With modern day treatments many cancers are completely cured but unfortunately there are still many others which are not.
 
Although it is not always possible to be certain, doctors are often able to tell whether or not a particular cancer might be cured. Even if cancer is incurable they will usually still offer treatment in the hope of prolonging life and, controlling, symptoms.

For many cancers these treatments can be very successful and they can keep the tumour under control for many months and sometimes for years.
So lots of people with incurable cancer are still able to lead normal lives for long periods of time.

Only when the cancer finally fails to respond to all treatments does someone enter the 'terminal' stage of their illness.

Although there are no precise definitions for when a person becomes 'terminal' the word is usually used to describe the last few weeks, or months, of life.

A lot of men and women who have incurable cancers will live for a long time before their cancer becomes terminal.  With some slow growing cancers, especially in older people, it may be possible to have a normal life expectancy and die of another illness rather than of cancer.