After being diagnosed incurable Stage 3, Non-Hodgkin's Follicular Lymphoma (NHFL) - blood & lymphatic system cancer, did three years chemo. I'm now between stage 1 & 2, watch & wait. Attacking your body unnecessarily with chemo is not appropriate. I had one lymph node under my right arm indicating growth. Oncologist said they may do a needle biopsy for pathology to determine if my cancer was on the rise. The biopsy never happened, CT scans, with the exception of one large lymph node next to an artery, indicates no agressive growth. Oncologist also told me if my cancer rises again, I would not be bombarded with chemo again, I would be treated with immunotherapy. My NHFL is incurable / with me for life. I am very fortunate to have a nurse practitioner (NP) who has years experience as an oncology nurse, she knows the ins and outs of my cancer. My symptoms continue unabated, it is what it is. As long as I know what is happening in my body, and why, I'm good with it, like I have a choice. When I was declared in remission, my oncologist explained the my NHFL never goes away, it is here to stay... it plays hide & seek, catch me if you can, hibernates, likes to throw me curve balls - what the hell is this going on with my body ? It's what it does, I should give it a name since it's with me until I expire. Between stage 1 & 2, watch & wait, a whole lot better than chemo reeking havoc in your body... with me it's a sitting on the fence, watching the paint dry, watching the grass grow... I have better things to do. I know what my symptoms are, know what to look for, things change, make an appointment with my oncologist, go from there... nothing more for me to do... enjoy life, go forth & conquer. God Bless you & your family !

I was diagnosed with CLL and my Oncologist explained to me about Watch and Wait, Right now I am in stage 0 and all my labs are normal except the B Lymphocyte's, I am not immunocompromised, so it is not threatening me and you do not the cancer to be prone to treatment so it will work when needed. I know the signs of progression in case it does, and I see him every 6 months, but he told me if anything changes or happens to call him.

The prognosis is no different whether treating now or waiting and the side effects of treatment are not worth putting yourself through. I was told I would die with it but not from it.

Hi Lauren 2, I'd never considered the insurance thing, and while I'm ready to believe in the evils perpetrated by corporations for larger profits, I don't see how that one could work. Sooner or later they will pay for treatment anyway and you always have a choice to watch and wait or not. I have listened to or read lots of explanations about watch and wait and I don't altogether get it, even though I did spend a year doing it. The explanation is based on "quality if life", meaning that treatment puts you through a lot of stuff you might as well avoid if you feel fine. To me that only makes sense if it is more than just postponing the inevitable. I've read that it neither lengthens or shortens your survival. If that is so, and it makes no difference better or worse, then I really don't get it. I found my watch and wait time made me anxious. I felt fine, but I could see my tumors growing and I knew I would eventually need treatment. Now that I've had treatment and am possibly in remission, I don't have the same 'when's the other shoe gonna fall' feeling. Still, I also believe remission won't last forever, so it's still watch and wait, in a way. However, I think it's very important to trust your doctor and have a doctor you can trust. Keep informed, learn as much as possible, ask questions but in the end trust the person you have chosen as your physician.

Best,
Angus

For some types of blood cancer there's no evidence that early treatment, when you have no symptoms, improves outcomes. Instead, doctors recommend saving treatment for later, when it will have the best impact. You'll also avoid potential side effects of treatment for as long as possible.