Thread: Cancer sucks

Not at all latin, complementary and alternative treatments are simply different names for the same thing unproven treatments often based upon anecdotal evidence and hocus pocus. There are the odd exceptions; but here's the think once they have been proven they stop being complementary and become mainstream medicine and it generally takes way less than a decade for this to happen.

And how with the internet giving the same voice to the expert, the lunatic and the conman, its absolutely necessary to learn to differentiate between the quality of different evidence. The reason some of us disagree with your stance on alternative/complimentary treatments is not that we are blind, its because we are not gullable.

Here's a litmus test to help differentiate between quack and real treatments, when they have been studied for decades as time goes on the evidence for the effectiveness of the treatment becomes dominant, i.e the platinum based chemo drugs, treatments that remain at best controversial after decades of investigation, acupuncture, then inevitably one finds that at best its no better than a placebo.

Originally Posted by hazz

The reason some of us disagree with your stance on alternative/complimentary treatments is not that we are blind, its because we are not gullable.

It seems you, at least, are gullible. You have misrepresented my stance, which is not at all what you say it is.

I've not read the whole thread so I apologise to the op.

One of the reasons I wanted my nick back was because some people had sent me some useful cancer links to my pm address.

Thanks to those, they helped.

Cancer is a bastard. My mum is on her own in the uk and I feel like a fucking tool.

It's not in our family.

Go fuck yourself cancer. So today it has wrapped it's way around her stomach and also around her bile ducts.

Fresh Prince, man ,your mum on her own.
That's gotta be the worst.
you don't want that memory if you have some power to change the situation.
that is sad indeed.
yes, cancer is brutal .

Oily fish helps fight breast cancer

Eating a portion of tuna, salmon, sardines or other oily fish once or twice a week reduces the risk of breast cancer, according to a review published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Researchers based in China looked at 26 previously published studies covering more than 800,000 volunteers in the United States, Europe and Asia whose health was monitored and who gave details about their eating habits.

Oily fish is rich in so-called n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, or n-3 PUFAs, which are involved in the immune system, blood-vessel activity and chemical messaging in the brain.

The group of n-3 PUFAs has four members, known by their initials of EPA, DPA and DHA, which are mainly found in oily fish, and ALA, which is chiefly found in nuts, seeds and leafy vegetables.

The analysis showed that women with a high intake of n-3 PUFAs had a 14-percent reduction in risk of breast cancer compared with those who had a low intake.

But the protective effect came only for fatty acids that come chiefly from fish, and not for ALA acids.

Those who showed the most benefit were women in Asia, whose diet was richer in fish than in Europe and America.

In statistical terms, every 0.1-gramme increase in fish fatty acids per day was linked to a five-percent reduction in breast cancer risk.

As a guide for daily living, this means one or two portions of oily fish per person per week.

Breast cancer has been dubbed a “silent killer” of women because it is often diagnosed too late.

The disease accounted for 23 percent of total cancer cases among women and 14 percent of cancer deaths in 2008, according to figures in the study.

Genetic heritage also plays a role in breast cancer, most notoriously in variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, although how this interacts or not with food, lifestyle and environmental factors is unclear.

________________________________

Abstract: Intake of fish and marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of breast cancer: meta-analysis of data from 21 independent prospective cohort studies | BMJ

Conclusions: Higher consumption of dietary marine n-3 PUFA is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. The associations of fish and alpha linolenic acid intake with risk warrant further investigation of prospective cohort studies. These findings could have public health implications with regard to prevention of breast cancer through dietary and lifestyle interventions.

^^ damn FreshPrince, that's a shit. Sorry to hear it.

I had a scare 2 yrs. ago with the prostate, got diagnosed in Thailand and got told i needed a bi-opsy, they were great there but i was shortly returning to the UK so waited.
Had it done here and it is painless as they take out 12 pieces, which sounds nasty but they do it as the clockface.
Thankfully i got a neg. result but anyone who has this , dont worry about the proceedure as i was dreading it but it was no big deal.

I agree with the sentiment of the thread too, cancer is the worst of all things.

Cancer is in both sides of my family. My grandfather (mother's side) died of lung cancer, my other grandfather died of bone cancer.

My aunt (father's side) had breast cancer but luckily she survived 10 years ago. Her sister got breast cancer 5 years ago, she survived too. Her husband got throat cancer 1 year after his wife, got chemo and an operation and survived. A few days ago they discovered cancer in his lungs and neck.... he probably can't be operated nor lasered again...

I also would like to share with you the story of my mother, who was extremely lucky. About 4 years ago I met my Thai girlfriend (now wife), due to circumstances I had to go back to the Netherlands to get some more money. My wife came over, the intention was to let her stay for 1 month (maximum tourist visa length).
When she arrived she was already coughing, 2 days before she would go back to Thailand I took her to the doctor because she was still coughing. They found TBC (tuberculosis), open TBC to be more specific. This means there is no way your allowed to fly back so she had to stay and the whole family had to be checked.
When they checked my mom, they found something in her lungs... not being TBC... after a few days it was clear that it was a growing cancer. She got chemo and laser treatment for the next few months. The doctors told her that all of the tumor is gone and that she is very lucky because normally when you find out about lung cancer it's already too late.
Every 6 months she visit's the doctor, it looks better each time.

My mother in law died last week of secondary breast cancer.

She was first diagnosed six years ago, had a mastectomy, lots of radiotherapy and chemo and took meds for the next five years, at the five yearly check up they found it had spread to her spine, then it went to her hip, lungs and brain.

She has spent most of the past six months bedridden and in and out of chulalongkorn hospital, having mostly palliative treatment to reduce the fluid build up in her lungs.

She couldnt swallow and asked for a nasal feeding tube which is how she received nutritionforthe last three months. She became increasingly confused over the last six months, anxious about being left alone, and never sure whether she was at home or in hospital. She never had much pain, and any pain she complained of was controlled well by the hospital. Doubly incontinent and unable to move, she needed round the clock care.

She died peacefully ten days ago at home 24 hours after becoming comatose. She just stopped breathing, there was no struggle or sounds, she just passed on. The funeral was over three days, cremation thursday, and we took her ashes to samut prakhan yesterday, took a boat out into the gulf and scattered the ashes at sea.

So hang in there NR, I dont know how the system works in the uk these days, but here although chula hospital was wonderful, its up to the family to do a lot of the work, finding good carers is almost impossible although we did eventually find one. The initial hospital treatment six years ago was at bumrungrad, and it was absolutely first class, treatment of the cancer spread could notbe at bumrungrad because of the costs and the fact that nobody could tell us exactly how long she would survive, but chula hosp were first class, the nursing care was professional and caring, remi nded me of the nhs years ago before it fell apart. Matrons controlling the nurses on the ward, spotless cleanliness and good old fashioned practice with little in the way of stifling paperwork and sloppiness. Ring the bell, and two nurses were there within a minute, every time, day or night.



My wife had taken on most of the responsibility, daytime and overnight stays, dealing with the bureaucracy of a government hospital etc. and being with her at home constantly and is completely burnt out now after six months, the death was not so much of a surprise, the family have been prepared for it for a long time, very emotional when it happened but actually a huge relief, so pace yourself and line up a good hospice for nearer the time and look after yourself during it all.

my mother in law didnt suffer too much, but it is very very hard on those doing the caring, caused no end of problems in my wifes family.

she was eighty years old, a lovely lady, and died holding my wifes and my hand.

Thanks for sharing that, Tax. It made me cry. Hospitals have been OK in general & mum spent some time in a hospice last weekend on respite. She doesn't want to be anywhere but home, at the moment. That may have to change at sometime. It's lucky that I'm a carer by trade, now, so I know a lot of what to expect, and can do a lot of the care that other people may balk at, but I'm also aware I don't have the mental or emotional strength to do it alone. Your mum in law was lucky to have you & her family.

Well after making my post above I jumped on the next plane in the morning and I'm so glad that I did. I landed at 10pm in the uk and was at the hospital by midnight. The nurses let me wake her up and she was so happy to see me. We spent about 30 mins chatting until she was too tired so she asked me to find my room and my auntie and uncle who had also flown in and were staying at the hospital.

The next morning I went into town early to pick up her laundry and got a call from the nurses that she was starting to go. My sister arrived and together with me, auntie and uncle we sat with her for the next 24 hours but she was suffering from multiple strokes and wasn't really with it.

It was almost like she was waiting for my stepdad, as soon as he arrived she let go and passed away. I don't want to say it was perfect but it meant a lot that we could all be there with her to hold her hand and say goodbye. So sad and it was her and my stepdads wedding anniversary too.

Just glad I made it back in time.

Reading the posts on this thread just puts life into perspective.
Silly sqaubbles and disagreements on here, life is so fragile and i'm so sorry to hear some of these posts and there but for the grace of god i am.

On a lighter note, the one request that she left me that stood out, was to be cremated and the ashes loaded into a professional fireworks display. She'd even found the company to do it and had it organized. Picked the colors and everything.

Only my mum.....

For anyone in the UK, hospitals are great if they think they can cure you, useless once they give up on you. When it's inevitable, get to a Hospice, better care and pain control than any NHS Hospital.

FP and Tax

Sorry to hear .

My 30 something Thai BIL died of cancer about 5 years ago.
A young brit 30 something yachtie friend had cancer developed from a skin cancer ( diagnosed as a stubborn skin ulcer for about a year)it finally went to his brain..he went off back to UK for an op and had been unable to contact him thereafter, went to The Lankawi marina to find that his boat had been sold so I can only assume . Sadly ironic that he'd left UK to live life to the fullest after his very close friend had died of Cancer.
Another 50 something yachtie friend died in Phuket on his boat with bowel cancer.

One strange thing is that my 66yo MIL was diagnosed with cancer /4 years ago and was adamant that she would not go through what her son had (my BIL) hence refused the chemo etc...since then there is apparently nothing wrong with her....often wonder about the doctors and even if BIL was correctly diagnosed?

Very sad thread......certainly puts all our petty complaints and whines in perspective.

Gotta disagree with the wholesale dismissal of natural or homeopathic remedies as quackery...
From history it is evident that many of the modern drugs/procedures have been been developed from synthesis and modification of the latter.
Methinks there is still a lot of research going on in this regard.
Shame though that sickness has become such a lucrative industry?

Originally Posted by hazz

Have you read taxexiles thread (Malignant Melanoma.....check Your Moles) on the matter?

I see many people getting around with growths on them and think, Dude why not just go to the Hospital and get that carved off. ?

At the moment I've got a nice big lump growing near my balls and arse.

Ive had it scanned, the Doctor said, don't worry its only fat cells multiplying, no need to cut it out.

Pigs arse, Its gone as soon as I can get a surgeon to do it, its in a bad place and I'm not a happy punter.

Had quite a few punters in my game diagnosed with work related cancer, at the moment we have a 40 year old girl with 2 young kiddies riddled with cancer, not long left.

Dam distressing stuff, we all know her and her husband personally.

I'm out of there very shortly. Just hope I get a few good years in unlike my mum who got the big C at 62.

Originally Posted by crepitas

Shame though that sickness has become such a lucrative industry?

Well mate, if you where dying and the industry offered you a chance at life you would gladly give them all there money if they saved you.

Trying to cure dying people is a very expensive business, that's why its Lucrative plus the cost of professional's who attend medical school for 10 or more years don't come cheap.

They deserve the money as instead of pissing around Thailand they are studying and devoting there lives to Medicine.

My mates Daughter is a Doctor, to see the amount of study and effort she put in to graduate made my head spin.

I consider conventional medicine to be incredible and the advances in modern medicine stunning.

As far as unconventional quackery goes, its all yours.

just lost a lady friend with the cancer,, she was only 48
burnt the candle at both ends,
also a friend with liver probs.
fok he went quick,, only a couple of months after diagnosis.

Originally Posted by The Fresh Prince

Just glad I made it back in time.

Good for you. I'm really glad

Originally Posted by The Fresh Prince

On a lighter note, the one request that she left me that stood out, was to be cremated and the ashes loaded into a professional fireworks display. She'd even found the company to do it and had it organized. Picked the colors and everything. Only my mum.....

Wonderful!