Back to October 2001: Quality of Life
How close is a breast cancer cure?
- Question from Bio Pat: I guess since having breast cancer myself, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. My greatest wish is for a cure. How close do you think a cure might be?
- Answers —Patricia Ganz, M.D.: If I were to be a true optimist, I would say it's just around the corner. However, knowing that breast cancer is a complex disease, and that it is not one disease but has many faces, I am reluctant to say that. Unfortunately, there are many women diagnosed with cancer who have a good outlook who can still have the disease recur many years later. It is not common, but it can occur. Alternatively, some women with small tumors can expect to be cured with the treatments that they have had. It is hard to generalize when and how the cure may be here.
- Marisa Weiss, M.D., Breastcancer.org president and founder: We have all seen an explosion of new information, a much deeper understanding of what causes breast cancer, and what might eradicate it. The progress is strong and steady.