The very first thing my radiation and chemo doctors told me was to ignore the statistics I would find on internet forums (although I would believe statistics posted by Brian). The first thing my surgeon told my wife after the biopsy showed Stage IV with spread to lymph nodes: "There has not been time since the advent of Erbitux and IMRT for head and neck cancers to see if the old statistics are valid"
Yet I'd be lying if I did not say I still wince when I read the news releases about "no major improvement in survival rates for the last twenty years..."
Finally:One quote from Julie Silver's book ( After Cancer Treatment )that rang true for me and the advice I would give Z:
"We didn't choose cancer, it choose us. I don't think that any of us in this ever growing club, which initiates unwilling members are completely fearless. I wish that I could take away any fear that you have. I wish that I cold eliminate my own fears. But I know that I can't. Instead, what I suggest is to use whatever fear you have as a means of motivating yourself to do the best job that you can to heal. If you have to live with demons, make them work for you."
Peace and Love