Neil and Candace,

I have to agree with Gary on a couple of points. First, there are so many factors that can affect survival rates, it's impossible to predict from the staging alone. Also, an important consideration is where and how the patient is treated -- I'm convinced based on what I've read here over time that the chances are improved when the treatment is at a major cancer center.

It's been 15 years since my cancer "experience". While the stage of my tumor was not as advanced as Neil's family member, it was an instance where the diagnosis was delayed for quite awhile because of several doctors who were convinced it was nothing to be concerned about. When I finally did get a referral to a comprehensive cancer center, fortunately I ended up with a team that pushed for all-out treatment, and with hindsight, I have to agree with what they did.

Cathy