How do you know if cancer treatment is working?

MIRANDA FIELDING, MD | CONDITIONS | DECEMBER 7, 2012

This is the question I get asked the most: “So Doc, how do I know that this is working?” Sometimes my patients come to me with visible or palpable disease—something on the skin that they can see fading away, an enlarged lymph node in the neck that shrinks visibly during treatment, a lump or a bump that disappears, much to the gratification of both patient and doctor. But most of the time, this is not the case. Most of the time, the tumors are either deep inside, and not seen or felt, or the tumor has been removed, and we radiation oncologists are called in to do “clean up” work after the surgeon. As disturbing as it might be to a patient, most of the time, we don’t actually know that “it”, meaning the radiation, is working.

I’m old enough to know that life is not black or white, right or wrong, on or off. But still, as an optimist, I am a person who likes absolutes—I have always believed that if you play by the rules, you deserve to win. I dot all of my “I’s” and I cross my “T’s”. I was the kid who NEVER colored outside the lines in my coloring book, and now that I am a grown up, everything should be in place: my patients will attest to the fact that I am likely to rearrange the furniture in the consultation room if the cleaning people have set anything off kilter. I don’t see this as obsessive-compulsive—I see it as maintaining order in a disordered world. I like to see justice served, the plates cleared off after dinner, and I do not eat dessert first. In my linear world, the beginning is the consultation, the ending is the cure. The daily radiation treatments are the means to that end. Why should my patients expect less?

So what do I tell my patients who ask tentatively, half way through treatment, “Is it working?” when they have the invisible tumors, the ones deep inside, or the ones where the surgeon took most of it and we’re seeking out and destroying those microscopic stragglers? One of my teachers once said, meaning to be humorous, “Radiation works best when there is no disease!” Even the patients with the palpable masses that melted away—how can we be sure that every last malignant cell is gone? At the end of treatment, my patients want to be told that their disease has been vanquished and will never come back. Some doctors will oblige. They will say “We got it all”. Or they say, “You are cancer free.” This is despite the fact that there is not a single diagnostic test on the planet that can support that claim.

We oncologists prefer to use the word “remission.” Or “complete response.” As in, “You are in remission.” Or “You have had a complete clinical and radiographic response to treatment.” We would love to say, “Your cancer is cured,” because that is ever so much more satisfying than stating the truth, which is that we do not and cannot know for sure. Sometimes, somethings, some days—you just have to take it on faith and try to move on. Even if you are not a believer.

Here is what I tell my patients. I tell them that first the side effects will fade from their bodies and their memories. And then there will come a day when they will actually miss the camaraderie and support that they got from their chemotherapy and radiation teams. I tell them that the sun will rise and the sun will set, and they will bravely put one foot in front of the other. And one day, before they know it, they will wake up and stretch and smile and they will have forgotten, just in that moment, that they ever had cancer. And that’s when they will know, it worked.

Miranda Fielding is a radiation oncologist who blogs at The Crab Diaries. 

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2012/12/cancer-treatment-working.html

Lymphedema

http://www.bccmiami.com/articles/lymphedema.cfm

If you have trouble reading use link to go to Breast Cancer Care Center of Miami

Lymphedema

Definition: 
Lymphedema is defined as the abnormal accumulation of protein-rich fluid in the tissue, which causes chronic inflammation and fibrosis.

Incidence: 
It is estimated that between 3 and 5 million patients in the United States suffer from either upper or lower extremity lymphedema. Arm lymphedema or chronic swelling of the arm occurs in 10 to 30% of women following treatment for breast cancer. In the United States, the most common cause of secondary lymphedema is the impaired or disrupted flow of lymph fluid through the draining lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes, usually as a consequence of surgery and/or radiation therapy. If the remaining lymphatic vessels are unable to accommodate the increased lymphatic load, accumulation of lymphatic fluid develops resulting in swelling of the upper extremity. Once damage has occurred to the lymphatic system the transport capacity is permanently diminished. The risk of lymphedema is life-long.

Functions of the Lymphatic System: 
Lymphatic vessels drain fluid from all parts of the human body. The lymphatic fluid is formed at the point where arteries turn into veins just underneath the skin. Our body produces between 3 and 5 liters of lymphatic fluid on a daily basis. This fluid gets reabsorbed by the lymphatic vessels and it travels to the lymph nodes where it gets filtered and “cleansed”, and then rejoins the circulatory system at the level of the neck.

	• Reabsorbs the continuous production of lymphatic fluid
	• Removes excess fluid
	• Blocks the spread of infection or cancer cells
	• Maintains balance of fluid and protein

The Lymphatic System and Breast Cancer: Most of the lymphatic vessels of the breast drain fluid to lymph nodes under the arm and to a lesser extent to the lymph nodes behind the chest bone and collarbone region. Breast cancer cells can spread through the lymphatic vessels into these lymph nodes. The standard surgical treatment for invasive breast cancer is to remove the lymph nodes under the arm and look at them under the microscope to detect cancer cells. The only accurate way to find out if cancer cells have spread to the lymph glands is by removing them. The two techniques employed to examine the lymph nodes are the axillary node dissection and sentinel node biopsy. Sentinel node biopsy has replaced axillary node dissection as the procedure of choice in staging the axilla in patients with early invasive breast cancer. It prevents an axillary node dissection in approximately 70% to 80% of breast cancer patients. The incidence of lymphedema using this technique is approximately 3%.

Axillary Lymph Node Dissection: The removal of the axillary lymph nodes interrupts the drainage of the lymphatic fluid from the arm and breast. As a result, it will limit the transport capacity of the lymphatic system. Some breast cancer patients may develop lymphedema.

Arm Lymphedema: A simple way to try and explain what may happen when lymph nodes are removed and lymphedema occurs is to use the analogy of a traffic jam when four lanes of traffic are detoured into just one lane. As there is only one lane to pass through, as a result of lane closures, (lymph node removal) the other three lanes of traffic (fluid) must get in line to merge over to the only open lane. This results in major backups as each car must now make room to allow the other cars from the other three lanes to merge. The end result is slow moving traffic (fluid) and a massive accumulation of cars (more fluid) waiting to pass through the only open lane (one lymph node).

Signs and Symptoms of Lymphedema: 
The signs and symptoms of lymphedema of the arm include:

	• Feeling heaviness and tightness in the arm
	• Aches and discomfort
	• Limited motion of the arm and swelling

There is also an increased risk of infection resulting from a trivial skin breakdown. If breast preservation is chosen, the affected breast is also at risk of edema.

Treatment:
Early detection is paramount as lymphedema is potentially reversible when treated in its early stages. Once lymphedema is diagnosed, treatment should begin as soon as possible. The gold standard treatment is complete decongestive therapy.
This includes:

	• Manual lymphatic drainage
	• Compression bandaging
	• Therapeutic exercise

Once lymphedema is under control, patients are recommended to start a maintenance phase which includes skin and nail care, weight control and diet, wearing a compression garment especially when flying, exercise program, and strict blood pressure control for patients with a history of hypertension.

Prevention Practices to Prevent Lymphedema:
Patients should be instructed on precautions to decrease the risk of developing lymphedema or avoid its progression. The patient should bear in mind that most of the measures your doctor will tell the patient is to protect their arm. However, these measures are determined without scientific data. The old school teaching promoted the dictum of primum non nocere (first, do not harm).

Recommendations from the National Lymphedema Network Include:

Skin care:

	•	Avoid trauma / injury to reduce infections
	•	Keep extremity clean and dry
	•	Apply moisturizer daily to prevent chapping/chafing of the skin
	•	Attention to nail care: do not cut cuticles
	•	Protect exposed skin with sunscreen and insect repellent
	•	Use care with razors to avoid nicks and skin irritations
	•	If possible avoid punctures such as injections or blood draws
	•	Wear gloves while doing activities that may cause skin injury
	•	If scratches or punctures to skin occur, wash with soap and water, apply antibiotics, and observe for signs of infection
	•	If rash, itching, redness, pain, increased skin temperature occur, contact your physician immediately for early treatment of possible infection

Activity /Lifestyle:
There is now good evidence that progressive exercise does not affect the severity of breast cancer-associated arm lymphedema. A progressive weight-training program should be carried out under professional supervision. This has been shown to decrease the incidence of exacerbations of lymphedema and reduces symptoms as well as increases overall strength.

	•	Gradually build up the duration and intensity of any activity and exercise
	•	Take frequent rest periods during activity to allow for limb recovery
	•	Monitor the extremity during and after activity for any change in size, shape, tissue, texture, soreness, heaviness, or firmness
	•	Maintain optimal weight

Avoid Limb Constriction:

	•	If possible, avoid having blood pressure taken on the at-risk extremity
	•	Wear loose fitting jewelry and clothing

Compression Garments:

	•	Should be well-fitting
	•	Support the at-risk limb with a compression garment for strenuous activity except in patients with open wounds or with poor circulation in the at-risk limb
	•	Consider wearing a well-fitting compression garment for air travel

Extremes of Temperature:

	•	Avoid exposure to extreme cold, which can be associated with rebound swelling, or chapping of skin
	•	Avoid prolonged (greater than 15 minutes) exposure to heat, particularly hot tubs and saunas
	•	Avoid placing limb in water temperature above 102 degree Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius)

Additional Practices Specific to Lower Extremity Lymphedema

	•	Avoid prolonged standing, sitting or crossing legs
	•	Wear proper, well-fitting footwear and hosiery
	•	Support the at-risk limb with a compression garment for strenuous activity except in patients with open wounds or with poor circulation in the at-risk limb

Exercise:
The following is the position of the National Lymphedema Network:

	•	Exercise is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle
	•	Lymphedema exercises are standard components of Phase I and II complex decongestive therapy (CDT)
	•	The majority of individuals with lymphedema can safely perform aerobic and restrictive exercise using the affected body part(s) when:
	•	Compression garments are worn
	•	The affected body part is not exercised to fatigue
	•	Appropriate modifications are adopted to prevent trauma and overuse
	•	The majority of individuals who are at risk for developing lymphedema can safely perform aerobic and restrictive exercise using the "at risk" body part when exercises are: • Initiated at a low intensity • Increased gradually
	•	It is not clear in individuals at risk for lymphedema whether a garment is necessary, but it may be helpful
	•	Concern regarding the adverse effects of exercise should be determined by lymphedema severity or “risk”

Air Travel: Alterations in air pressure may contribute to exacerbation of lymphedema during air travel. Air travel is also sedentary in nature and can cause slowing of the lymphatic flow and blood circulation. Another factor which may exacerbate lymphedema during travel is dehydration. The position of the National Lymphedema Network regarding air travel states:

	•	Individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of lymphedema should wear some form of compression therapy while traveling by air
	•	Individuals at risk for developing lymphedema should understand the risk factors associated with air travel and should make a decision to wear compression based on their individual risk factors

In summary, we promote a comprehensive strategy to improve the quality of life in patients with breast cancer. This should include diet and exercise interventions focused on weight management. Obesity and weight gain after diagnosis are recognized as risk factors for lymphedema as well as for breast cancer associated death. A healthy diet and regular exercise have the potential to improve overall health and survival among women with breast cancer.

And remember: “ An Ounce Of Prevention Is Definitely Worth A Pound Of Cure. ”

http://www.bccmiami.com/articles/lymphedema.cfm

BEDSIDE January 19, 2013, 2:00 pm110 Comments

When the Patient Knows Best

By THERESA BROWN

Bedside is a series about health care from a nurse’s-eye view.

TAGS:

CANCER, CHEMOTHERAPY,DOCTORS, HEALTH INSURANCE AND MANAGED CARE, MEDICINE AND HEALTH, RADIATION

In late October 2010, Amy Berman, a registered nurse and a senior program officer at the John A. Hartford Foundation in New York City, received a diagnosis of Stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer. This Stage 4 cancer is always metastatic, meaning it has spread to other parts of the body. There is zero probability of a cure, though five-year survival rates vary for individuals.

Knowing this hard diagnosis, Amy was clear from the beginning that she wanted a “good quality of life for as long as possible,” and she found an oncologist who supported that choice. But she also wanted to confer with a known expert on her specific type of breast cancer and, with the encouragement of her doctor, traveled to get a second opinion.

She found one, but pretty quickly, Amy knew she did not want this doctor directing her care. He asked her nothing about what she wanted from treatment. He recommended chemotherapy, mastectomy, more chemotherapy and radiation — a regimen that he uses for “all my patients.”

Amy did not want to be one of “all my patients.” She wanted to be herself, and her strong feeling was that such aggressive care would not allow her remaining time on earth to be well spent. As is typical of many cancer patients, she would rotate among treatment rooms, hospitals and radiation oncology centers, most likely enduring chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, postoperative pain, extreme fatigue, hair loss and radiation burns — with no guarantee that any of this physical suffering would extend her life, much less ensure her quality of life. She declined the treatment.

Angelo Merendino/CorbisA patient with Stage 3B breast cancer is prepared for chemotherapy.

Unfortunately, Amy’s example is an exception: too often, patients don’t always grasp the trade-offs inherent in health care choices. Our own understanding of risk-benefit may be faulty or clouded by emotion. We all want to believe the most up-to-date treatment is always the right course of clinical action; that’s the meaning, after all, of “modern medicine.” And health care providers often laud the benefits of treatment without fully discussing the risks.

In oncology, my field, any serious diagnosis almost inevitably leads to the recommendation to treat, treat, treat. As clinicians, this satisfies our need to help, to do something about this hard disease. The financial incentives in modern medicine also encourage aggressive treatment. And then there’s the fact that no one wants to die.

All those forces keep doctors much quieter on the subject of risks than benefits. But what a disservice that silence does to our patients, each of whom, like Amy, is an individual and wants to receive care on her own terms.

Such difficulty in seeing one’s options clearly aren’t limited to oncology and end-of-life care: they face us from birth. When I was 33 years old, I became pregnant with identical twins. Because of my age, our medical team wanted to test for genetic abnormalities, and amniocentesis (in which a needle is inserted into the amniotic sac to extract a fluid sample) was recommended. But the risk of miscarriage from amnio increases with multiple births, though by exactly how much is unknown.

To my husband, an astrophysicist, the numbers told a clear and compelling story: the risk of miscarriage outweighed the benefit of discovering a genetic problem. I, however, not yet a nurse, was inclining toward the amnio because my twin pregnancy had been such a shock; any additional information seemed worthwhile.

“That’s not how probability works,” my husband explained. One surprising turn — twins — did not make a genetic problem more likely. But that’s not how the mind works; we see causality where it doesn’t exist. Once I got beyond that easy mistake, it was easy to say no to amnio.

Afterward, our health care team accepted our decision to decline. No one even pushed back with a well-meaning “Are you sure about this?” We were, and they let it be, and our twins were born healthy. But I also learned how easy it is to let an uninformed, gut reaction drive decision making as a patient.

I was lucky to find a health care team that talked honestly about risks and benefits, then sat back and let the patient decide. So was Amy: she now gets palliative chemotherapy, which keeps her disease under control but doesn’t aggressively try to beat it, and a drug called Zometa to help her bones stay strong. For her, the known risks of full-bore cancer treatment were not worth the — in her view — dubious-at-best benefits.

“I still feel great,” she told me recently. Last June, she climbed the Great Wall of China “for the second time” to celebrate being alive and able.

Amy’s most pressing question about possible treatments was: Would the arduous and exhausting side effects of aggressive cancer therapy be balanced by real benefits?

She answered no, but none of us really knows what we would do in such a situation. That’s why we need our caregivers to talk to us, giving each patient the opportunity to understand the treatment trade-offs in a difficult pregnancy, or even when standing in the shadow of death. Amy’s courageous decision was all about quality of life over quantity: “I’m not trying to squeeze one more day out if it’s a bad day.” All patients should all be able to make the same kind of choice.

---

Theresa Brown, an oncology nurse, is the author of “Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life and Everything in Between.”

A version of this article appeared in print on 01/20/2013, on page SR9 of the NewYork edition with the headline: When the Patient Knows Best.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/19/when-the-patient-knows-best/

Understanding Chemotherapy: Choosing Your Weapons Against Cancer

http://eliminatecancer.hubpages.com/hub/Understanding-Chemotherapy-Choosing-Your-Weapons-Against-Cancer

Source: Adjuvant Chemotherapy

Being diagnosed with cancer is shocking for anyone. We have different reactions to this: some patients are angry, most are frightened, and sad, or distressed. We ask, "Why me?"

We are often struck with disbelief. Unless cancer runs in your family, it just isn't something you think is going to happen.

Cancer is scary, and confusing, and emotionally unfathomable.

So, when your doctor sits you down to discuss your treatment, chances are you just silently nod your head.

Although your treatment options are your choice, it is rarely presented that way. Most often you are told, "You will need surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation."

Most often.

Sometimes other therapies (like Tamoxifen) are combined with the standard treatment, but the vast majority will follow these three treatments.

But whatever your doctor says, don't forget - YOUR TREATMENT IS YOUR CHOICE!!!

Prepare for Battle

Source: princeofpersia.wiki

Preparing For Battle

Try to think clearly. Don't sit there and quietly nod while your doctor is talking.

Ask questions.

Or, if you're too stunned to ask questions, then take notes. Write down what he says. You will want to think about this later.

Why?

Because you may not realize it, but you are preparing for battle.

Your doctor is fighting there beside you, and he has his 'weapons of choice' - you need to understand these weapons as you make your tactical decisions. Each weapon serves a different purpose. Each weapon has advantages and disadvantages.

Your goal is to maximize the advantages, and minimize any disadvantages.

Make decisions that will meet your strategic goals and win the battle.

Medical Weapons of Choice

Each of the suggested weapons from your doctor are there for a specific purpose.

1. Surgery: removes as much of a solid tumor as possible. There is also surgery to look for signs of cancer spread, which helps in diagnosis.
   
   Advantages: a non-toxic way of removing a tumor. Everything that HAS been removed, is not in the body potentially metastasizing.
   
   Disadvantages: not useful for blood cancers like Leukemia. Scarring, or damage to surrounding tissue. Complications like Lymphodema.
   
   In most cases, if they CAN remove the tumor, it's a good idea to follow this recommendation from your doctor.
   
2. Radiation: Local ionizing radiation which damages DNA in the exposed tissue causing cell death. Radiation beams are sent from many angles to pass through healthy tissue, and concentrate on the tumor.
   
   Advantages: Radiation can control, or kill malignant cancer cells. It can be curative in cancers that are local to one area of the body. It can preserve parts of the body that might otherwise be removed (ie. a lumpectomy + radiation is a breast sparing option many women prefer over a mastectomy).
   
   Disadvantages: For tumors in some parts of the body (ie. too close to the heart), radiation may not be possible (ie due to risk of damaging the heart). Radiation exposure can slightly increase cancer risk in other parts of the body. Over-exposure to radiation can cause damage to healthy cells.
   
   If you choose radiation, apply Aloe Vera after every treatment, and Vitamin E every morning and night to protect your skin cells.
   
3. Chemotherapy: is generally a combination of drugs designed to kill rapidly reproducing cells in the body. Cancer cells divide very quickly, so chemotherapy is useful to target these cells.
   
   Advantages: Chemotherapy attacks cells throughout the body, not just locally, so it can kill stray cancer cells that may lead to metastasis.
   
   Disadvantages: Chemotherapy also kills any rapidly dividing cells we have in our body - which include cells in our bone marrow, digestive tract, and hair follicles. The side effects of this can be grueling: difficult to eat, nausea, hair loss, but greatest of these is the damage to the immune system.
   
   If you choose chemotherapy, make sure you take steps to rebuild your immune system when treatment is over. Like physical therapy after getting your leg out of a cast, strengthen your immune system until it is strong enough to keep fighting future battles.

These are the general reasons for and against these treatments. Chemotherapy is unique in that it can weaken the body it's trying to save. That is why you shouldn't blindly follow your doctor's recommendation for chemotherapy. Make sure it is the weapon YOU choose to fight your cancer.

Most common childhood cancers are treated with Chemotherapy, and few other options are available.

Source: BBC

Considering Chemotherapy

What are the factors to consider with Chemotherapy?

There are some times when absolutely chemotherapy is your best option:

1. The cancer has already spread. Surgery and radiation are both local treatments, so chemotherapy is the best way to find, control, and hopefully kill the stray cancer cells.
   
2. Chemotherapy is the best option for blood cancers - again, where local treatments like surgery or radiation are not an option.
   

So, what about other cancers, or other situations? For example, Chemotherapy is still recommended to most breast cancer patients, even for early stage cancers that haven't spread. Here are some things to consider:

• If the entire tumor is removed, and there are NO signs that it has spread, the risk of chemotherapy may be greater than the benefit. You may want to talk to several doctors and get other opinions. You may be able to find some Immunotherapy, strengthening your immune system rather than damaging it.
  
• Chemotherapy is less affective on solid tumors. There are billions of cells in a tumor, and even a small, undetectable mass can have millions of cells. It is difficult for chemotherapy to kill 100% of the cells in a solid mass, and whatever survives will be more resistant to future treatment if it spreads.
• There are more and more targeted therapies being developed every day. Do some research on your exact cancer, and see if there is a new treatment that will be less toxic to your body. Many clinical trials are now being posted online. But make sure you Read ALL of the information, and disclaimers prior to entering a trial.
• Consider also, that some doctors will just recommend what they know best. If chemotherapy only improves your survival by 3%, they will recommend chemotherapy, even if the damage to your system is greater than that. Any improvement in survival may be worth it to them, because their job is to get rid of the cancer. That same improvement may not be worth it to you, because you now have the increased risk of heart disease, or leukemia, and other health complications (not to mention the side effects, fatigue, memory loss etc).
  
• Consider your age and overall health. If you are very old, or or your heart is not strong enough, your body may NOT be able to withstand chemotherapy. Your doctor can do a test to see if your heart seems strong enough, and your Oncologist will monitor your health along the way, and should stop chemotherapy if the damage is too great - but some patients still DO die from the treatment, not the cancer. Chemotherapy takes a serious toll on your body, if there's any question about whether you can survive this, then you may want to discuss other options before treatments begin.
• When cancer is terminal, or is at a very advanced stage. Some doctors are still administering chemotherapy to patients with very advanced stages of the disease. At this time, you may have a few weeks, or months, or maybe a year to live. You don't know. Chemotherapy may be recommended because it will extend your life by a month or two - but Quality of Life will be greatly affected by the treatment. First you will have the miserable treatments, and then the fatigue and after-effects of treatment. If you only have a short time to live, why not skip treatment and focus your last days on living life fully, spending time with family and friends, enjoy this beautiful world.
  

Surviving Chemotherapy

Sometimes Chemotherapy is the best choice. Hopefully, you've talked to your doctor, he answered all your questions and you are ready for battle!!

Although Chemotherapy has many disadvantages, you can do things to help yourself survive the treatment.

• Your doctor will monitor things like blood cells, etc, and will recommend other treatments if these fall into an unhealthy range.
• Although this is NOT a time to diet, try not to eat any junk food. Keep healthy foods in your house, and eat as much of what you crave as possible. You need the calories.
• AFTER chemotherapy, eat lots of cleansing foods: mainly RAW fruits and vegetables. If you haven't tried Green Smoothies yet, drink one of these every day - it will detox your body, clean out your digestive system, restore your energy, and provide nutrients that help rebuild your immune system.
• If your NK Cells of your immune system are wiped out, take a mushroom blend. These cells do not rebuild on their own after chemo, and they are the most effective part of the immune system at fighting cancer. New Chapter's Life-Shield is an excellent blend of cancer-fighting mushrooms. Whether you had Chemotherapy or not, you may want to do an immune system panel, and check your NK Cell activity.
• Get out and walk, even if it's just to the end of the driveway, or down the street. Do this every day. Take deep breaths, expand your lungs. In the beginning it may be SO hard to just step outside, but these SMALL steps make a BIG difference. You may not be able to walk far, but push yourself to do a little more every day until you feel like yourself again. You will be amazed when you see the progress - you will be amazed at your body strengthening and healing itself!!

Finding Your Own Weapons

But remember you are not limited to fighting cancer with the weapons your doctor has - this is YOUR battle! You can fight with weapons of your own!!

• Diet: Fight cancer through diet! Nutrients in our food like Omega-3s, or spices like Curcumin can help prevent, fight and reduce the spread of cancer.
• Movement: Fight cancer through movement: yoga, walking, hiking, swimming - no matter what you do, the effect on you metabolic systems improves oxygen and immune health.
• Sleep - your body heals itself when it's at rest - give your body ample time to nurture itself and rest and restore
• Reduce stress - stress will suppress the immune system. We want to keep our immune system strong. We can't completely avoid stress, but we can find healthy outlets, or find ways to relieve it. Try to meditate for 10 minutes at the beginning and end of each day.

Add whatever weapons you come across that help in the fight - and do all those things in life you love to do! Do what feels good!! Eat well!! Enjoy your time with family and friends!! Live life fully!!

You are fighting the EPIC BATTLE of a lifetime - make it a good show!!

• Why is Cancer Selective?
  Understanding the risk factors in our genes, in our environment, and in our food, makes one wonder: if we all live together, and eat the same foods, why would only one person in our household get cancer? Cancer is a mystery, but there are clues that
• Survive Cancer, Raise the Kids, Get to Work, Cook, C...
  Gone are the days when you take a day off when you are sick. It is no longer enough to rest and recuperate, we don't have time for that. If we have a cold, we take Nyquil to sleep, and some other pill to get us through the work day. But we expect tha
• My Evolving Use of Dietary Supplements
  We all think of dietary supplements as a pill you take to make up for what we aren't getting in our diet. But supplementing your diet in this way may not get you the results you desire. First define your goals, and find the exact nutrients that will

Disclaimer:

I am NOT a doctor. Nothing I say is a replacement for the advice of your doctor. My goal is for you to take charge of your own health, and make the decisions that are right for you.

If you have questions about your cancer treatment, ask your doctor. Then get a second, or third, or fourth opinion. Talk to conventional doctors. Talk to Naturopathic doctors.

The decisions about cancer treatment are complicated, and very personal. Keep looking until you find a doctor you like and trust. This is a very important relationship, you will be going through a lot together.

http://eliminatecancer.hubpages.com/hub/Understanding-Chemotherapy-Choosing-Your-Weapons-Against-Cancer

I write about my life as a professional breast cancer ass-kicker.

LovelyKatieLumps

I write about my life as a professional breast cancer ass-kicker. It's all the way you approach life, right? When someone says "You're so young to have had breast cancer" I just tell them that I'm an overachiever; I've accomplished what very few other women in their 20s are able to achieve...

Thursday, January 17, 2013

http://lovelykatielumps.blogspot.ca/2013/01/the-blame-game.html

As time passed from my initial diagnosis, more and more people asked me the reason for my cancer. I think they wanted an answer so it gave them something to avoid and somehow provided them with more protection from the disease. They were hoping that I said ‘Uh, well, when I was a kid I swallowed some poisonous floor cleaner and it gathered in my breast and turned into a tumour’ so they could in turn say ‘Oh, thank God I never swallowed floor cleaner and therefore will never have cancer.’ People seemed to want to be able to put their blame somewhere, so they felt less threatened by the reality of cancer and it seemed harder and harder for people to grasp the concept that my cancer is a big question mark.The Blame Game

Never the less, I have been told by many, many people, who don’t have any medical or oncological training, that my cancer has a cause. Some people think it was the hormones from the birth control pill, others think it was stress, others think it was the food I eat or the deodorant I used, and others have blamed it on our environment. I continue to assure them that my entire medical team is baffled but regardless of genetic testing being negative, having no family history, and being only twenty six when I was diagnosed, they feel as though they know the answer.

In the beginning, I would let this kind of thing go, or just agree with the different conclusions to the cause of my cancer but I am starting to get annoyed – pissed even – because I think this blame game that we are playing is detrimental to our health. On Facebook yesterday I saw a picture of a bald woman, obviously hooked up to chemo, with IV bags lingering everywhere with a picture of a green fruit in the forefront and it said ‘The Soursop [it is some kind of fruit] – Totally ignored by the criminally murderous pharmaceutical industry, this medicinal tropical fruit kills cancer cells up to 10, 000 times more effectively than their expensive failure called chemotherapy with no side effects.’ Are you fucking serious? This just pisses me off. This picture blames me for losing my hair, for feeling like shit for 6 months, for not having a breast anymore, for taking a year off work, for everything that comes with cancer. It’s saying that I had a choice and when I had to choose my course of survival, I chose chemotherapy; a treatment that has horrible side effects and may have left me infertile instead of a simple fruit. What an idiot! The choice is so obvious, pick the fruit you moron, you like fruit, and it 10000 times better than chemo and the bonus? No side effects. Man, people are stupid who decide to go through chemo. (You see where I’m going with this?).

What pisses me off even more is that I know of women who have been fit their entire lives, who don’t smoke or drink and who eat organically and guess what – they got cancer. Is their cancer somehownot their fault but because I didn’t eat organically and am overweight, my cancer is my fault? I was told by a doctor who specializes in nutrition and health that at 26 years old, it is physically impossible for me to be the reason for my cancer – I have not had enough time to be the cause because in 26 years, my body cannot produce a tumour because of something that I’ve done. Wow, did that feel good to hear. It doesn’t give me a free pass to live a reckless life but it does relieve some of the guilt that I have felt about somehow causing my own cancer due to stupid shit like this Facebook post (as someone who doesn’t smoke, drinks maybe 3 drinks a month, and has a relatively healthy diet). 

This soursop fruit might be wonderfully healthy and it might have cancer killing agents but I absolutely detest when people who have never had cancer preach about how they would react if they were faced with it. I fully support alternative medicine and if anything, I am envious of those who are brave enough to refuse chemo because they believe in a more natural route but to say that chemo doesn’t work or that drinking green tea will cure the aggressive cancer tumour growing at a rapid pace in my breast is morally irresponsible and ill informed. And oddly enough, in all of the research that I did on breast cancer, treatment, chemo, fertility, etc. etc. etc. I found actual data and research about how chemo works and the survival rate and yet, I didn’t come across one thing that said ‘soursop is the cure.’ 

When I initially read this Facebook post (along with a variety of other ones that say marijuana will cure cancer, eating sugar is a sure way to get cancer, drinking green tea is a sure way to avoid it, etc.) I was pretty angry and it led to a tweet that resulted in a number of replies that I want to share with you (keep in mind that you only have 140 characters in a tweet so grammar doesn’t really count on Twitter).

My original tweet – ‘I hate reading about how people who have never had cancer would not do chemo and would instead eat a certain fruit or drink a special tea.’

Reponses

From @ChristinaNewman – ‘talking to hubby about this – I used to be that girl – refused treatment for 11 months till I realized I would die w/o treatment.’ I loved her honesty. You just don’t know how you would react unless you are faced with these decisions.

From @zapladybug ‘When I was first diagnosed *two* people told me green tea cures #breastcancer. Two. To my face. And they were sober.’ I loved this. It was retweet worthy. Seriously, who says that? 

From @arielnoriega5 ‘Agreed! People think they would do one thing but when you are put in the situation, one thing is clear… treatment!! #Life’. Yep, couldn’t agree more.

From @terriwingham ‘Seriously. I think it’s total garbage as I sip my red wine ;-) Everything in moderation even moderation is my mantra :)’. Terri, you’re so friggin’ great! 

From @slieks ‘Even worse when they try to convince you it’s the key to your survival.’ Couldn’t have said it better myself.

From @lexieann73 ‘Agree! Unless they have been there and done that they should keep their mouth shut.’ I don’t pretend to know how I would treat MS if I was diagnosed and the same should be said for cancer.

From @iamnotcancer ‘After I finished chemo, an acquaintance told me a friend’s mother was cured by marijuana oil. Pot cures.’ Don’t forget your green tea!

From @nancebeth ‘I was told that grilled food caused my #breastcancer and that there was an herbal tea available that would cure it’. Aha! I knew there was a tea for that.

To my cancer peeps – thanks for listening, this post was brewing for months. To non-cancer peeps, please be very conscious of telling people why you think they have cancer and how to treat their cancer and don’t forget that sometimes bad cancer happens to good people, and instead of trying to get to the bottom of it, accept it – we have.