Statistics are just that and nothing more. When it comes down to the individual all bets are off. "I" am not a statistic.
Yes stage 3 melanoma is worse than breast cancer, and most patients will progress in spite of the newer treatments. That being said, more advanced melanoma patients are living longer overall with the new drug therapies. It is too early with these new therapies to change the stats, but they are better.
All the stats can do is force you to get your life in order, then go on and live. Live life with more purpose, don't put off things you really want to do, make the most of the time you have. Heck you might be killed from above with "blue ice" tomorrow.
The numbers are depressing, but you don't have to be. For me when I advanced from stage IIA to stage IV eight years later and with a 2 & 4 year old at home, in some ways it was freeing. I felt fine, had minimal tumor burden, and no longer had to save for my retirement! Everything else from that point on was for my girls.
Luckily, I am not a statistic. I have been in a durable remission after lung surgery and IL-2. This summer will be 6 years NED. Yup, I am in the 3% club. 6% complete responders of which half will never have a recurrance = 3%.
Now I have to save for retirement AND college for both my girls – LOL. Now I have to lose weight since I decided to HAVE that piece of cake AND another beer. Oh well…….. Was worth it. The limbo inbetween, not knowing where I would fall in overall survival, that was the hardest. Do I save for the future or take the kids on a road trip across the U.S. in an RV and create memories instead? I couldn't do both.
Just plan for the worst, then grab life by the short hairs and hang on for one heck of a party!
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