Will Cancer/Leukemia reduce your life even after cured?

My fiance' had Cancer in her early teen years. She was a Freshman when told she had Leukemia. She fought through it and by her Junior year, it had cleared... she had a very serious case of it. Now, after blood work and what not... she found out she is completely clean. I was told you could never be 100% clean after having it... so is this true or false on her word? She is sometimes to embarrassed to talk to me in detail about it. Well, I was wondering... even though she fought through it, and is okay, and has been for about 8 years now... because she had it, will it shorten her life-span? Meaning, do most Cancer / Leukemia survivors usually die before that of someone who never had it? If so... whats the usual life-span for one who has been previously diagnosed?

Life is terminal for all of us. There is no such thing as a shortened life span since human beings are mortal to begin with. There is no guarantee that you will survive or that she will survive to old age. However, please keep in mind that medical advances are being made on a daily basis to determine all of these questions. There is always hope. The fact that your friend has survived for 8 years with no evidence of disease is very, very positive. Even 20 years ago children with leukemia would not have survived even this long. So, progress has been made and should continue.

You can read more about childhood leukemia survivors on the American Cancer Society website:

ACS: Childhood Leukemia Survivors Generally Do Well
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/conten...

". . . children who stay in remission from leukemia for 10 years or more go on to lead lives very similar to those of people who did not have cancer."

I'm not entirely sure. I had a friend who was diagnosed with leukemia in 6th grade. We're both 20 years old now and as far as I know she's doing great. Aside from some joint problems she's basically normal. There's always the risk of the cancer coming back, and she may have a slightly weakened immune system but if she's otherwise healthy I would take her word for it. Working in a pharmacy I've seen people who were diagnosed with cancer at a young age die at a nice old age and their deaths weren't related to the cancer at all.

Will the cancer shorten her life? Interesting question? To ask this I assume you have some way of knowing how long she would have lived prior to getting the cancer! I don't believe anyone can answer that! But I would say that she would have a better chance than someone who hasn't been diagnosed with cancer of living longer if not just as long as anyone else. Simply because most cancers are considered to be a chronic condition, and not a death sentence. As such she would probably be undergoing regular checkups possibly for most of her life maybe just yearly, but this will enable anything untoward to be found early and treated accordingly. Something that not all people may experience until it is too late.

Is it likely to come back? Possibly! But then again, some one who has never had cancer is just as likely to get it given that 1 in every 3 people will get cancer some stage in their lives.

My advice to you is to take things at face value. She is in remission, possibly cured, given it's been 8 years and there are other risks in life that could be just as dangerous, but you can't keep worrying about everything or you just wouldn't get through life!

All the Best

ahhahah, if she's CURED, that means she may outlive YOU.
She's been free of cancer for 8 years. But maybe you want a written declaration that she won't ever, ever be sick again? I don't think there's a human being able to say or do that. Can you make sure you won't get a disease and not your fiancee?

How would you feel if she wold think like you do know???
Man, what a dumb question!

ps: just to clarify, once you are cured, what do you possibly think may lead to a shorter life? Maybe another disease, completeley unrelated to her cancer!

Cancer/Leukemia survivors DO have a higher risk of health problems especially secondary cancer. However, this is no gurantee.

Oncologist do not like to use the word "cure". Remission is the preferred word. Many remissions are indefinite lasting a lifetime.

I'm not sure that can be accurately predicted, since we don't know what her lifespan would have been without cancer.
Here's where you'll find the best info:
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/hm_lls
Best wishes

Hello. The future is not ours to see..I was told that very few people relapse after 5 years...Leukemia does not have a secondary cancer as many others do... I was also told that we are not exempt from any other NORMAL health issues... Life span??? Seize the day and stay out of tomorrow!!! You may not live as long as her, you could get hit by a bus or lightening! Your future is bright if you embrace the light and use it to brighten your life and shine your hope and success with others!!!