What is Digg?36 Comments
- drwhitley, on 10/12/2007, -1/+34I'm a doc that treats a lot of cancer patients. This chart is extremely oversimplified and can be misleading. The survival rates for each of these cancers varies widely based on a number of factors that are specific to each patient. For instance, the survival rates at 5 years for laryngeal cancer can range from as low as 10-15% to greater than 80% depending on a number of patient factors (size of tumor, location of tumor, presense of local or distant metastasis, etc.). This is why we go to such lengths to stage tumors. I strongly would suggest not taking these numbers to heart... they may provide false reassurance or unnecessary worry. Just my $0.02 from a dumb old doc.
- NanoStuff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17Looks like I should start taking better care of my pancreas.
- NetGX, on 10/12/2007, -3/+17The article doesn't stipulate how early the cancer is discovered, I would assume it is very early to get these figures.
Once cancer works its way into your lymphatic system chances of recovery become far more remote.
Goes to show that you should always have yourself checked on a regular basis. - fletchowns, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13Some of them are a lot higher than I thought. Awesome. I hope our kids never have to deal with something like cancer.
- SuperCujo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3As a 6 year survivor of testicular cancer and seeing these figures, I hit a cancer with some damn good odds :)
- bchang, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Informative yet depressing.
- lasermike026, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Why hasn't there been any breakthroughs with pancreatic cancer? You have better odds facing a bullet than you do pancreatic cancer. Its a monster.
- Gudath, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'm not a doctor, but I agree with Dr. Whitley. I don't know about the other cancers on the table, but about four years ago I became a layman-expert in prostate cancer the hard way. If they catch it early, that 99% survival rate is realistic. If it has already spread by the time diagnosis is made, the outlook can be grim. That's what got Jerry Orbach. (Lennie Briscoe)
So guys, grit your teeth and let the doc do the finger thing, and keep track of your PSA. - cronin1024, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2My great-aunt has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I guess they weren't exaggerating when they said it was the worst kind... :(
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Why is he getting dugg down? Everything he said is accurate and informative to those who don't know much about this stuff. Save the downdiggs for people who deserve them.
Way to abuse the system. - Drumrboy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3steve jobs had the most mild type of pancreatic cancer...
it was operable and it was truly luck that he got out of that alive
pancreatic cancer is way underfunded... we need to learn more, and we need to fight this prevailent deadly cancer. - kizgikate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I realize these statistics are oversimplified-- but they make me feel better. My dad died from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma ten years ago. We were told there was a 75% chance of recovery (he was a very healthy man, a marathon runner), but this list says 58%....which seems more...sigh...oh well...damn cancer....
- floorman56, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2aren't exaggerating when they said it was the worst kind
95% don't make it 6 months From what I heard the first clue is severe weight lost that's why it's so hard to find - SuperCujo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Very valid question. To wiki we go...
"Surgical removal of the prostate, or prostatectomy, is a common treatment either for early stage prostate cancer, or for cancer which has failed to respond to radiation therapy. The most common type is radical retropubic prostatectomy, when the surgeon removes the prostate through an abdominal incision. Another type is radical perineal prostatectomy, when the surgeon removes the prostate through an incision in the perineum, the skin between the scrotum and anus. Prostatectomy can cure about seventy percent of cases of prostate cancer.
Radical prostatectomy is highly effective for tumors which have not spread beyond the prostate. However, it may cause nerve damage that significantly alters the quality of life of the prostate cancer survivor. The most common serious complications are loss of urinary control and impotence. As many as forty percent of men will be left with some urinary incontinence, usually in the form of leakage when they sneeze, cough or laugh. Impotence is also a common problem. Although penile sensation and the ability to achieve orgasm usually remain intact, erection and ejaculation are often impaired. Medications such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), or vardenafil (Levitra) may restore some degree of potency. In some men with smaller cancers, a more limited "nerve-sparing" technique may help avoid urinary incontinence and impotence." - molsen311, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2lolgoogle
- domusvita, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Totally agree. Not to be all Debbie Downer on everybody but my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, it had spread to the first lymph node (stage IIIa) and just after year 4 she died. So early detection is the key.
Boys and girls, check yourselves! - archerx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It's freaky that this appears today, I had a really special friend that I met last halloween that got both Luekemia (43%!!) and Breast cancer! she had to go back to her home town and I haven't hear or seen her since...
I'm gonna go to the place we met for nostalgia.....
The timing of this article is creepy... - mxcl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What does it mean exactly? That if you have cancer for 20 years you'll probably die? I don't understand it and the author doesn't explain it. This is so typical of technical disciplines in my experience. And I have a degree in chemistry before I get lambasted.
- googli, on 06/13/2008, -0/+0I think the following link on that site was more interesting:
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buy levitra http://youtubuy.org/ - NanoStuff, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3What would you define as a break-through? Are the several miracle cancer cures per week posted on Digg not sufficient?
- kc1man, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This chart is difficult to understand. For some of the cancers the survival rate goes up with time. But how can you survive 20 years if you did not survive 10 years (see liver, near bottom)?
- Litespeed, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1And for the guys in NZ, AUS & UK, Movember is upon us!
www.movember.com.au - globito, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is one example of Edward Tufte's brilliant work. The rationale for this 'table-graphic', along with the nasty powerpoint version can be found att www.edwardtufte.com:
http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0000Jr&topic_id=1&topic=Ask%20E%2eT%2e - Nicki123, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Cancer treatments and survival rates, I think, are individual because individuals get cancer. It's hard to generalize.
I think successful treatment can't only be from "physical" measures. There's so many other components to effective healing. - globito, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The estimates for each column are based on different groups of people. So these strange movements are due to statistical error.
Again, there is nothing misleading about this chart if you read it the way it is supposed to be read. Certainly within each cancer type group there may be subgroups which have higher survival rates (different factors for each patient), but this is an overall look which is making a clear and understandable point. - OdinThor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0nagabobby glad to hear your spirits are well. I don't doubt that your lung failure may be caused be the radiation. And the lung failure is probably causing your hypertension. I read somewhere recently that there is a strong correlation between congestive heart failure and the treatment (radiation to the chest) for both breast cancer and hodgkins disease. Heart failure at least can be managed, so you have to take the risk of the radiation to erradicate the cancer. Anecdotely, I have seen it happen to people close to me.
I sincerely wish you improvement in your situation. - nagabobby, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I'm a throat cancer survivor. Stage 4. Seven years out cancer free.
True, the stats are misleading. I believe healing happens on a very individual basis. There's a combination of many factors going with our systems affected by disease.
Doctors don't know why I'm still here. A good part of my healing I attribute healing to meditation and spiritual practices.
Today I'm dealing with extremes of hypertension and lung failure. Both I believe are connected in part to the radiation therapy I received.
I am happy to be alive and in a human body.
Good health and best wishes to all. - mkayatta, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1digg down
- KyleGoetz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Running marathons releases free radicals into your body. If you don't take additional steps to counteract the negative effects of marathon-running, you actually raise your risk of cancer by running marathons.
- lordTalus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Question: If you have your prostate removed, what are the chances that you can still get an erection?
- MrSir, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0hey,
you know only approximately 20% of smokers actually get cancer. now i realize that its alot higher than normal people, but it's a testament to the detoxification enzymes in your body. I think the toxins do something to your DNA. With all of the cancer causing chemicals that smokers inhale, it seems like they should be dying faster. God, or natural selection at its best, or both, depending on what you believe. either way its still astounding. yea, i bet the best thing is early detection. Cause i think lung cancer starts a just a cough (Don't quote me on that), and nonsmokers like me wouldnt even think about cancer. I would give you examples, but I can't remeber, although im expected to know this for class in 2 days (pharmacology). - stonebear, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2Steve Jobs survived pancreatic cancer. That’s when they made him a god.
- kettlechips, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2How would you like it if you had cancer of the pancreas!
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -18/+3And then I told him: "but I poop from there"...
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