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@abob

Thx for your reply. I do often get too much from Dr. Google. But the implication of “ ctDNA NOT DETECTED, Tumor Fraction: 0%” came from oncologist. So this very expensive “piece of the puzzle” seems rather insignificant and unhelpful re the new “focus” identified by PetCT.

Perhaps next month’s CT chest,ABD,pelvis with oral & IV contrast will determine next steps. We do now see that NSCLC is never over.

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Replies to "Thx for your reply. I do often get too much from Dr. Google. But the implication..."

@abob, and my bad for not sharing an authoritative site: lungevity.com. There are many lung cancer statistics and much good information there.

I just returned from the World Conference on Lung Cancer, where, among other things, I learned that much work remains to be done to obtain meaningful information from blood tests. Sort of the Holy Grail of blood tests that several companies and Universities are working on is the ability to detect early-stage cancer well enough to use a blood test for pre-screening. That will enable many more people to get easily screened. We're not there yet. ctDNA is one of the first steps in that direction.

I also have a very different view on the permanency of lung cancer. Unless my doctor tells me that I currently have active cancer in my body, I am cancer-free. I've been cancer-free most of my journey. And as someone who is cancer-free, I pay it no mind. Life is way too short to walk around feeling like you have a gun to your head or certain that you know the day your life will end. I refuse to live like that.

As I've said at the end of my Lung Cancer Awareness presentations while displaying a picture of Han Solo from Star Wars: "Throughout my journey, the odds were there, the statistics, the prognosis. But I chose to be like Han. Not to live by the odds, but by hope, determination, and a sense of optimism. I urge all of you, not just in health, but in every challenge you face -- don't let the odds define you. Live your own story."