Specialists warn that single number average survival estimates for advanced stage breast cancer are unhelpful and usually inaccurate. Instead, they advise doctors to provide several case-specific survival estimates to help people plan with realism and hope.<\/p>\n
Breast cancer\u00a0is the form of\u00a0cancer\u00a0that affects women the most often \u2014 about\u00a02.1 million\u00a0women worldwide receive a cancer diagnosis in one year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).<\/p>\n
Breast cancer is one of the\u00a0most treatable\u00a0forms of cancer, but when it metastasizes in its later stages, removing tumors becomes more difficult, which can have a significant effect on the survival rate.<\/p>\n
Understandably, people with late stage breast cancer are interested in receiving survival rate estimates from their doctors so that they can make the most appropriate healthcare choices and plan accordingly.<\/p>\n
“Every week in my clinic, I meet women of all ages with advanced breast cancer, and they frequently ask: ‘How long have I got?’ They have very practical concerns and questions that they want help with; for example, they might want to know whether they should cancel a planned holiday, whether they will be able to attend their daughter’s wedding, or whether they should stop working or sell their house,” notes Dr. Belinda Kiely, who is a cancer specialist at the University of Sydney in Australia.<\/p>\n