Cancer

YellowFeather

Almost everybody I know of who's died recently has been due to cancer. It's getting terrifying. My mum and dad have both had it with my mum ok now and my dad in remission thank God after a lot of treatment. I've just found out my best friend has it - she's 29. The treatments are getting more and more advanced, but it just seems to keep spreading. Have you been affected?

Sulla Felix

My dog was riddled with it when I was a kid and had to be put down. That's literally it, I'm not being funny.
I have to go out to the second cousins once removed to find a single cancer death. The whole central family thinks it's kind of weird.

Aestivalis

Strangely enough I dont know anybody in my family from parents to great grandparents who had cancer, so I guess I can count myself lucky.

Gran Hermano

I've swapped the 12 days of Christmas for 12 weeks of chemo.

Galwayguy35

Yeah the father had cancer all right, 2 uncles as well.

Crea

Gran Hermano - that is so crap. Hope you're ok.

Professey Chin

Younger cousin had it when she was 17. Has the all clear now though thank fcuk.
Horrible bastard of a disease

spank_inferno

Research is indetifying genetic triggers that leave people more likely to contract certain cancers versus someone without same genetic trigger.

Identifying cancers is better than ever before plus despite the vast information known re: lifestyle & health, we are above average smokers & drinkers & increasingly sedentary.

Jesus Wept

Yes, my mother when I was 14. fml. Sympathy please.

Xios

My cat is dying of cancer in her throat now. She is 18 however.

I think the longer you live, the longer you have for cancer to take root. There will be cases of young people getting it, but overall, people are living much longer lives.

A_Sober_Paddy

Cancer can be genetic as well as lifestyle dependent...But as far as i know both my grandfathers passed with Cancer, only one of which is biology related tho

GLaDOS

Mam had it twice. Hodgkin's Lymphoma when she was 19 or so (Before I was born). Then got breast cancer about 8 years ago, beat them both thankfully.

I'm from a family of people who don't really get sick. We barely even get head colds. But March this year my father was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. Talk about a serious shock for the family as well as himself. I can thankfully say that as of earlier this week, the doctors were more than happy with his progress and don't plan on doing anymore treatment anytime soon. Best Christmas present ever!

http://static2.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Yes+for+science+_bdd2bee3fbf19a1677eb2c2eaddf1624.jpg

Crea

My Grandmother - died of duodenal cance but she was in her 80's so at that age you have to die of something (not trying to be flippant but the body starts shutting down)

My best friend - she was 32 at the time. She has been clear for the past 9.5 years

My FIL - died at 63 of lung cancer

Husbands friends wife - Died in her mid 40's from breast cancer

Neighbour - currently being treated for breast cancer for the 2nd time

Husbands friend - testicular cancer at 20. He is now in his mid 40's



My cousin - currently being treated for malignant brain tumour

Galwayguy35

Xios wrote: »

My cat is dying of cancer in her throat now. She is 18 however.

I think the longer you live, the longer you have for cancer to take root. There will be cases of young people getting it, but overall, people are living much longer lives.

Thats a fair age for a cat!

Never thought they would live longer than 10

Gran Hermano

Gran Hermano wrote: »

I've swapped the 12 days of Christmas for 12 weeks of chemo.

Very sorry to hear about that

smurgen

had a lot of family members die of cancer and it terrifies me stiff. watch my uncles die of lung cancer at the age of 48,three years ago to the week and it was extremely traumatic. within the space of about two months he went from being a mischievous,wind up merchant with a bit of a belly to being skeletal looking and barely able to draw his breath.it angers me that we haven't been able to find successful cures for it.

Sunnyisland

Have had two close friends die of cancer, Both just went into hospital re pains and not feeling well,both were dead in 6/8 weeks after, It was very sad and surprising.

darrcow

my mother (65) has cancer for the second time

Stheno

Father died of it over two years ago, OHs mother last year, my grandfather when I was a kid, friend died at 42 from breast cancer.

Know a fair few people who got it but survived.

@ Gran Hermano, best of luck with the chemo

twomaddogs

I have one of the cancer genes - lost virtually all my female relatives at comparatively young ages.
Been offered preventative surgery which I'll probably get next year, otherwise I have up to an 85% risk of cancer at a young age (usually 35-50)

Blue Crystal

Had it aged 21; was a bitch to get rid of; drained the life out of me.year and a half in the clear now

DublinArnie

An aunt of mine died from terminal cancer in 2006, another aunt got recently diagnosed with this cancer and it's too late to cure it so her days are numbered . It seems to be in the family ...

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Yes, my dads in his final stages and its that bastard of a disease that's done it

Blue Crystal

Gran Hermano wrote: »

I've swapped the 12 days of Christmas for 12 weeks of chemo.

Wanna talk about it anytime give me a pm

biko

Scary stuff, I have no advice to give except hoping your friend will pull through.
A friend on facebook has it and posts sometimes about it and it seems terrifying indeed.

My mam's side of the family have been plagued with it. My grandfather died from bowel cancer in December 1981, my mam got breast cancer in 2001 (in the clear after a mastectomy) and my 29 year old cousin died of lung cancer in 2011. While not a blood relative, her sister's husband also died of cancer last year.

Horrific.

challengemaster

Xios wrote: »

I think the longer you live, the longer you have for cancer to take root. There will be cases of young people getting it, but overall, people are living much longer lives.

Cancer is a symptom of living. To live, your body has to continually replenish cells . It's mistakes during this process (and failure of corrective mechanisms) that leads to cancer, and there's 300 quintillion chances of making a mistake every single day you're alive.

Addle

It's rampant on both sides of my family.
It seems to target the best.

Hello_MrFox

When will it be curable? I think on a long enough timeline every disease will be cured, its just a question of when.

DoozerT6

Touch wood - but I can't think of a single close family member who has yet been touched by cancer, thankfully.

In fact I don't really know anybody personally that has had cancer. I know a workmate of mine had Non-Hodgkins several years ago before I knew him, (he recovered well) and an old school acquaintance I recently friended on FB had it quite severely, leaving her using a wheelchair frequently.

I hope it remains that way.

bradlente

Took my Mother when she was 37,The youngest of 13.A few sisters on her side have since got it and so far beaten it.The oldest of the 13 my Uncle now has it pretty bad.

bradlente

Hello_MrFox wrote: »

When will it be curable? I think on a long enough timeline every disease will be cured, its just a question of when.

I've heard many a conspiracy theory,Including from friends who work in drug design and development that there may very well be a cure already that has absolutely no monetary value to the businesses that could produce it.If anything it could mean the end of said businesses to all intents and purposes.

Paramite Pie

Two of my uncles lost their wives to cancer, both within a month of each other. Dreadful, dragged out deaths. Both were in their late 40s.

My mums cousin (who I was close to) was terminally ill with cancer but his heart gave out first. The doctors couldn't operate on his heart because he was too weak from the cancer and couldn't operate on the cancer because of his weak heart. He could have possibly survived the cancer otherwise.

Cancer is terrifying and one of the few things I fear. Since few blood relatives have died from it I hope I'm in the clear....

SweepTheLeg

bradlente wrote: »

I've heard many a conspiracy theory,Including from friends who work in drug design and development that there may very well be a cure already that has absolutely no monetary value to the businesses that could produce it.If anything it could mean the end of said businesses to all intents and purposes.

I've heard the same theories, but for various other diseases as well. I'd say if Obama got aids/cancer there would be a cure found pretty quick!

DoozerT6

bradlente wrote: »

I've heard many a conspiracy theory,Including from friends who work in drug design and development that there may very well be a cure already that has absolutely no monetary value to the businesses that could produce it.If anything it could mean the end of said businesses to all intents and purposes.

If this is true than I hope eventually these companies could have criminal charges pressed against them for withholding medical treatment (resulting in millions of deaths) because there is no profit to be gained.

Could they be tried for murder/manslaughter?

SeaDaily

Hello_MrFox wrote: »

When will it be curable? I think on a long enough timeline every disease will be cured, its just a question of when.

Im not 100% sure what you mean by this. How do define curable? At the moment many people who get cancer are treated and recover so I would say that it is already curable. As treatment becomes more effective the amount of people cured will increase.

SeaDaily

DoozerT6 wrote: »

Could they be tried for murder/manslaughter?

No, obviously they couldn't.

TheBody

Fuck you cancer. Just fuck you.

twomaddogs

DoozerT6 wrote: »

If this is true than I hope eventually these companies could have criminal charges pressed against them for withholding medical treatment (resulting in millions of deaths) because there is no profit to be gained.

Could they be tried for murder/manslaughter?

I don't know about the above, but I do know that the company which developed the test for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes recently lost a court case which ended up in the Supreme Court where they had tried to patent the genes.

They effectively tried to have a monopoly on gene testing for these cancer genes, but the Supreme court ruled that genes are "products of nature" and as such could not be patented.

Note that the company didn't discover the genes, they just developed the test. The scientist who discovered the genes was "delighted" with the ruling.

As someone who carries a gene I'm delighted with the ruling as well. My sister is currently trying to get tested abroad and can't afford it, therefore can't get preventative surgery

Lia_lia

I'm very lucky, none of my parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles/cousins have had it. I have a few close friends whose parents have died from cancer though.

bradlente

TheBody wrote: »

Fuck you cancer. Just fuck you.

This is an apt response from anyone but especially yourself considering your username.:p:o

HomelessMidge

Sitting in James hospital writing this (Leukemia - cancer of the blood). I'm only 21 and my sister is a full match so I have a bone marrow transplant in January. With age and health on my side I reckon after this I will be able to live a normal life. Big shock at first but I didn't dwell on it. Positivity really helps. Just keep on looking forward.

I have an attitude of I'd rather laugh then cry.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

YellowFeather wrote: »

Almost everybody I know of who's died recently has been due to cancer. It's getting terrifying. My mum and dad have both had it with my mum ok now and my dad in remission thank God after a lot of treatment. I've just found out my best friend has it - she's 29. The treatments are getting more and more advanced, but it just seems to keep spreading. Have you been affected?

Ex Partner survived breast cancer, her mum now has terminal lung cancer.
My children's best friend died of it aged 15.
Not good.

Green Hornet

I think that people talk about a cure for 'cancer' but in reality there are numerous different cancers as opposed to one over arching cancer.....if I'm making any sense....

As a result, each one needs different treatments. Taxol seems to be one of the more effective treatments that can treat a number of cancers though but it's extremely expensive.

jelenka

HomelessMidge wrote: »

Sitting in James hospital writing this (Leukemia - cancer of the blood). I'm only 21 and my sister is a full match so I have a bone marrow transplant in January. With age and health on my side I reckon after this I will be able to live a normal life. Big shock at first but I didn't dwell on it. Positivity really helps. Just keep on looking forward.

I have an attitude of I'd rather laugh then cry.

Sorry to hear that , good luck with the op ....

BrianD3

The idea that the pharma industry has "already found a cure for cancer but suppressed it" is utter crap. Of all the bullsh*t conspiracy theories doing the rounds, that is one of the worst.

There is also a huge amount of hysteria, conflicting info and crap in the media about things that supposedly cause cancer and prevent cancer, Everything from power lines to omega 6 fats to broccoli. Usually, there is little scientific consensus.

Basically, if you want to reduce your chances of getting cancer don't smoke, stay a healthy weight, exercise and avoid asbestos fibres and radon. Oh, and don't get old.

There is not a whole lot else that we can do.

Screening for and early detection of cancer is controversial.

People dont like it that they are not control of thier own lives/health so find comfort in ideas that if they get screened, eat broccoli every day and make a fuss over pylons near their house, that they won't die of cancer.

No matter what we do, many of us here will die from cancer, some boardsies already have. I was recently thinking about a poster that I had some debates with on the Irish Economy forum who I hadn't "seen" for a while who had also posted about having a tumour. After a bit of searching posts and looking on rip.ie I am 99% certain that he has passed away. It puts things into perspective that there are real people behind usernames that we have silly arguments with over unimportant things.

The good news is that many localised cancers are cured with surgery. However most metastatic cancers are fatal.

In the coming decades I envisage better treatments that keep those with still incurable metastatic cancers alive for longer with better quality of life. There may also be some "cures".

At present, metastatic testicular cancer is often curable with surgery and chemotherapy. If a few more cancers followed that model then that would be a huge advance. Sadly I don't see it happening especially for the really bad cancers such as lung and pancreatic.

Lung cancer is a terrible disease that kills more people than breast cancer and several other cancers combined. So whatever else you do, don't smoke.

delw

Fighting cancer myself at the moment,kidney tumor this time last year,had kidney & spleen removed, happy days.
Then in May they found 4 brain tumors (renal metastasis),had radiotherapy & am on chemo tablets now,its a hard fight but having a strong family around & being positive really helps.
Anyway hopefully things on the up for now

Blue Crystal

delw wrote: »

Fighting cancer myself at the moment,kidney tumor this time last year,had kidney & spleen removed, happy days.
Then in May they found 4 brain tumors (renal metastasis),had radiotherapy & am on chemo tablets now,its a hard fight but having a strong family around & being positive really helps.
Anyway hopefully things on the up for now

Give it hell

Lennyzip

YellowFeather wrote: »

Almost everybody I know of who's died recently has been due to cancer. It's getting terrifying. My mum and dad have both had it with my mum ok now and my dad in remission thank God after a lot of treatment. I've just found out my best friend has it - she's 29. The treatments are getting more and more advanced, but it just seems to keep spreading. Have you been affected?

Both parents died of cancer . Both non drinkers & non smokers . Horrible disease , it doesn't discriminate ....Mother died when I was 10 , father passed away this summer . Harsh for a man of 34 to lose both his parents so young .

ancapailldorcha

bradlente wrote: »

I've heard many a conspiracy theory,Including from friends who work in drug design and development that there may very well be a cure already that has absolutely no monetary value to the businesses that could produce it.If anything it could mean the end of said businesses to all intents and purposes.

I hate it when people come out with nonsense like this. Cancer cells are essentially normal, healthy cells which are spreading out of control. There are no ways to target them without targeting healthy cells as well. Antibiotics work so well because bacteria have structures and organelles human cells don't. Obviously, they can have harmful side effects but nothing as bad as cancer chemotherapies.
I've no idea how such a miracle cure could even work. There is research going on aiming to understand the disease better but "curing" it is sadly out of the question for now. We are getting somewhere with less harmful chemotherapies that are more specific for cancerous cells while causing less side effects.