Luck of the Draw?

fishmanpa

I was treated at Johns Hopkins. They are one of, if not the top hospital in the country for treating cancer. My team consists of some of the best and brightest in their fields. When I see a study coming out of JH, I take notice. This was a VERY interesting study and conclusion and worth reading. Having been a member on the boards I've seen evidence here that backs this up.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/02/biological-bad-luck-cancer_n_6404184.html

For many of us, this is the truth. My cancer was HPV+. A genetic mutation that happened happened to cause my cancer. Granted I was a smoker and drinker, but according to me team, it was the HPV that got me. For others with the same strain of the virus, it never happens. It explains why some, despite a life of abuse, never get cancer and why some, despite a lifetime of healthy habits do. 

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T"

 Sorry... I didn't have the option to make that a link... C&P to read

Hondo

T

As they say, if it was not for Bad Luck I would not have any Luck at all.

 

Thanks my friend, glad you are still doing well

 

Tim

katenorwood

Hello T !

It was an interesting article, I also read it.  I wish they would find an "ON" switch to the immune system.  Our bodies are amazing, and understanding that sometimes this goes haywire makes the understanding of our dx's a bit more easy to swallow.  Point taken though that our life styles are very impotant to consider also.  Thanks T !  Katie 

thennies61

My doctor also said it was

My doctor also said it was most likely caused HPV strain.As we went over everything drinking smoking ect.I quit drinking 24yrs ago but still smoked.He said it could of been from smoking,drinking diet soda with the type of surgar they use.Leaving hot plastic bottles of water or soda in them.He said most likely started out 10yrs ago then took off in 2013.I thought it might be a cyst under my tounge and would go away.No pain no blood jus there.Then noticed in Nov of 2013 how it was taking off and finally went to my ENT and he checked it and the tests showed it was now a cancerous tumor and the trip began.As I tell my surgen it's was my fault for not going right away but as he says we have a thing with it will go away.

granmudder

Interesting Article..

I am curious did you give up smoking and drinking?... My husband had same cancer as you he did give up drinking through treatments nut not smoking and now he is doing both again after bing NED last Pet scan... seeing the dr for 3 month cheeckup net week.. i am so nervous about reoccurance . Still doesnt eat too much weight still low... scarey hoping the Dr can get him to realize...

 

fishmanpa

granmudder said:

Interesting Article..

I am curious did you give up smoking and drinking?... My husband had same cancer as you he did give up drinking through treatments nut not smoking and now he is doing both again after bing NED last Pet scan... seeing the dr for 3 month cheeckup net week.. i am so nervous about reoccurance . Still doesnt eat too much weight still low... scarey hoping the Dr can get him to realize...

 

No Smoking for Me!

Ironically, I gave up tobacco months before diagnosis. I had caught a cold/sinus infection and had swollen glands and decided that was it. Went to the e-cig and tapered off the nicotine. I was totally done before my diagnosis. The infection eventually cleared but the node on my neck remained. Turns out it was SCC. Since treatment I've been able to enjoy a couple of beers now and again and that's the extent of my drinking. 

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T"

Skiffin16

LINKED
Here's your link T...

I'm one of those that never smoked, but got hammered with STGIII Tonsil Cancer-HPV derived...

Bad Luck Cancer

Best
John

corleone

Inflammation

I’d like to venture into some speculations.

The role of (chronic) inflammation was not mentioned in that article (don’t know about the original research article, though). It says: Generally speaking, tissues that undergo more divisions - thus increasing the probability of random mutations - were more prone to tumors.”

Inflammation is increasing the rate of cell divisions, in any tissue. So I am not sure if “bad luck” would be a correct description in all those cases, I believe chronic inflammation might be the starting point for some of them.

 

In my specific case (nasopharyngeal carcinoma) I didn’t have any risk factors (except Epstein Barr virus infection). But I had a chronic inflammation (caveat: not diagnosed; I had symptoms like sore and pain around that area (nasopharynx) when inhaling cold air) that coincided with the primary tumor site, for years prior to diagnosis. If that inflammation was caused by the EB virus, or/and other irritants (toxic fumes), I don’t know. EB is in itself a mutagen, so you might think this would be enough to cause C, but keep in mind that only a very small percentage of those with chronic EB infection do get C.

debbiejeanne

granmudder said:

Interesting Article..

I am curious did you give up smoking and drinking?... My husband had same cancer as you he did give up drinking through treatments nut not smoking and now he is doing both again after bing NED last Pet scan... seeing the dr for 3 month cheeckup net week.. i am so nervous about reoccurance . Still doesnt eat too much weight still low... scarey hoping the Dr can get him to realize...

 

gran, i was originally dx

gran, i was originally dx 10/09.  was told if i did not quit smoking it was a question of "WHEN" will it come back, not IF it will come back.  I had quit for about 7 months then started again.  well, the cancer came back AGAIN too.  i had a total laryngectomy 2/28/12.  I know first hand how hard it is to quit that habbit.  Please don't be too hard on your hubby but be encourging.  i pray he will be able to give it up so his chances of recurrence aren't so high.  God bless you both.

dj

thennies61

granmudder said:

Interesting Article..

I am curious did you give up smoking and drinking?... My husband had same cancer as you he did give up drinking through treatments nut not smoking and now he is doing both again after bing NED last Pet scan... seeing the dr for 3 month cheeckup net week.. i am so nervous about reoccurance . Still doesnt eat too much weight still low... scarey hoping the Dr can get him to realize...

 

Stopped smoking when told

Stopped smoking when told about the turmor..Lucky there also as I haven't had the big with draws they talk about..Been a year now

eulerphi

A different viewpoint on the research study - not bad luck

Here's another view point explaining the study -

http://www.theguardian.com/science/grrlscientist/2015/jan/02/bad-luck-bad-journalism-and-cancer-rates

wmc

Good article "T"

Great article "T" thanks for posting:

I already had Emphysema stage 3 from smoking and I have the gene "Alpha-1 antitrypsin dificiency" which means I would get emphysema even if I never smoked , but I did. My emphysema got much worse when I changed cigerattes to Camel Crush. My coughing started then got much worse in just a few weeks. My wife got me to go back to my old brand and most of the cough went away. My Dr ask "What the hell did you do to your lungs" They went from stage 2 to 3 and in the CT scan It looked as if a hand gernade went off in them. So many air sacks distroyed and a lot of scaring in the upper lungs, both sides. Then came the GURD, acid reflex got worse the same time I smoked the Camel crush cigerattes.

The doctors belive the acid reflux might have been harder than the smoking was, and I don't drink. Smoking was a big factor but the acid reflux was the worse and probibly started the bleading in the throat. I was not HPV. Now the lungs are so bad I can't survive Radiation or the surgery because the tumor is 3cc and right on top of my vocal cords. The anesthesiologist and surgen would not do surgery unless I get a perminate trach. So I got a laryngectomy and became a total neck breather. Problem solved.

The risk factors are smoking, heavy drinking, GURD, and the last one is, just because. No reason, you just got it. So for me the reason doesn't really matter as why I got it, what does matter is what am I going to do to fight this. I had some of the insurance nurses assined to my case ask, you never did the, poor me or why me. I told her, it doesn't really matter why, it only matters how i'm going to handle it and fight it. You just have to play the cards you're delt in life. I did quit smoking the night before I saw the tumor board and never had another one. If I continued to shoke I was told [and resurch] the odds of getting it again was up around 90% it would come back. I beat the cancer, but you can't beat emphysema. Just do what you can to stall it.

Bill

thennies61

wmc said:

Good article "T"

Great article "T" thanks for posting:

I already had Emphysema stage 3 from smoking and I have the gene "Alpha-1 antitrypsin dificiency" which means I would get emphysema even if I never smoked , but I did. My emphysema got much worse when I changed cigerattes to Camel Crush. My coughing started then got much worse in just a few weeks. My wife got me to go back to my old brand and most of the cough went away. My Dr ask "What the hell did you do to your lungs" They went from stage 2 to 3 and in the CT scan It looked as if a hand gernade went off in them. So many air sacks distroyed and a lot of scaring in the upper lungs, both sides. Then came the GURD, acid reflex got worse the same time I smoked the Camel crush cigerattes.

The doctors belive the acid reflux might have been harder than the smoking was, and I don't drink. Smoking was a big factor but the acid reflux was the worse and probibly started the bleading in the throat. I was not HPV. Now the lungs are so bad I can't survive Radiation or the surgery because the tumor is 3cc and right on top of my vocal cords. The anesthesiologist and surgen would not do surgery unless I get a perminate trach. So I got a laryngectomy and became a total neck breather. Problem solved.

The risk factors are smoking, heavy drinking, GURD, and the last one is, just because. No reason, you just got it. So for me the reason doesn't really matter as why I got it, what does matter is what am I going to do to fight this. I had some of the insurance nurses assined to my case ask, you never did the, poor me or why me. I told her, it doesn't really matter why, it only matters how i'm going to handle it and fight it. You just have to play the cards you're delt in life. I did quit smoking the night before I saw the tumor board and never had another one. If I continued to shoke I was told [and resurch] the odds of getting it again was up around 90% it would come back. I beat the cancer, but you can't beat emphysema. Just do what you can to stall it.

Bill

Like you Bill as far the

Like you Bill as far the nurses go.I was asked though out this ordeal whay I haven't said why me or poor me.I'm not sure how I got but I did and as I tell them all there are people way worse off then me.I was at Rainbows here in Cleveland and seen the kids go about life on life terms and thought to myself right there what gives me the right to wine and whimper.I figure I can either set here and complain or do what I suppose try to do best I can and get on with life.Best way is to get pissed at the breast and fight back with a smile..