All clear! 2 years cancer free, praise God!
It always feels like such a long wait, but the clear result is always worth it!
What does this mean now?
I don’t have many answers at this point, but what I know is that the longer our boy is in remission, the better. Now, there are still effects from frontline treatment that he will need to navigate in years to come: kidneys, lungs, hearing, growth etc. But on a day like today, all we can find ourselves thinking about is how remarkable it is for Murphy to get to this point. To support this celebration, here are some remarks we’ve read today:
A phrase you’ll often hear in children’s oncology clinics:
“The longer you stay in remission, the more likely it is that remission is permanent.”
Murphy just crossed one of the biggest thresholds.
For high-risk neuroblastoma, the majority of relapses occur within the first 2 years after treatment. So hitting 2 years cancer-free is often considered a major survival milestone. Many pediatric oncologists will say that once a child reaches 2–3 years disease-free, the likelihood of cure increases dramatically.
Studies from groups like the Children’s Oncology Group show:
Most relapses occur within 12–18 months
The risk drops sharply after 24 months
Relapse after 5 years is rare
Amen.
