Yes, others who know statistics have made that same observation.

My numbers are just like yours.  More than two years after my cure, I
just hang around here to give newbees encouragement.

jimhoney

IMHO, based on a few years involvement, there is probably a very good
representation of people with PCa that come to this NG.  However, I believe
that people who are in your position tend to drop out after awhile, as do
the ones who are very advanced.

The reasons seem obvious.  There is only one reason you came to this NG.
You or your loved one has PCa.  There are only two reasons to stay.  You
need the support or you desire to support others.

People in the 98% range on the Partin Tables come in and get the support
they need.  Then, at some point, they ask themselves, "Do I need any more
support?"  Probably not, if you have only 2% of dying.  Keep getting your
PSA checked, but otherwise, get on with your life.  Some might ask, "Can I
provide support to others that are going to come looking for it."  Well,
yeah, you can, but it takes time, you can't help much past Dx and initial
treatment, etc., etc.  And then, what does that do to someone who is at 98%
and constantly hears here of recurrences?  So, most ... a vast majority I
would say... drop out.

It seems too that most people, once they get bone mets drop out.  Some, we
just don't ever hear from again:  Henry EV, Larry Pruess, BobKat, Linda
Bloom, etc.  Only a few hung in with us, but none to the very end.  Martin
stopped posting about 3 weeks before he died.  Berky the Warrior signed off
ashamed that he was no longer a warrior (BS!).  Robert Young stopped posting
because he didn't want the severity of his plight to negatively affect all
those people he helped during his time with the NG.

So, what you end up with are the likely cured but ultruistic (Leonard,
Curtis, Doc Williams, Hi Ho, JK, John Loomis, Bev, Mike H., Mr. Bill, ron,
etc.)  and those of us who either don't know or are pretty sure we still got
the bastard inside us.

I agree with Steve Kramer.  It is called selection bias.  People with
uncomplicated cases tend not to be here in the first place or to drop
out fairly early.  That significantly increases the probability of
seeing such cases here.

In addition, it is my impression that with very few exceptions,  those
who experience recurrence as indicated by PSA increase also had some
adverse findings at diagnosis or in post surgical pathology.   Even in
such cases, the odds of a "cure" are often fairly high, but they
wouldn't be as good as in your case.

Even so, you might end up being very unlucky and have a recurrence,
either now or some time in the future.  The odds of that happening
aren't zero.   But worrying about it doesn't make much sense since there
isn't anything you can do about it now, and the odds are very much
against it happening.  Even if the odds were higher, it wouldn't make
sense to worry until it did happen if it every did.

True I'm not here as often as I used to be.  Still undetectable PSA
after 18 months.   Feeling fine.  I do trade e-mail with Curtis almost
daily.   He has the jokes that make me laugh.  Right now I am trying
to resolve sleep apnea and a hearing problem but otherwise stable...
I hope that the rest of the group is doing well.
Best of luck,

Chuck Harris.

I mostly just lurk because Chris is doing great. I still like to check in to
see how the regulars are doing, plus as one of the few women  (and I believe
the youngest to go through it with hubby) I want to be there to help the
ohter women, if possible.

The proton guy is still around, posting occasionally....coming up on two
years and terrific results...

Keith Lundy/So. California
40 Proton Beam Radiation Treatments
Loma Linda  Univ.Med Ctr..3/03-5/03