Thread: Cancer sucks

Thanks for asking NR.

Sister's fine now that she's finished chemo. That did have an adverse effect on her normal jolly self, (wigs, headscarves, needing a career break and feeling right poorly).

Luckily i was on chemo for only 3 weeks before the docs realised it wasn't working.

Had some of my facial stitching removed today and back for day surgery next week to show the consultant how the skin graft is progressing. I suspect that he'll remove the stapled pad from my scalp on the day (without the use of a claw hammer hopefully) and I can then return to LoS without further ado.

^ Good stuff!

They can cut them off and stitch them back on for cosmetic reasons. But I doubt if people have any feeling remaining...the nerves will have been cut.


Good luck with your recovery, Mr Lick. If the chemo did not work, are you going to take anything to boost your immune system ? And if so, modern medicine or natural therapies ? Or a combination ?

Natural therapies? Please, they killed steve jobs.

Originally Posted by Latindancer

Good luck with your recovery, Mr Lick. If the chemo did not work, are you going to take anything to boost your immune system ? And if so, modern medicine or natural therapies ? Or a combination ?

I agreed to undergo 12 weeks of immunotherapy (Ipilimumab) treatment last summer at a cancer research unit, together with 6 weeks of daily visits for radiotherapy which put my life on hold somewhat. I was also placed on a 'healthy patient' trial.

Having been told a year ago that my time here was limited I have since received the results of 4 CT scans during the first 10 months all of which have been clear.

The docs remain concerned that I have cancer cells floating around which haven't attached themselves to a major organ as yet, (an 'invisible enemy' so to speak) and regular checks will be required for a while I suspect.

I did change my diet which included natural therapies after receiving the initial diagnoses, that is until the scans started coming back negative and gently reverted back to normal eating habits.

My last dose of Ipilimumab was in July last year and I may need to receive a further boost to my immune system in due course.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Don't know if it's been mentioned in this thread as yet but Angelina Jolie's family had/has a history of breast cancer so she got proactive, recall?

That would be a hard decision for any woman to make but she soldiered on probably because reconstructive surgery is pretty advanced these days.

Billions and billions of dollars are made by 'treating' cancer, rather than prevention. Angelina Jolie made herself into a tool of the cancer industry by her stunt.

Poor Brad.

Originally Posted by billy the kid

shit in the air ,the water, and the food chain.
seems that whatever mistakes humans make
humans have to swallow and take to an early grave.
when i was a kid , i only ever knew of 2 cases of cancer
and now it's everywhere.
my dad smoked and drank all his life and kicked the bucket at age 87.

Well said.

Originally Posted by kingwilly

Natural therapies? Please, they killed steve jobs.

Uh, you mean like paclitaxil (one of the main chemotherapy drugs, derived from Pacific Northwest Yew tree)?

Or, how about Vincristine, derived from the Madacascar Periwinkle?

Originally Posted by johnwayne

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Don't know if it's been mentioned in this thread as yet but Angelina Jolie's family had/has a history of breast cancer so she got proactive, recall?

That would be a hard decision for any woman to make but she soldiered on probably because reconstructive surgery is pretty advanced these days.

Billions and billions of dollars are made by 'treating' cancer, rather than prevention. Angelina Jolie made herself into a tool of the cancer industry by her stunt.

Poor Brad.

Thanks. That was a really helpful comment. Sure we all feel miles better, now. I know I do.

Originally Posted by November Rain

They don't recommend it with cancer. Even with reconstructions - in fact the best recons use skin and muscle from the back - they recommend if you want anything there, for aesthetic reasons, they tattoo nipples on. Sensitivity would be lost anyway. They take a lot away with mastectomies, it would be far too difficult to attach nerves up again.

Thanks NR. No offence meant by my seemingly frivolous question. The TGF found several small lumps in both breasts about 3 years ago. The tests proved them to be benign cysts but she still has to go for regular monitoring.

Originally Posted by chassamui

No offence meant by my seemingly frivolous question

Wasn't frivolous & I didn't think it was. Mum asked those questions the first time. Subsequent surgeons reiterated it.

Glad your GF is keeping up with her checks, and that it proved to be nothing serious

Originally Posted by Latindancer

Mr Lick. If the chemo did not work, are you going to take anything to boost your immune system ? And if so, modern medicine or natural therapies ? Or a combination ?

Hopefully he'll give me a bell

Originally Posted by chassamui

Originally Posted by November Rain

It's just the thought of taking them off before diagnosis.

Please don't take this the wrong way NR. Do you get to keep your nipples? I only ask because mine and the TGF are very sensitive in that area.
Sorry, It;s a serious question but I can't ask it with a straight face.
Maybe this is a bad idea and I should just google it. Maybe someone else was just afraid to ask?

You could stick them on your forehead and become a little devil person....

Does Angelina Jolie really stand up for women and human rights? Or is she a corporate sellout who corrals women into the for-profit cancer industry that claims ownership over the genetic code of all women?

• The BRCA1 gene for breast cancer is patented by a corporation called Myriad Genetics. All patents are government-enforced monopolies over intellectual property, and they thus prevent anyone else from conducting research or testing on the BRCA1 gene without paying huge royalties to Myriad. This is why the BRCA detection tests cost $3,000 - $4,000 each.

• Angelina Jolie's announcement of a double mastectomy even though she had no breast cancer caused the stock price of Myriad to skyrocket to a 52-week high. Whether she intended it or not, her advocacy of double mastectomies is causing market values to sharply rise in the human genomics industry, where corporations own patents on human genes.

• Obamacare mandates that, over the next few years, taxpayers start paying for BRCA1 gene testing. This will be a direct transfer of money from taxpayers to the corporations that "own" the human genes being tested.

• An imminent Supreme Court decision could make or break the human gene testing industry. Trillions of dollars are at stake. If the Supreme Court rules against corporate patents on human genes, BRCA1 testing will become amazingly affordable (in the $100 range), thereby denying billions of dollars in profits to gene patent holders.

Angelina Jolie inspires women to maim themselves by celebrating medically perverted double mastectomies

Learn more: Angelina Jolie news, articles and information:


How Angelina Jolie was duped by cancer doctors into self mutilation for breast cancer she never had

Learn more: Angelina Jolie news, articles and information:

Angelina Jolie copied by men! Surgeons now cutting out healthy prostate glands of men who carry BRCA gene

Learn more: Angelina Jolie news, articles and information:

Angelina Jolie backlash grows as everyday moms blast elitist double mastectomy as affordable only by ultra rich

Learn more: Angelina Jolie news, articles and information:

Originally Posted by chassamui

No offence meant by my seemingly frivolous question. The TGF found several small lumps in both breasts about 3 years ago. The tests proved them to be benign cysts but she still has to go for regular monitoring.

Hey chas. It really depends on the individual situation when it comes to reconstructive surgery. When I was told that I had to have a 'modified radical mastectomy' in 2009, I asked about reconstructive surgery. Both the oncologist and the surgeon told me that I was at a too high risk for infection because of the chemo, so it was never done.

I know a few ladies who have had reconstructive surgery, but they have many problems, like pain and even the breasts almost floating around and not staying where they should.

I find it a real pain having to wear a prosthesis all the time, but I'm a bit weary of the surgery.

Originally Posted by natalie8

Hey chas. It really depends on the individual situation when it comes to reconstructive surgery. When I was told that I had to have a 'modified radical mastectomy' in 2009, I asked about reconstructive surgery. Both the oncologist and the surgeon told me that I was at a too high risk for infection because of the chemo, so it was never done.

Do you know if it's different hospital policies/surgeons or is it just each case treated the best for itself as to when surgery and chemo are done, Nat? I ask, because Mum had surgery (& reconstruction at the same time), then chemo, then radio both times and I always assumed that's how it was done, but I've recently heard more & more about chemo being done before surgery.

Originally Posted by natalie8

Hey chas. It really depends on the individual situation when it comes to reconstructive surgery. When I was told that I had to have a 'modified radical mastectomy' in 2009, I asked about reconstructive surgery. Both the oncologist and the surgeon told me that I was at a too high risk for infection because of the chemo, so it was never done. I know a few ladies who have had reconstructive surgery, but they have many problems, like pain and even the breasts almost floating around and not staying where they should. I find it a real pain having to wear a prosthesis all the time, but I'm a bit weary of the surgery.

Thanks for that Natalie.

Originally Posted by November Rain

Do you know if it's different hospital policies/surgeons or is it just each case treated the best for itself as to when surgery and chemo are done, Nat? I ask, because Mum had surgery (& reconstruction at the same time), then chemo, then radio both times and I always assumed that's how it was done, but I've recently heard more & more about chemo being done before surgery.

I would be surprised if it was not done on a case by case basis. The treatment should surely be tailored to the patients clinical needs and circumstances?

Originally Posted by Mr Lick

I agreed to undergo 12 weeks of immunotherapy (Ipilimumab) treatment last summer at a cancer research unit, together with 6 weeks of daily visits for radiotherapy which put my life on hold somewhat. I was also placed on a 'healthy patient' trial.

Having been told a year ago that my time here was limited I have since received the results of 4 CT scans during the first 10 months all of which have been clear.

The docs remain concerned that I have cancer cells floating around which haven't attached themselves to a major organ as yet, (an 'invisible enemy' so to speak) and regular checks will be required for a while I suspect.

I did change my diet which included natural therapies after receiving the initial diagnoses, that is until the scans started coming back negative and gently reverted back to normal eating habits.

My last dose of Ipilimumab was in July last year and I may need to receive a further boost to my immune system in due course

Excellent news Mr. Lick.

I just got some sad news yesterday. One of my favorite aunts was shocked I guess when she went for a colonoscopy (is that the name of the one they put up your butt?). They found cancer and apparently it is a rare form that just was slow forming over the last ten years. Unfortunately, it has moved into her liver and she was given stage 4 diagnosis which is so shocking. She was told that they have to go in next week to see what they can do, but opening her up is risky because she has high blood pressure.
I feel bad for her family and my dad because they just lost their mom last year.

Cancer 'envy' campaign criticised




A campaign to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer has been criticised for suggesting patients wish they had other forms of the disease.

The "envy" campaign by Pancreatic Cancer Action shows patients saying they would rather have breast, cervical or testicular cancer.

The charity said it was making the point other cancers have much better survival rates.

But breast cancer charities condemned pitting "one cancer against another".
All cancers 'horrific'

About 8,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year, though many are diagnosed too late for surgery - the only treatment option.

We are sorry if this campaign upsets anyone ” - Ali Stunt Pancreatic Cancer Action

Symptoms can be vague. Early signs can include:

• weight loss
• stomach pain
• jaundice
• lack of appetite
• back pain

It has a five-year survival rate of 3%, compared with 85% for breast cancer, 97% for testicular cancer and 67% for cervical cancer.

The average life expectancy for pancreatic cancer patients is four to six months.

Ali Stunt, the founder of Pancreatic Cancer Action who has survived pancreatic cancer herself, said: "We are sorry if this campaign upsets anyone and our heart goes out to anyone affected by cancer.

"All types of cancer are horrific and the last thing I would wish on anyone."

But she added: "Our advert is not stating that someone wished they had cancer but rather they wish they could swap pancreatic cancer with a cancer that gives them a better chance of survival.

"We purposely selected cancers for our campaign that have a significantly better survival rate than pancreatic cancer.


Challenge


Macmillan Cancer Support backed the campaign.

It is unhelpful to pit one cancer against another” - Samia al Qadhi, Breast Cancer Care,

Prof Jane Maher, its joint chief medical officer, said: "Survival rates are particularly poor for pancreatic cancer, in part because its signs and symptoms are very hard to spot.

"We must ensure more people are diagnosed at an early stage to give them the best possible chance of recovery."

But Chris Askew, chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "We strongly dispute any message which suggests that one type of cancer is preferable to another.

"We believe Pancreatic Cancer Action's recent campaign does just this.

"I've yet to meet a man or woman with breast cancer who would consider themselves in any way fortunate to have received a diagnosis."

"We all need to do more to raise awareness of signs and symptoms of many cancers and the importance of early diagnosis."

And Samia al Qadhi, chief executive at Breast Cancer Care, said: "It is unhelpful to pit one cancer against another.

"Most of us know someone who has been affected by this dreadful, life-threatening disease and know the impact it can have on those affected and their loved ones.

"Unless you have experienced it yourself, it's impossible to fully understand the huge challenge faced by women who every day wake up to the brutal reality of breast cancer.

BBC News - Cancer 'envy' campaign criticised

^ Sorry, Mr Lick, I know you're just reporting it but I really dislike this. I can empathise with sufferers of cancers that are harder to detect or that have low survival risks, but I think that campaign is just horrible. Really upsets me. What sort of sick mind came up with that sort of marketing gimmick?

^
Totally agree with you November Rain. What sick f*ck came up with this campaign, does this person think it's a pleasure to have ANY kind of cancer?
All cancer is bad, sure some might be the lesser evil because of higher survival rate but that doesn't mean one should say he/she wants to have cancer...

Originally Posted by Koetjeka

All cancer is bad, sure some might be the lesser evil because of higher survival rate

And many people still die from the cancers with the higher survival rates. Take my Mum - yes, she survived 12 years from first diagnosis, but in that time, she was diagnosed 3 separate times, had 2 mastectomies, 2 lots of chemo and 3 lots of radio. The idea that anyone would wish to have that happen is beyond credibility. Just nasty.