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Tips for Loved Ones »
>>Caring for a breast cancer patient has its own challenges. Learn tips for dealing with the physical and emotional stress.
Am I Going to Die?
The five-year relative survival rate is 95 percent for women with early-stage breast cancer. However, when faced with a life-threatening illness it is natural to be anxious about the quality of your life in the future. Fortunately, the current treatments available for breast cancer allow most women to go from being a cancer patient to a cancer survivor. Since 1989, there has been a steady increase in the number of people who have completed breast cancer treatment.
If you’ve been diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer or a recurrence, you may have additional concerns that are addressed in our section about metastatic breast cancer. As a result of research, treatments that extend survivorship are constantly being developed.
Always discuss any of your concerns and worries with your health care provider. If you find yourself becoming "stuck" on this question, or feeling depressed, contact a support group or talk to a breast cancer survivor who is a trained peer counselor on the YourShoesTM 24/7 Breast Cancer Support Center at 1-800-221-2141.