden]

It's a matter of interpretation, Tina - and as always, there are different interpretations made by the various people involved.

I think many of us are lucky enough to be told that the surgery seems to have removed all evident signs of cancer. The chemo then supports the situation and bloods, scans and examination show no identifiable disease. At that stage, all is clear. However; ovarian cancer has a habit of returning, and we do not yet have a way of being sure that every potential ov.ca. cell has been eradicated (or identifying where these cells might be waiting in the body), so we keep taking the tests to find a recurrence early and treat it. That will go on for at least 5 years for most of us, and much longer for many, although the tests might become less frequent.

Having the tests does not affect the status of being in the clear (or in remission, which is the medical term). Cancer is so unpredictable that it is seldom considered cured by doctors.

Just to confuse the situation a little more; 'remission' can mean 'no sign of disease at all' or 'some identified disease which is not active or growing'. I think the thing to remember is that everybody has cells circulating in their systems that can change into cancer cells. The reason they do in some of us is not understood fully, but it is sensible to do the healthy things with diet, exercise and lifestyle to minimise the chance of this happening. Those of us in remission from cancers have more incentive to be careful of doing as little as possible to give the right conditions to these cells to grow.

Perhaps the normal healthy condition for humans in 2012 is to be 'in remission'; those of us who have had a cancer are simply more aware of it and perhaps more prone to active disease.

Isadora.

[Meryl]

I have just gone into remission for the 3rd time in 3 years but have never been 'all clear'. As has been said OC is regarded as incurable, so unless the standard period of 5 years has elapsed (which applies to most types of cancer) with no recurrence then as far as I'm concerned remission with no visible signs of the disease is as good as it gets with OC for most of us. I agree with Margaret's comments above and enjoy the 'day'. Meryl XXX

[Frenchdeb]

As everybody else has said or implied - and a tip given to me by a friend who has had recurring cancers of various sorts for over 15 years now - the way to look at it is that we may be "in remission" but never "cured" and then maybe we can learn to enjoy what we have rather than speculating on what is or may be around the corner.

Three and a half years ago I was involved in a near-fatal car accident. Nobody could have predicted that I'd have great difficulty in walking again, and maybe if they had I'd have done more of the stuff I always wanted to instead just dreaming about it until it was too late. At least with the cancer it's given me a kick in the rear and I'm determined once my next op' is over and done with, to get on with life and enjoy it to the full. I'd rather not have the desease on top of everything else but at least it's a much needed wake up call. There aren't many postives about having oc this is one.

Have as healthy a New Year as possible, folks, and above all, enjoy it to the full.

[wendydee]

I'm with you on that one, Frenchdeb! I haven't ever believed I was cured, in remission or all clear, I just know that my mantra of "right here, right now, I'm healthy" works for me. I try not to put off anything I want to do, and try to avoid doing what I don't want to do ...within certain boundaries 00 the ironing still needs doing sometimes

I agree about the positive part of having OC. It sure makes me appreciate what I can do!

Hope your op goes well and you get back to enjoying life as fully as you can

Love, Wendy xx

[MargaretJ in reply to wendydee]

Wendy I don't iron! If it needs ironing I don't buy it! My wonderful friend Ruth insists on ironing my bedding amd I pay her to do it but, to misquote Shirley Conran, "life's too short to waste on ironing"!

[TinaWright]

Well, thanks for all your comments ladies. I wanted to ask the question because I hear so many people say they have the All Clear and I feel the need to scream at them. So many people keep asking me if I have the All clear yet? I can`t seem to get trhough to them that I am in remission we never do actually get the All Clear.

My daughter keeps telling everyone I have the All clear after each good CA 125 result. I can`t seem to make her and others understand.

Just one thing I need to ask and this will explain why someone on here saidto me a while ago they would be interested to know why I had been told by my oncologist that a CURE was hopeful, well, I can`t answer that one because I am not an oncologist however, I have my next follow up appointment on Wednesday and I will be seen by someone new as my usual doctor has left on maternity leave, so I will ask why she told me that and see how much more I can find out for us girls.

No OC cure would however explain why my GP told me that having a double mastectomy might bide me a bit more time . . . . . another story, I have a faulty braca one gene which shoots my breast cancer risk up to 80%

Its so nice to hear you are all just as positive about living life to the full as I am, whoop! whoop!

love with big hugs from Tina xxxxx