Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Deaths of health workers from melanoma and other forms of cancer.

Options
  • 22-02-2020 8:28pm
    #1
    political analyst
    Registered Users Posts: 4,464 ✭✭✭


    This doctor died from the type of cancer that she was researching.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7875781/Doctor-39-dies-type-skin-cancer-spent-life-researching.html

    I'm aware of another case in which an Irish nurse died of melanoma in Australia.

    To be honest, I assumed that doctors and nurses, given they probably have a better understanding of their own health than many laypeople have of their own health, would be more likely to have an inkling at an earlier stage that they have cancer - a medical equivalent of a police detective's 'gut instinct'.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Mr_Muffin
    Registered Users Posts: 917 ✭✭✭Mr_Muffin


    Health workers aren't immune to cancer.


  • Options
    #3
    threeball
    Registered Users Posts: 7,964 ✭✭✭threeball


    political analyst wrote: »
    This doctor died from the type of cancer that she was researching.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7875781/Doctor-39-dies-type-skin-cancer-spent-life-researching.html

    I'm aware of another case in which an Irish nurse died of melanoma in Australia.

    To be honest, I assumed that doctors and nurses, given they probably have a better understanding of their own health than many laypeople have of their own health, would be more likely to have an inkling at an earlier stage that they have cancer - a medical equivalent of a police detective's 'gut instinct'.

    Doesn't matter how early you detect some cancers nothing will save you. Others can be caught late and people survive. Cancer is a catch all for hundreds of different diseases that relate to abnormal cell growth but in fact vary wildly as do the treatments available to each type. Some curable, some incurable.


  • Options
    #4
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,845 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Someone dying from melanoma in Australia is not in any way notable.


  • Options
    #5
    banie01
    Registered Users Posts: 16,518 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    Correlation =/= Causation.

    However, given certain people having a genetic predisposition to certain cancers, it would not be at all surprising if a family history of cancer may have been the inspiration for pursuing a medical research career.


  • Options
    #6
    Obvious Desperate Breakfasts
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,474 ✭✭✭Obvious Desperate Breakfasts


    political analyst wrote: »
    This doctor died from the type of cancer that she was researching.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7875781/Doctor-39-dies-type-skin-cancer-spent-life-researching.html

    I'm aware of another case in which an Irish nurse died of melanoma in Australia.

    To be honest, I assumed that doctors and nurses, given they probably have a better understanding of their own health than many laypeople have of their own health, would be more likely to have an inkling at an earlier stage that they have cancer - a medical equivalent of a police detective's 'gut instinct'.

    Some cancers creep up on people. With melanoma, the mole could be in a part of the body that they couldn’t see. It’s a particularly insidious form of cancer because the mole can be quite small but deep. And some cancers start to spread before any symptoms show up.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Jim_Hodge
    Registered Users Posts: 10,490 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    political analyst wrote: »
    This doctor died from the type of cancer that she was researching.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7875781/Doctor-39-dies-type-skin-cancer-spent-life-researching.html

    I'm aware of another case in which an Irish nurse died of melanoma in Australia.

    To be honest, I assumed that doctors and nurses, given they probably have a better understanding of their own health than many laypeople have of their own health, would be more likely to have an inkling at an earlier stage that they have cancer - a medical equivalent of a police detective's 'gut instinct'.

    You assume wrongly. It's actually quite an absurd notion. Nobody is immune to cancer. Not all cancers have early warning signs and not all are curable. You failed to mention that she did in fact notice the mole early on, got a diagnosis and underwent two forms of treatment that were unsuccessful. What more do you think she could have done?


  • Options
    #8
    corner of hells
    Registered Users Posts: 8,362 ✭✭✭corner of hells


    political analyst wrote: »
    This doctor died from the type of cancer that she was researching.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7875781/Doctor-39-dies-type-skin-cancer-spent-life-researching.html

    I'm aware of another case in which an Irish nurse died of melanoma in Australia.

    To be honest, I assumed that doctors and nurses, given they probably have a better understanding of their own health than many laypeople have of their own health, would be more likely to have an inkling at an earlier stage that they have cancer - a medical equivalent of a police detective's 'gut instinct'.

    I'm an electrician and have managed to give myself a few electric shocks over the years, generally in fact its been my own fault.


  • Options
    #9
    worlds goodest teecher
    Registered Users Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭worlds goodest teecher


    Indirectly related. My father currently receiving treatment for basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer) - on his lungs. He was diagnosed last year by one of the top oncologists in St Vincent’s. Very very rareform of cancer. As an experienced oncologist and Professor, he had heard that this could happening but had never come across it. Very treatable apparently, tablets, no cemo or radiotherapy but the tablets have had severe negative impact, both physically and mentally, and there is no indication if these tablets are for rest of his life. On the plus side, they do seem to be doing what they are meant to.


  • Options
    #10
    political analyst
    Registered Users Posts: 4,464 ✭✭✭political analyst


    Mr_Muffin wrote: »
    Health workers aren't immune to cancer.

    I never said they were.


  • Options
    #11
    political analyst
    Registered Users Posts: 4,464 ✭✭✭political analyst


    Jim_Hodge wrote: »
    You assume wrongly. It's actually quite an absurd notion. Nobody is immune to cancer. Not all cancers have early warning signs and not all are curable. You failed to mention that she did in fact notice the mole early on, got a diagnosis and underwent two forms of treatment that were unsuccessful. What more do you think she could have done?

    Haven't you heard of intuition or someone 'having a hunch' about something?! You must have! It's like a cop saying, "I just know that Mr X committed that murder".


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Jim_Hodge
    Registered Users Posts: 10,490 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    political analyst wrote: »
    Haven't you heard of intuition or someone 'having a hunch' about something?! You must have! It's like a cop saying, "I just know that Mr X committed that murder".

    In relation to medical diagnosis? Ridiculous assertion.

    Again, what could that unfortunate doctor have done differently?


  • Options
    #13
    political analyst
    Registered Users Posts: 4,464 ✭✭✭political analyst


    Jim_Hodge wrote: »
    In relation to medical diagnosis? Ridiculous assertion.

    Again, what could that unfortunate doctor have done differently?

    Nothing.

    I find it hard to take in that cancer could grow that fast - it doesn't just come out of nowhere.

    It was an analogy on my part - not an assertion. After all, medical diagnosis involves an element of investigating.


  • Options
    #14
    Obvious Desperate Breakfasts
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,474 ✭✭✭Obvious Desperate Breakfasts


    political analyst wrote: »
    Nothing.

    I find it hard to take in that cancer could grow that fast - it doesn't just come out of nowhere.

    It was an analogy on my part - not an assertion. After all, medical diagnosis involves an element of investigating.

    Well this might disturb you but many cancers can spread before they are detected and there might be no symptoms or very mild ones that can be mistaken for less serious ailments. You might find it hard to take but that’s the reality for many people especially if they are too young to qualify for screening.


  • Options
    #15
    Jim_Hodge
    Registered Users Posts: 10,490 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    political analyst wrote: »
    Nothing.

    I find it hard to take in that cancer could grow that fast - it doesn't just come out of nowhere.

    It was an analogy on my part - not an assertion. After all, medical diagnosis involves an element of investigating.

    My brother died of cancer at the age of 41. He died five weeks after diagnosis and had no symptoms up to a week before that. So you can lose your misinformed image of how cancer behaves.


Advertisement