Cancer Survival Rates in Japan

 

A study conducted by the National Cancer Center Japan found that the 10 year survival rate for patients diagnosed with cancer between 2005 and 2008 was 58.9%, which was a 0.6 percentage point increase over the previous survey. The study targeted 121,000 patients who were diagnosed at 32 member institutions of the Japanese Association of Clinical Cancer Centers in 27 prefectures. Other causes of death apart from cancer were not included in calculating the survival rate.

The earlier cancer is detected, the better the chance for survival. Over all stages, prostrate cancer had the highest survival rate, followed by female breast cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, and pancreatic cancer which had the lowest survival rate. After having been treated for cancer twice in Japan, I am encouraged by these figures.

Cancer Survival Rate Rises in Japan

I saw an interesting (to me) headline on the May 17, 2021 nippon.com about cancer survival rates in Japan - "Japan's 10 Year Cancer Survival Rate Rises to 59.4%". Having had cancer twice in Japan (stage 1 uterine in 2014 and stage 3 colon in 2016), of course I am happy to see these statistics. It was just a short blurb, but it said the rise is attributed to early detection. My doctors were and are the best, so I have to give the medical professionals in Japan credit. I don't know how this compares with the survival rates in other countries. What do you think about survival rates where you live?

How I Want to Feel

Statue near where I live

Still feeling very tired.  My doctor says it's the high bilirubin count, among other things.  I guess it's good that my job and my hobby allow me to sit. I walk to work and the hospital, but I don't have the energy to do a lot more than that. I know it is just temporary, but every time I see someone running, I feel the urge (although not the energy) to run, too.

March Medical Update

This round of chemo has really done me in, and it hasn't been pretty.  I'll spare you the gory details.   I had blood work done on Thursday and saw the oncologist yesterday. My blood work reflected how I've been feeling.  The doctor said I have stage two adverse reactions, so I have to take a yasumi (break) from the drug for two weeks.  If my blood tests are better then, I will be able to start taking the drug again, but at a lower dose.

On a good note, I finished the eight weeks of physical therapy, and while my wrist isn't totally back to normal, it's getting closer.  I will continue to do my rihabiri exercises on my own. I'll see the wrist doctor and have another set of x-rays in a couple of weeks. I think stitching has been good for rehabilitating my wrist!  

It is strawberry season in Shizuoka.  I was surprised to see this strawberry running in the Shizuoka marathon last weekend.

Half-Way

I am now half-way through my scheduled eight rounds of chemotherapy.  I was side-tracked with breaking my arm and the surgery to repair it, but I am back on schedule again.  All in all I think I am holding up rather well.  Probably the worst thing is being so tired all the time.  I have been dealing with some other side effects, but they seem rather minor compared to other people I see at the hospital.  

I had x-rays and saw the wrist doctor last week. He said my bone is healing well.  I go to physical therapy three times a week and do exercises at home to improve the mobility.  It's getting better. 

I think I would be in big financial trouble if I had these medical issues in the US.  Here, I have national health insurance and pay 30% of the actual cost.  To see the orthopedic surgeon (the wrist doctor) I pay 220 yen per visit.  To see the oncologist, I am charged 630 yen.  The x-rays cost me 670 yen.  The physical therapy cost is 1330 yen for an hour appointment.  Blood tests are 1490 yen.  The is also a limit on how much I have to pay, so if I pay more than the limit, the insurance refunds money and it is direct deposited to my bank account.  I don't understand the formula, but every month I am getting money back.  

The hospital where I see all these medical professionals is just a 10 minute walk from my apartment.  This is the view of Mt. Fuji from the hospital entrance.

I am so fortunate and so thankful.

Wrist Rihabiri

I go to physical therapy or rihabiri in Japanese (sounds like rehabilitation, I think) a few times a week for my wrist. I can't push, pull, or lift with this arm for a long time, but I can type and write and eat with chopsticks again. 

My therapist is young and sweet and very good at her job. First, I lay on a table with my wrist wrapped up in a heating pad thing for 15 minutes. After that, she massages my hand and arm and slowly pushes it in different directions.  She is able to rub some place near my elbow and it makes my wrist bend further.  I don't understand how she knows where and what to do, but she really does!  It is very relaxing to have her manipulating my wrist and doesn't hurt at all.  After that we go to a table and she has me do different exercises for three minutes each.  At the end of the session, she used a tool like a protractor to measure my range of motion.  I also have exercises to do at home several times a day. My wrist is still very stiff, but getting better.  

This is what my wrist incision looked like two weeks after surgery - pretty rough!  

This is what it look like now, about five weeks after surgery.

I met with the wrist specialist Wednesday and he thinks it is healing well.  He thought my range of motion was very good for only two weeks with the physical therapist.  Yes! Doing my home exercises is helping, I think.   

There is a cute elderly woman who had a similar break as mine about the same time as me, and the same surgery with the metal plate and screws.  I see her waiting for the doctor or in the rihabiri room and we talk a little.  Thursday I saw her when we were both getting bloodwork done.  She just got her cast off.  I don't understand everything she says, but I did understand when she pointed to my arm and said hayai, which means fast.  I think my arm is healing fast too.

After I had bloodwork done Thursday, I met with the oncologist yesterday.  Even though I feel good, my blood isn't so good.  I started back on the chemotherapy drug yesterday, but at a reduced dose.  The doctor is concerned and gave me many warnings (like if the whites of my eyes turn yellow, if I feel extreme fatigue, etc.) to stop the drug and go to the hospital.  I think I'll do okay with it.

Omamori - Japanese Lucky Charms

At every shrine and temple you visit in Japan, there is a booth selling Omamori or lucky charm amulet things.  I never know what is for what so I haven't bought them.  I did recieve a beautiful gift of one when I found out I had cancer last fall (Thank you Sano San!)  

They are especially popular during the New Year Holidays and during test taking times, and with both Shinto believers and Buddhists. They are made with a fancy silky fabric and have little printed prayers inside, but you aren't supposed to open it or you will release the blessing and say good-bye to the good luck.  (How does anyone know there is a prayer inside if you can't look?)  The good luck is said to last about a year, then you need to get a new one.  There are special Omamori for every different category you can think of - success, money, travel, ward off evil, learning and education, love, traffic safety, to name a few.  

I'm not superstitious, nor am I Shinto or Buddhist, but somehow I believe in this omamori. I have had some medical challenges, but I haven't had any horrible side effects from the chemotherapy and my broken arm is healing much faster than I imagined it would.  I think I am very lucky.

January Medical Update

When I broke my arm in December, the oncologist stopped the chemotherapy drug for a few weeks.  Last week I had bloodwork, with the expectation that I would start chemotherapy again.  My bloodwork was totally out of whack, due to the surgery to repair my wrist, according to my doctor. I'll have a few more weeks break, then more blood work to see if can start chemotherapy again.    

My wrist bone seems to be healing, but the incision site is still pretty rough.  I think I will be starting physical therapy this week or next.  I don't know what that will entail.   Hopefully, I'll be able to get back to stitching again.

On another subject, today is a national holiday in Japan - Coming of Age Day. This is the day to celebrate 20 year olds becoming adults, with all the privileges and responsibilities that come with being an adult. Congratulations to all of Japan's new adults!

Distal Radius Fracture

I'm home again, now with a big ole cast on my right arm. It's uncomfortable but not really painful unless I accidently bump or twist my arm.  The surgeon put a plate with screws in to keep it connected.   Who would have thought a simple fall would result in this? Maybe I need to slow down and be more careful.

Work in Progress Wednesday - Trip Stitching

I did get a little airport stitching before I broke my arm.  Don't know when I'll be able to stitch again.

Bad news from the doctor -  I have a complicated break.  I'm having surgery today and will spend a few days in the hospital.  I'll have a metal plate put in that will be removed (more surgery) when it is healed in about a year.  The cancer drugs are on hold because of low WBC and infection.  I'll be okay, but I sure seem to be having some bad luck lately!

Broken

I'm home from my trip.  The original plan was nine days in Naha, Okinawa, then a few days in Nagoya.  I had to cut out the Nagoya portion of my trip because on day 7 in Naha I fell and broke my right arm.  I know, I can't believe it either.  

I don't know if I tripped on the stone step going into my hotel, or if I stepped on the loop of my shoelace or what, but I hit the stone hard and fast.  My right knee and arm really hurt, so I asked for a bag of ice at the hotel desk and went up to my room. By the time I got there, my wrist and lower arm were already swelling.  I went back to the hotel desk and they called the hospital to tell them I was coming and a taxi to take me there.  I was at the hospital a long time, mostly waiting, but also to see the doctor, get x-rays, see the doctor again and have a cast put on from the heel of my hand to mid-way between my elbow and shoulder and have my knee bandaged.  The hospital in Naha made an appointment for me with an orthopedic doctor  at my local hospital for today and sent the x-rays and doctor's notes.   I'm really impressed with healthcare in Japan.  I've had to take advantage of it more than I like, but I have been taken care of very well. The total cost for the visit, x-rays, cast, sling, patching up my knee, and sending everything to my local hospital was 7850 yen, or about US$ 66.50.  

These are bad pictures, but they kind of show my injuries.

arm-mirror view

knee

At least it happened near the end of the trip.  I was still able to take some craft classes and go to the aquarium and do the fun things before this happened. I'll try to post about those things soon. It was pretty painful at first, but now it's just uncomfortable.  It's also very difficult to do things with just my left hand, like typing.   Some things, like braiding my hair or flossing my teeth, I can't do one handed.

Hopefully the doctor will have something good to tell me today.

Round Three

So, here I am in round three of my chemotherapy schedule.  My blood tests are showing things high or low, out of the normal range, but my doctor said that is to be expected.  I am feeling a few more effects from the drug - tiredness and now signs of Hand Foot Syndrome.  My hands are okay so far, but the soles of my feet are red and peeling.  I'm slathering on this Nivea creme constantly.  

All in all, I think I'm holding up rather well.  Daijoubu desu.

How Do I Feel?

I feel good.  I've had some nausea and diarrhea, but it hasn't been bad.  I made it through Round 1 and today start Round 2.  So far so good.

I am in the 1%

After my cancer surgery two years ago, I felt very lucky.  My doctor told me that 99% of people with my cancer at my stage (endometrial, stage 1) never had another problem with cancer.  He said I would heal from my surgery and go on with life.  

I had the recommended check ups and blood tests every other month.  When the tumor markers started going up, I had additional tests and found out I had cancer again.  After this surgery the pathology report said it was stage 3 and my doctor recommended six months of chemotherapy. I have an excellent doctor and I have complete confidence and trust in him.  After having some time to heal from the surgery and for the doctor to determine the drug dosage, today is scheduled to be day one of the first of 8 three week cycles (assuming yesterday's blood tests were good).   I'll take pills morning and night for two weeks, then have one week off before starting again. 

The drug I'm getting is oral not intravenous, so I think that will be easier for me.   There are many possible side effects, but a lot of them are only experienced by a low percentage of people taking the drug.  Hair loss is not one of the side effects, although some people experience hair thinning.  All in all, I don't think it will be as bad as it could have been.  I'm feeling very positive.  This is just a temporary situation.

I feel extremely fortunate to have so many people wishing me well.   I am very happy to have many friends, old and new, near and far, cheering for me.  Thank you for all your email and comments on this blog, cards and food, everything! I appreciate you all more than you know.  

Hospital Food

In the hospital, I wasn't allowed to eat from Sunday noon until Thursday lunch.  This is what I was served when I was able to eat again. 

Thursday lunch - rice gruel in closed container

Thursday dinner - rice gruel in the open bowl

Friday breakfast

Friday lunch

Friday dinner

Saturday breakfast

Saturday lunch

I've often heard that hospital food is bad.  (Maybe that's just hospital food in the US?) I didn't know what all of it was, but it did taste good.  I wasn't able to eat everything each meal - it was just too much!    

Have you ever eaten hospital food?  What did you think of it - good or not?

Hospital Life

I never stayed overnight in a hospital in the US except when I was born, so I can't really compare, but I can tell about my experience  here in Japan.  

The hospital floor I was on was the surgery floor.  The day I checked in, I was in a room with three other women.  They were all bed ridden, with their curtains closed, so I don't know anything about why they were there.  I had surgery the next morning (Monday), then spent that day until the next morning in the room next to the nurses' station.  The next morning (Tuesday) I moved to a room with five other women.  Like the first room, these people also stayed in the beds with the curtains closed, although these people had visitors during the day within their curtains. 

Every morning, the loud speakers woke everyone up at 6 am and the lights all turned on.  Through out the day there were other announcements, like meals were about to be delivered or nurses would be coming to check or other things I didn't understand.  At 9 pm was the announcement about lights going out, then they did.  There were motion sensor lights near the floor, so if I got up I could find my way to the hall to go to the toilet.  The night nurses all had flashlights.  

Every day, each patient got one of these cards to record toilet trips.  Urine had to be measured and the amount recorded. There are six kanji to record kinds of poop!  The only one I know is second from the bottom, which means watery.

Each person had a thermometer kept at their beside to use while there.  In Japan the thermometer is under the arm not in the mouth. I think the first two days or so the nurses checked temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen level six times a day, then three times a day after that.  I kept my own chart each time they did.  

I was allowed to start walking the morning after surgery (after xrays and blood tests said all was good), so I walked the halls as much as I could. I thought it would help me get to go home sooner.

There was only one shower for the entire floor and it could only be used between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm. There was a sign up sheet on the door. Very few people signed up, so starting the second day after surgery (Wednesday) I could take a shower pretty much anytime between those hours.  

I liked the bed moving up so it was like a lounge chair. The pillow was the typical Japanese pillow made of chopped up plastic straws. I prefer regular fluff kind of pillows.  I didn't sleep well at all.  Besides the snoring and coughing and other types of noises people make in their sleep, there was a lot of hospital alarm kind of noises and the nurses' squeaky carts and stuff like that. 

There was a day room, with manga books and a televison and tables and chairs.  The family members of patients waited there and some patients who were ambulatory hung out in there.  I could practically see my apartment from the window there.  I live about a 10 minute walk from the hospital.   I kind of "met" a patient and his wife through seeing them in the doctor's waiting area and having tests.  I guess he was on about the same schedule as I was.  I was happy to see familiar faces the day after my surgery, but sorry that he was going through what I was.  I finally talked to the wife in the day room.  I called him my byoin no tomodachi, which means hospital friend. I wrote him a little note after his surgery that said get well soon in hiragana.  His wife wrote me a nice note back in hiragana.

Is there anything else I can tell you about the Japanese hospital experience?  If you've been in the hospital elsewhere, what is different or the same?

Good To Be Home!

Thank you everyone for your kind comments and emails and cards and letters.  I appreciate it so much.  After six days in the hospital, I am home again.  

Japanese doctors like their patients to stay in the hospital a long time, and Japanese patients expect to stay in the hospital a long time. Before surgery, the surgeon told me two to three weeks in the hospital. I was pretty sure I wouldn't be staying so long.  

I checked into the hospital Sunday afternoon, with no food after lunch, no water after 9 pm.  Monday morning was surgery. I vomited most of Monday and Tuesday. With nothing to eat, it was just a clear liquid vomit, but the muscles used to vomit are the muscles cut into with the surgery, so it was painful.  I think it was the pain medicine in the IV drip making me nauseous because when that was turned off, I felt much better.  I started walking Tuesday morning after x-rays and blood tests.   Thursday I got to start eating again - soft bland foods, but after no food for four days, it was delicious!  Friday I asked the surgeon when I could go home.  He said Monday.  I said how about Saturday?  In the end, Saturday it was!  I'm feeling good, no pain, but still a little tired.  I didn't get to sleep much at the hospital but am feeling better in my own bed.  

I'll have more to say about this experience in the days ahead.  Thanks again for all your well wishes.

Thank You, Sano San!

My good friend in Hokkaido sent me this wonderful package before my surgery.  I have it with me at the hospital.  I am very thankful.

Deja Vu

Two years ago, I had surgery for cancer.  I've had check ups and blood tests every other month as follow-up.  Earlier this summer the blood tests detected a problem and I've had all kinds of tests and scans to determine what the problem is.  Long story short, I'm checking into the hospital today, with surgery to remove this new cancer scheduled for tomorrow. I think it will all turn out okay. 

I've written and scheduled posts to pop up each day, just as if I were home. I plan to be home before they run out, but it may be out of my control. I'll be back as soon as I can!

Medical Update

I’m happy to report that I am still doing well.  I had bloodwork in mid-November and my CA-125 number had gone up, so the doctor ordered a CT scan for a week later.  When I came back for the report this week, she said the CT scan showed some fluid in my chest and abdomen and an adhesion, but no new cancer anywhere. I had a little piece of the thread used for stitches poking out of the incision, so she pulled the knot out and cut it off.  I thought it was all healed because the skin looked healed, but she said it will be some time before the “inside” is fully healed and the thread totally dissolved, even though the skin is healed. So anyway, I have another check-up in two months. I don’t know how long it takes before I’m declared cured, but I think I’m doing well.