The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has an ongoing support group. They put out information and offer conference calls to ask question or talk with other myeloma patients about issues. I haven't participated yet but I'm thinking about it.
Some of the information they have published is interesting.
Myeloma is the second most frequently diagnosed blood cancer.
•. Each year in the United States, there are more than 30,000 new cases.
•. Almost 13,000 people will die from myeloma (each year).
• Only 48.5 percent of patients diagnosed with myeloma will survive five years after diagnosis.
This is the most recent set of statistics but it's still old. The 48.5% of patients who survive five years is based on actual cases, meaning the data is at least five years old. Five years doesn't seem like much but it's huge in the cancer research field.
I sound like I'm searching for a silver lining to depressing news. Maybe I am but, regardless, having around a 50% chance of survival after five years means I'll be here for another thirty years. Am I math impaired, over confident, foolishly cocky or just too busy to worry about it? The answer is yes!
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