All Cancer. What about Alzheimer's??

trixychic

So before I go any further I want to first say that in no way am I down grading or trying to undermine the seriousness and traumatizing effect cancer has on ppl and their families. I understand that cancer is a devastating blow and for some can mean the end of life.

My question is this- Why is everyone so focused on cancer?? If caught early enough, cancer can be cured and life can be prolonged or even saved. We always hear of ppl running/ fundraising for breast cancer, bowel cancer, prostate cancer and more. And there is even cancer awareness days in the annual calender. But there is hope when it comes to the Big C.

However with things like Alzheimer's or MS there is no cure. Alzheimer's also deals a devestating blow to families but there is no hope. No matter how early you catch it, there is no way to stop it. Slowing it down is the best we can hope for. But families have to watch their lives ones degress into themselves and change beyond belief knowing there is nothing anyone can do. And research says that Alzheimer's is on the rise.

Yet there is no fundraising, no ads on the Tele or radio, no "world Alzheimer's awareness" day. So my question is basically why is there so much focus on cancer (something with hope and a possible cure) rather then other just as serious illnesses for which there is no cure and no hope.

TherapyBoy

Alzheimer's is still an age-related thing for the most part. Cancer is more widespread & affects people of all ages. The squeaky wheel gets the grease?

trixychic

TherapyBoy wrote: »

Alzheimer's is still an age-related thing for the most part. Cancer is more widespread & affects people of all ages. The squeaky wheel gets the grease?

True but we are not always talking ripe old ages for Alzheimer's. It can develop in ppl in as young as 30's. And MS can develop in ppl in their 20's. I know this isn't babies and children but this is still a large portion of pols lives ruined without ever having a hope of surviving or getting better.

TherapyBoy

trixychic wrote: »

True but we are not always talking ripe old ages for Alzheimer's. It can develop in ppl in as young as 30's. And MS can develop in ppl in their 20's. I know this isn't babies and children but this is still a large portion of pols lives ruined without ever having a hope of surviving or getting better.

It's probably just a numbers thing.

Think about everyone you know - extended family, friends, neighbours etc. If you count the number of people you know who suffer with some sort of Alzheimers/MS & compare with the number of people you know who are dealing with/have dealt with some form of cancer I'd wager that the cancer number will be greater in most people's cases.

For me, the Alzheimers/MS number is 2, the some-form-of-serious-cancer number is 8.

trixychic

TherapyBoy wrote: »

It's probably just a numbers thing.

Think about everyone you know - extended family, friends, neighbours etc. If you count the number of people you know who suffer with some sort of Alzheimers/MS & compare with the number of people you know who are dealing with/have dealt with some form of cancer I'd wager that the cancer number will be greater in most people's cases.

For me, the Alzheimers/MS number is 2, the some-form-of-serious-cancer number is 8.

Very interesting perspective and actually one I hadn't considered before.

Just out of curiosity what would you consider number 1 or is it getting the media coverage and awareness it needs and deserves???

gctest50

1 in 2 people (UK) will get cancer


kinda age related like alzheimers too - live long enough and you'll probably get some form

( http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v112/n5/full/bjc2014606a.html )

out of that, ~ 4 out of 10 are preventable-ish sort of maybe ( lifestyle )

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252065/


.

sullivlo

There's a huge amount of research ongoing into Alzheimer's and MS (along with other "ignored" illness like ALS). So the scientific community isn't ignoring and leaps are being made in terms of understanding and slowing illness.

Cancer will eventually be a long term illness rather than the current diagnosis. Like HIV. Research has really helped.

But it does come down to the numbers. Personally, cancer >> MS and Alzheimer's. The more people talk about their illness the more awareness there will be.

But particularly in MS, there are some really promising studies. I know this because we work on it. Also, for example, there is a huge shortage of candidates for clinical research in Ireland in MS. There are unfortunately just more cancer patients.

endacl

Please stop typing 'ppl'. It's really bloody annoying.

TherapyBoy

trixychic wrote: »

Very interesting perspective and actually one I hadn't considered before.

Just out of curiosity what would you consider number 1 or is it getting the media coverage and awareness it needs and deserves???

Not sure what you mean by number 1? Number 1 by illness in terms of popularity/media coverage/awareness/charity donations received is most likely cancer (in a general non-specific sort of way).

Cancer is such a wide reaching word. It affects so many people in various shapes & forms regardless of age or wealth, that even just the word 'cancer' is still something that strikes fear into most of the adult population. This is why it pulls so much in fundraising & TVs/radio spots etc.

trixychic

endacl wrote: »

Please stop typing 'ppl'. It's really bloody annoying.

Apologies. I was in a rush when i wrote this earlier. Hadn't realised I included it.

trixychic

TherapyBoy wrote: »

For me, the Alzheimers/MS number is 2, the some-form-of-serious-cancer number is 8.

Maybe I misunderstood this. I read it as you consider Alzheimer's/MS to be second most serious and cancer to be eighth most serious???

Spanish Eyes

I think the problem is that too many people die relatively young from cancer.

Alzheimers is NOT the same as vascular dementia. Although its occurrence is usually in the plus 60/70s age group. Not that it is any less tragic either.

I have experience in my family of both the above.


Wish you all well.

Turtle_

trixychic wrote: »

Maybe I misunderstood this. I read it as you consider Alzheimer's/MS to be second most serious and cancer to be eighth most serious???

I read it as:

"If you count the number of people you know... with some sort of Alzheimers/MS & compare with the number of people you know... with some form of cancer

...

For me, the Alzheimers/MS number is 2, the some-form-of-serious-cancer number is 8."

As in 4 times as many people with cancer as with dementia / MS.

TherapyBoy

Yeah that's what I meant. In my lifetime I've known 2 people who had Alzheimer's or MS & 8 people who had some form of serious cancer.

trixychic

Turtle_ wrote: »

I read it as:

"If you count the number of people you know... with some sort of Alzheimers/MS & compare with the number of people you know... with some form of cancer

...

For me, the Alzheimers/MS number is 2, the some-form-of-serious-cancer number is 8."

As in 4 times as many people with cancer as with dementia / MS.

Ah ok. My bad. I see it now. Whoops. Ha ha.

It would make sense I suppose. Id the numbers are more. I thankfully have never experienced Alzheimer's but my other half has. His grandfather passed from the illness when my other half was young. It was an awful experience on the whole family.

I suppose I do know quite alot of people who have suffered with cancer yet no one personally who has had MS or Alzheimer's.

I still thik more could be done for awareness though. I've never seen any kind of information or charities advertisement for it... bar the local Alzheimer's association collecting at doors.

Turtle_

trixychic wrote: »

Ah ok. My bad. I see it now. Whoops. Ha ha.

It would make sense I suppose. Id the numbers are more. I thankfully have never experienced Alzheimer's but my other half has. His grandfather passed from the illness when my other half was young. It was an awful experience on the whole family.

I suppose I do know quite alot of people who have suffered with cancer yet no one personally who has had MS or Alzheimer's.

I still thik more could be done for awareness though. I've never seen any kind of information or charities advertisement for it... bar the local Alzheimer's association collecting at doors.

I get what you're saying... My nan has Alzheimer's, which really only started to show up just after my uncle died of cancer, through which she nursed him. My uncle had terminal cancer, and Alzheimers is terminal too I guess...

Both without hope, neither have a cure, just drugs to make life more livable.

I suppose apart from the numbers, there is one other difference that immediately jumps out... It's that before Alzheimer's is even very progressed the person is gone. Right up to the end my uncle was there, it was still him. My nan's gone, the person she was is like a confused toddler. Regardless of hope, that's just harder to deal with.

hardCopy

I don't think it's really about numbers or impact of particular diseases, I think the marketing power behind the relevant charities has a huge impact on people's donations and awareness of disease.

trixychic

hardCopy wrote: »

I don't think it's really about numbers or impact of particular diseases, I think the marketing power behind the relevant charities has a huge impact on people's donations and awareness of disease.

Now this is the problem. There are so many other terminal and horrible diseases but so many of them we know very little about (as the public) because cancer always takes the front page.

And again. I am not trying to belittle cancer But each of these diseases deserve recognition, awarness and funding. Something I just don't think is happening. It's just odd.

CathyMoran

I have personal experience of cancer as I am a 9.5 year esophageal cancer survivor - it was bad for me as I had to be resuscitated 3 times post surgery, I had to fight for fertility preservation and still have the effects from the treatment day to day...it is not easy facing death at the age of 32 (I had a 92% chance of not getting to 5 years)...

I also have a few long term illnesses including type 1 diabetes, thyroid issues, sarcoidosis and a few more and have close experience of crohns, heart disease, myesthenia gravis, brain haemorrages, eczema...

For me cancer was a special category of scary as it threatened to kill me in a short space of time but I would have rather have had it than crohns or a brain haemorrage but that is just my experiences from family and friends who have had these.

I do still promote cancer awareness though as in many cases cancer can be treated and cured if caught in time, I had to fight to get diagnosed as I was considered 'too young' by a few doctors.

trixychic

CathyMoran wrote: »

I have personal experience of cancer as I am a 9.5 year esophageal cancer survivor - it was bad for me as I had to be resuscitated 3 times post surgery, I had to fight for fertility preservation and still have the effects from the treatment day to day...it is not easy facing death at the age of 32 (I had a 92% chance of not getting to 5 years)...

I also have a few long term illnesses including type 1 diabetes, thyroid issues, sarcoidosis and a few more and have close experience of crohns, heart disease, myesthenia gravis, brain haemorrages, eczema...

First of all Congrats on your victory over cancer and Holy CRAP you poor thing. It sounds like you've never had a break. You must be an incredibly strong person to keep on fighting. I don't know if I would have managed. So I tip my hat to you.

CathyMoran wrote: »

I do still promote cancer awareness though as in many cases cancer can be treated and cured if caught in time, I had to fight to get diagnosed as I was considered 'too young' by a few doctors.

Absolutely I will also still promote cancer awareness and fundraising but i suppose I also hope that some of the others will get a bit more of a look in too.

I think doctors not listening to people when we ourselves KNOW that something is not right is a big problem. I suppose (again) you have to fight for yourself. You obviously did. Congratulations again.

F.Grimes

Cancer just happens to be a disease, which people on the street kinda understand. They can think about it in general terms and it affects them and their lives.

Some diseases just aren't "sexy" in the way cancer is. And even then, there is a vast difference in the cancers that are promoted. Its mainly breast cancer, that draws in the big bucks. You very rarely see someone running a marathon for pancreatic cancer, even though it is a much more devastating disease.

There is also the issue, of geographical discrimination amongst cancer research. For example, penile cancer is relatively rare in the developed world, while it makes up ~20% of cancers amongst men.

[Please don't quote any of those figure, they are just ball park]