This is the classic question many cancer patients ask once a diagnosis is confirmed and treatment plans are discussed. Fortunately (or unfortunately), it’s not asked as often as one might think—at least not in India or the Gulf, where cultural norms dictate that families be informed first, and the patient kept in the dark.

The second familiar line, heard both in clinics and films, goes something like: “The doctor gave me six months to live… and yet, here I am.” This often implies that the doctor is an ignoramus, which he probably was if he did, in fact, make such a statement. Truthfully, no responsible oncologist would—or could—put an expiry date on someone’s life.

My own experience highlights this unpredictability. Years ago, while working in Delhi, I treated the wife of a naval officer with Stage-3C ovarian cancer. I had explained to her husband that although initial treatment may work, there was an 80% chance of recurrence. Unfortunately, the cancer did return a few years later. Devastated, he confided in me his deepest fear: how would he care for their two young daughters if his wife didn’t survive? I reassured him that the cancer appeared to be platinum-sensitive, and we would, in all probability, get it under control again.

Soon after, I was transferred to Mumbai. A few years later, the lady walked into my OPD, smiling, in remission—and accompanied by her two daughters, now teenagers. I asked about her husband, thinking how relieved he must be. She paused before quietly saying, “He’s no more.” He had died in a road accident on his way to work.

The irony of the situation has stayed with me. It remains a powerful reminder of life’s unpredictability. Whenever a patient does ask, “How long do I have, doctor?”, I often share this story. The truth is, none of us can foresee the path ahead. Life doesn’t follow medical charts or statistics. No one can predict the way life will take you. In fact, I’m sure there are plenty of patients who’ve outlived their oncologists.

Rather than mourning over a future that may never come, it's better to live fully in the present.