WHY DO YOU THINK YOU GOT CANCER?

lp1964
lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member

One of the most frequent questions we ask ourselves is : Why me? And What did I may have done to increase my chances of getting cancer?

In my case I'm doing a genetic test so we will see.

In Eastern Europe each winter we consumed a whole pig in the form of bacon, sausage, and ham that was heavily smoked, which is the worst for colon cancer. Even though because of my wife in the last couple of years I have a good diet, but before that I ate pretty bad.

I was not to far from Chernobil.

I have been a very caring person and went out of me way to help people, putting my selflast. I avoided conflicts and had a lot of guilt.

I am a dentist which statistcally is the most stressful of jobs. And I worked way too much.

I never really excercised.

I never listened to my body. If I did I would have cought this cancer a lot earlier.

HOW ABOUT YOU? Let's learn from one an other.

Love,

Laz

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Comments

  • Miss Cindy L
    Miss Cindy L Member Posts: 34
    You sound very similar to me.

    You sound very similar to me. First of all I lost my mother to Breast Cancer at a very young age for both of us. I always worried the Big C would get me someday but after I turned 50 I thought I was home free!! Boy was I wrong...Cancer seems to prove us wrong alot. I also worked way too much over the years as a single mom and thruout my life. I was the one to always help people and never said no. Over extended over stresssed never made time to execise consistently or to learn more about nutrition or really take time to care for myself in the way that I should. Ate alot of fast food, people pleaser, never slept enough, always in a hurry, workaholic, junk food holic you name it. Only in the last couple of years have I took the time to completely and utterly transform my lifestyle. Everything that used to matter matters no more. I live each day as if it was my last because it just may be one day. Stopped working at my job  began to workout in the gym  eat clean spend time with those I love and go back to college like I always dreamed of doing. I know my lifestyle plus possibly my genetics were the reason Cancer came knocking on my door. Hope this helps you....

  • Miss Cindy L
    Miss Cindy L Member Posts: 34
    You sound very similar to me.

    You sound very similar to me. First of all I lost my mother to Breast Cancer at a very young age for both of us. I always worried the Big C would get me someday but after I turned 50 I thought I was home free!! Boy was I wrong...Cancer seems to prove us wrong alot. I also worked way too much over the years as a single mom and thruout my life. I was the one to always help people and never said no. Over extended over stresssed never made time to execise consistently or to learn more about nutrition or really take time to care for myself in the way that I should. Ate alot of fast food, people pleaser, never slept enough, always in a hurry, workaholic, junk food holic you name it. Only in the last couple of years have I took the time to completely and utterly transform my lifestyle. Everything that used to matter matters no more. I live each day as if it was my last because it just may be one day. Stopped working at my job  began to workout in the gym  eat clean spend time with those I love and go back to college like I always dreamed of doing. I know my lifestyle plus possibly my genetics were the reason Cancer came knocking on my door. Hope this helps you....I didn't listen to my body either...

  • tachilders
    tachilders Member Posts: 313
    In all honesty, I think it is

    In all honesty, I think it is >90% genetic russian roulette and <10% lifestyle.  I know countless people that have had a no more healthy lifestyle than me and that do not have colon cancer, including my own siblings.  We grew up eating the same things, and my lifestyle has been healthier than theirs since adulthood yet I have stage 4 mCRC and they don't have a single polyp.  My parents both led WAAAAAY less healthy of a lifestyle (and diet) than me, and both smoked for years, yet neither one got colon cancer.  Is lifestyle important, YES, but is it the main reason people get cancer, usually NO, in my opinion.  Does smoking increase your chance for lung cancer, YES, but does everyone who smokes get lung Cancer, NO, and people who never smoked can get lung cancer.  There are a few cases, like mesothelomia and asbestos, where there is amost a direct correlation, but in most cancers it is just not possible to say why one person gets cancer and another doesn't...

    Tedd 

  • jen2012
    jen2012 Member Posts: 1,607 Member

    In all honesty, I think it is

    In all honesty, I think it is >90% genetic russian roulette and <10% lifestyle.  I know countless people that have had a no more healthy lifestyle than me and that do not have colon cancer, including my own siblings.  We grew up eating the same things, and my lifestyle has been healthier than theirs since adulthood yet I have stage 4 mCRC and they don't have a single polyp.  My parents both led WAAAAAY less healthy of a lifestyle (and diet) than me, and both smoked for years, yet neither one got colon cancer.  Is lifestyle important, YES, but is it the main reason people get cancer, usually NO, in my opinion.  Does smoking increase your chance for lung cancer, YES, but does everyone who smokes get lung Cancer, NO, and people who never smoked can get lung cancer.  There are a few cases, like mesothelomia and asbestos, where there is amost a direct correlation, but in most cancers it is just not possible to say why one person gets cancer and another doesn't...

    Tedd 

    Agree with Tedd 100%!
    Agree with Tedd 100%! Chances are my husbands cancer came from previous radiation...but who knows for sure. Blaming yourself doesn't make sense to me. Ive read of too many young "healthy" people getting this.
  • MaryCarol5
    MaryCarol5 Member Posts: 102
    The doctor is having my tumor

    The doctor is having my tumor tested for a genetic link.  I'm not sure about this as there is very little cancer on either side of my family and no colon or related cancers.

    I have eaten a mediterranian diet my entire life so diet is out.

    I have had a history of digestive problems since birth so possibly years of irritation????

    BUT, there is a very high rate of colon cancer in my rural farming community so possibly chemicals/pesticides?  It's the bread and butter here so not many willing to discuss the possibility.

  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member

    My brothers all had cancer.  I assumed my lugs would get me,since I got bronchitis every January.  At age 77 had my first colonoscopy,

    and yep I too had cancer.

  • coloCan
    coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member

    The doctor is having my tumor

    The doctor is having my tumor tested for a genetic link.  I'm not sure about this as there is very little cancer on either side of my family and no colon or related cancers.

    I have eaten a mediterranian diet my entire life so diet is out.

    I have had a history of digestive problems since birth so possibly years of irritation????

    BUT, there is a very high rate of colon cancer in my rural farming community so possibly chemicals/pesticides?  It's the bread and butter here so not many willing to discuss the possibility.

    Considering that perhaps only ten per cent

    of CRC diagnoses is due to hereditary factors(ie:Lynch or FAP)what other causes are there? Perhaps the food supply.......(of course,lack of activity,smoking,drinking,too much burnt red meat,not enough fruit and vegetables might also have an effect as does not having a colonoscopy at suggested age and based on your own and your family's med history).....My opinion:the food supply in the US is getting more and more unhealthy on a daily basis and more and more people will get sick;what;s happening to bees and orther creatures is a mere prelude.......

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    Some wonky genetics (fair bit of cancer in my family),

    maybe the fact that I grew up on top of a coal mine, possibly the extreme stress that was in my life in the years before I got cancer, when my sister was dying of this crap and my daughter developed a severe mental illness, that time I drank 12 martinis (just kidding...it was only 10)...

    I don't know.  Could be a lot of things (and it's almost certainly a combo of factors).

    I ate a good diet, was physically quite active, had a positive outlook and good social life, never smoked, drank in moderation (despite my smart-a$$ comments), was normal weight...

    I just got it.  Once it was determined through extensive genetic testing that there was nothing specific going on (as far as they could tell), I set aside the "why"s of my cancer and just focused on dealing with the daily reality of having it.

    AA

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    weird

    dup for some reason.

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member

    weird

    dup for some reason.

    Stree

    I believe stress plays a lot with cancer.   I was alway been my consideration.   Drank wine, a glass or two each night but I was allergic to it left me unguarded  I never drank a lot but if I went out I would drink and stop if I got hot or the start hives.  My doctor said take Benadryl it can't hurt if you stop At start of reaction.   My husband would say it can't be god for you but  I was enjoying myself, dummy me!

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    What Does This Tell Us?

    Within any subset of individuals in any kind of group - controlled or otherwise...

    Some will be...while some won't.

    The arithmetic seems pretty simple...

    ...short of environmental exposure and the genetic tendency to be pre-disposed to certain conditions that can run through a particular bloodline....

    All too often, we forget to take into account that much of life is random...

     

     

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    Sundanceh said:

    What Does This Tell Us?

    Within any subset of individuals in any kind of group - controlled or otherwise...

    Some will be...while some won't.

    The arithmetic seems pretty simple...

    ...short of environmental exposure and the genetic tendency to be pre-disposed to certain conditions that can run through a particular bloodline....

    All too often, we forget to take into account that much of life is random...

     

     

    Yes. I have 9 brothers and

    Yes. I have 9 brothers and sisters who have this allergy and they are all okay. 7 are older then me.   Roulette. 

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    Nana b said:

    Yes. I have 9 brothers and

    Yes. I have 9 brothers and sisters who have this allergy and they are all okay. 7 are older then me.   Roulette. 

    Nana

    I do agree that Stress is a strong contributor....especially prolonged stress.

    While I think there is a correlation there, I'm not sure where the tipping point is.....but the constant release of Cortisol into the bloodstream, puts us in a Fight or Flight Syndrome.

    And that's a receipe for trouble...

    I honestly feel, that the stress I went through for 16-months being my dad's caregiver at all the hospitals....and taking care of his estate....and dealing with his wicked church friends......

    Caught up to me....and I alluded to that fact during that phase. 

    It broke me around the 13th month...and I feel it was a strong contributor to the situation I'm looking at now.

    But, can't prove it one way or the other.....semantics at this point anyway.

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    Why me?

    Why not me? I really never got into that game. I saw no purpose in it. I'm thankful that I got it instead of my wife or kids. I've been faced with the flip-side of the coin lately. I know four people who had the same oncologist as I have who have died since Christmas of 2012. Out of those four, I've been living with cancer twice as long as any of them had been.

    I'm not doing anything special other than following my oncologists suggestions (which all make sense to me) I've been off chemo since the beginning of April, I had targeted radiation 3 times in one week near the end of April and I'm still off chemo. Whether I stay off it is up in the air. Things look good-ish and I'm fine-ish with that.

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    PhillieG said:

    Why me?

    Why not me? I really never got into that game. I saw no purpose in it. I'm thankful that I got it instead of my wife or kids. I've been faced with the flip-side of the coin lately. I know four people who had the same oncologist as I have who have died since Christmas of 2012. Out of those four, I've been living with cancer twice as long as any of them had been.

    I'm not doing anything special other than following my oncologists suggestions (which all make sense to me) I've been off chemo since the beginning of April, I had targeted radiation 3 times in one week near the end of April and I'm still off chemo. Whether I stay off it is up in the air. Things look good-ish and I'm fine-ish with that.

    Congrats Phil!

    So glad you made it to the rest stop.....

    My onc told me I was in a very small group of patients in his practice who had seen 9-years as well.

    He told me that was more important than the remissive streak.

    You will outlive us all - and finally get the last word in:)

    Happy for you, man.

  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    I have a fair Idea
    When I was very young I was mis-diagnosed with a serious lung complaint, it eventually was dxed as a hiatus hernia at age 27. The treatment given for the non existent lung disease was two drops of creosote in a glass of milk every night. I was on that for several years. Creosote is a known carcinogenic. Like I said I have a fair idea what caused mine and despite having beaten the first ca ,I am under no illusions that there will not be more. Ron.
  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member

    In all honesty, I think it is

    In all honesty, I think it is >90% genetic russian roulette and <10% lifestyle.  I know countless people that have had a no more healthy lifestyle than me and that do not have colon cancer, including my own siblings.  We grew up eating the same things, and my lifestyle has been healthier than theirs since adulthood yet I have stage 4 mCRC and they don't have a single polyp.  My parents both led WAAAAAY less healthy of a lifestyle (and diet) than me, and both smoked for years, yet neither one got colon cancer.  Is lifestyle important, YES, but is it the main reason people get cancer, usually NO, in my opinion.  Does smoking increase your chance for lung cancer, YES, but does everyone who smokes get lung Cancer, NO, and people who never smoked can get lung cancer.  There are a few cases, like mesothelomia and asbestos, where there is amost a direct correlation, but in most cancers it is just not possible to say why one person gets cancer and another doesn't...

    Tedd 

    Tedd, you are so darn
    Tedd, you are so darn sensible. Everything you post just makes so much sense. I agree with you, too.

    In my husbands case, his cancer was caused by chronic inflammation. He had ulcerative colitis. Went for regular scopes. The cancer set in and took over quite quickly. I kick myself every day that I did not convince him to have his colon removed as a preventative measure.

    Chelsea
  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    Sundanceh said:

    Nana

    I do agree that Stress is a strong contributor....especially prolonged stress.

    While I think there is a correlation there, I'm not sure where the tipping point is.....but the constant release of Cortisol into the bloodstream, puts us in a Fight or Flight Syndrome.

    And that's a receipe for trouble...

    I honestly feel, that the stress I went through for 16-months being my dad's caregiver at all the hospitals....and taking care of his estate....and dealing with his wicked church friends......

    Caught up to me....and I alluded to that fact during that phase. 

    It broke me around the 13th month...and I feel it was a strong contributor to the situation I'm looking at now.

    But, can't prove it one way or the other.....semantics at this point anyway.

    THE ROLE OF STRESS.

    Cells are very simple, they are like miniture stoves, they only need 2 things: glucose and oxygen. They unite (burn) in the cell and energy cones out.

    Stress constricts the smallest capillaries that are sopposed to drop glucose, oxygens vitamins, minerals to the cells. If they are constricted all the time, no matter how much oxygen, sugar, vitamins, antioxidants etc. you have in your blood, your cells will still starve an malfuncion, producing a ton of waste called free radicals. That is why no matter how much of these you take they will never get to your cell

    where ever these free radicals go the distrot everything in they path: genetic material, proteins, cell membrains, blood vessels ets. when they hit the genetic material that causes mutations, or it can free up genes that are responsible for unstoppable proliferation and that what exactly cancer is. all other degenerative disseases are causeed by these free radicals: arthritis, cardivascular disease, diabetes etc. 

    Laz

  • Momof2plusteentwins
    Momof2plusteentwins Member Posts: 509 Member
    Do you really know your family history?
    This is a really good discussion. I always was surprised that in my immediate family we were not touched by cancer. It seems every family is touched by cancer. My mom, dad (now deceased from diabetes - which caused all kinds of problems), two sisters, brother, some cousins, aunts, all didn't have cancer. I really don't have a huge family - don't really know a lot of them. My grandparents all died before I was 10 except 1. He died when I was 12. So when I gave health history - no cancer. Well, my paternal grandmother and grandfather possibly died from cancer - back then 60s a lot of people didn't have real good health care. Things happened and no one really knew what they died from. My maternal grandmother died supposedly from liver disease - cancer???? Who knows. Is any one else like me - not really know the real history??
    Sandy :)
  • fatbob2010
    fatbob2010 Member Posts: 467 Member
    Cause?

    I lean toward the Chernobyl event.  I was down-wind through out the entire event.  Art