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Delay in Cancer Diagnosis
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Delay in Cancer Diagnosis
- A conversation that all men should have with their doctor
- The single most important question to ask your doctor when you are diagnosed with cancer in Kingston, New York
- Are some cancers better left undiscovered? Get the answer in Kingston, New York.
- Does cancer run in your family? Genetic testing will tell you your odds of getting cancer in Kingston, New York
- The Worst Possible Thing You Can Do
How do you determine if you will be cured of cancer in Kingston, New York? The stage of the cancer reveals your likelihood of a cure.
A cancer diagnosis is a scary and confusing time for a patient and their family. Concerns range from "who will take care of my kids" to "is a cure possible?" You need answers from you doctor!
Each kind of cancer from lung, colon to bladder, has a different survival rate. The survival rate is the statistical likelihood that you will be alive five years from the date of your diagnosis with cancer--ths is known as the "five year survival rate". Generally, if you are alive five years after the diagnosis of cancer, you are considered cured of the cancer. A recurrence of cancer is very unlikely more than five years after the original diagnosis.
How is the five year survival rate for cancer determined?
How is the five year survival rate determined for your cancer? There are statistical averages for every kind of cancer, but simply plugging in a number for a specific kind of cancer means little. You want to get an answer from your doctor as to the stage of your cancer. The stage of cancer generally addresses whether your cancer is in its earliest stage of development (stage 1) to the worst case scenario of having spread to distant organs that are remote from the original location of the tumor (stage 4).
The statistical five year survival rate will vary greatly depending on the stage of your cancer. For example, Stage 4 lung cancer has a five year survival rate of less than 2%, which means that more than 98% of those diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer will not be alive five years after their diagnosis. Stage 4 lung cancer is, unfortunately, virtually a death sentence. Stage 1 lung cancer, on the other hand, has a five year survival rate of 85%, which means that 85% of those diagnosed with Stage 1 lung cancer are alive five years after the diagnosis.
If you are diagnosed with cancer, the first question you should ask your doctor is: What is the stage of my cancer? Then you should ask, "What is the five year survival rate for my cancer?" Even if your doctor refuses to tell you the five year survival rate, you can determine the statistical percentage of a cure by finding out the stage of your cancer.
You should ask your doctor about the grade of the tumor
If you want to go even further, you should you ask your doctor: "What is the grade of the tumor?" The "grade" is an estimate of the speed of tumor growth as suggested by cell features seen under a microscope. Low grade tumors generally do not invade or spread, while high grade tumors have a much greater likelihood of invading and spreading beyond their original location.
Cancer cells are usually classified as low, medium or high grade. The higher the grade, the faster the cancer cells multiply (known as mitosis). Knowing the grade of the cancer cells can help predict how fast the cancer will grow and spread.
There is a strong relationship between tumor stage and tumor grade. Most superficial tumors are low grade, that is they are Stage 1 tumors, whereas most muscle-invasive tumors are high grade, that is they are Grade 3 or 4 tumors. If the cancer has spread from its original location and invaded surrounding tissues, the cancer cells tend to be high grade and the stage of the cancer is Stage 3 or 4.
Learning the stage of the cancer and the five year survival rate are the two most important questions that your doctor must answer. While many physicians are reluctant to answer these questions, you are entitled to answers from your doctor and you should insist upon getting them.
I welcome your phone call if you have any questions
If you have any questions or want more information, I welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell phone at 866-889-6882 or you can get more information at the Frequently Asked Question section of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.
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John H. Fisher
130 North Front Street
Kingston, New York 12402-3058
Phone: 518.265.9131
Fax: 845-331-2004
Toll Free: 866.889.6882
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Contact Info
John H. Fisher
130 North Front Street
Kingston, New York 12402-3058
Phone: 518.265.9131
Fax: 845-331-2004
Toll Free: 866.889.6882
FAQ
Delay in Cancer Diagnosis
- When you have a lump on your breast, what questions should you ask your doctor about your mammogram in Kingston, New York?
- Does screening for prostate cancer lower the risk of cancer in Kingston, New York?
- If you have a high PSA blood level (4 or higher),what are the best tests to determine if you have prostate cancer in Kingston, New York?