Anyone with siblings who were also diagnosed?

yesyes2 said:

Siblings
Hi Roseann,

I am a 2 time breast cancer survivor and am also a 2 time NHL survivor, seems like cancer likes me. I hope that you are doing well with your treatments. I've not checked out the BC board but do love the lymphoma board here. Everyone is so friendly and it's a great place to get information.

What I have learned about NHL is that in some cases there is a known genetic component and there is currently studies underway to determine what exactly this means. I don't know how old your friends are but as we age our risks for getting these diseases increases. And also our immune systems within families tends to be similar and lymphoma is influenced by our immune systems, or at least some lymphomas such as the type I have are.

Hope this has helped in a little way. Best of wishes to you and your friends.
Leslie

Siblings
What I got from my doctors is that the jury is still out on this one. However, my sister had Hodgkins disease at 16, 47 years ago. And then I come down with stage four NHL. They did say that after I get into remission I can have some genetic testing done if I would like. I will pursue it for my daughter and siblings, etc. I definately want to know more about that possibility for them and am praying that there is no connection!!

Since my diagnosis I have wondered about it and also have wondered about environmental factors. My dad worked in the plastics industry all his life and would come home from work covered in chemicals for as long as I can remember.

roseann4 said:

Thanks for your responses.
We have all heard of cancer clusters, however after many years it is difficult to trace back any environmental factors. This is especially true when our parents were exposed and the damage to the DNA may have been passed onto us. I read a very interesting book about named, "Biology of Belief". It is written by a research scientist and helps to explain how disease can happen. I hope all goes well wtih your treatments and thanks again for responding.

Roseann

Genes
Hello Folks...if it means anything, My Dad currently has NHL and his youngest of six kids (me) currently has lung cancer. My Dads mother had NHL as well and his dad had lukemia.

allmost60 said:

Wow!
Thanks for the information Dapsterd...Thats alot of cancer in one family. My onc said that Genes and exposure to chemicals...pesticides, diesel, fertilizers etc have been attributed to NHL..follicular. I worked for years in a school district maintenance dept where we sprayed ball fields and school grounds with diesel, pramatol, round-up, you name it, where we didn't use protective Haz-Mat clothing. I would spray fence lines with diesel/pramatol combo wearing shorts, tennis shoes in 100 degree weather. I'd go home and shower and still smell like diesel. I don't even wonder "why" I have this...just wish I "didn't". It is what it is. How is your lung cancer doing? Hope you are ok.
Sue

Progress
Thanx Sue...my main tumor in right lung went down to and egg size, central chest lymph nodes still enlarged. Docs say my progress is on course?! 2 more months of weekly chemo, we will see !!

My Dad is in the hospital now due to deyhdration, low white blood count and they also found a blood infection, he should be home today I hope, went in Tuesday night. He has NHL.

Thanx

Dave

Sister
Hi Roseann,
I have a younger sister who had breast ca in her early 40s and a young female cousin with lung ca, a non smoker, also an aunt with breast ca and grandmother with colon ca. Add me to the mix, it's a lot of cancer in our family.

COBRA666 said:

chemicals.
Sue,
I have heard the same thing about the chemicals. Ever think of the chemicals they put in our food? And they been doing it for 75 years(look at a can of food and if you can't pronouce it, its a chemical and all preservatives are man made chemicals). By the way, cancer has been on the rise for at least 60 years,Hmmmm, I wonder??? I been researching the heck out of this stuff. Finally decided all that research can't be true because our government thinks too much of us, at least thats what I heard on tv.hahahaha. Just saw an article about diet supplements on one of the websites and how much chemical is in them and the rise in cancer in those people. Of course the FDA denies it, just like they denied sacchrine several years back causing pancreatic cancer. Research says different. Better get my butt off this soapbox before I get into trouble. I don't want people to think I am a communist. John

Soapbox
Ha!ha! Since my diagnosis I've been steady on the soapbox...hubby too. We think back to those years when we just headed off to work thinking we were doing what we were "expected" to do and didn't think twice about the price we would pay down the road. I drive by the same schools now and the guys are out spraying in full Haz-mat clothing.(mandatory by law) Day late and a dollar short for me...boo! I was told to just get-er-done. Your my age, so you know exactly what I'm saying. Back then when a woman did a mans job, you didn't whine or make waves...you just worked and kept your mouth shut. I born in the wrong generation I guess. We'll have to save soapbox govt for another day....ha!...Sue

Siblings
Hi Roseann, and All,

Just had my second round of chemo today ---- well, I guess it was yesterday. It went very well. In fact, I got the impression from my doc that, since I have had very little side effects during the first round, I might get through my 6 or 8 rounds pretty easy. Of course I hope that works out, but I almost feel guilty hearing some of your stories. Here I am at 1:45 AM after taking sleepy meds and still fairly pumped, but that is not a side effect that I really consider to be bad. I'll sleep when I sleep. Not like the pain and other bad things that y'all are talking about. All I can say it that I read you whenever I can and that you have my get well thoughts and prayers.

As a follow up to the family cancer question, my mother is a two-time breast cancer survivor at 84. First one was 35 years ago - radical mastectomy. Unfortunately, my sister did not survive her melanoma. She passed away this past March. But she had some other issues and was on some pretty strong prescription meds for much of her life. No telling how that might have affected her. I think she didn't have much fight left in her. No data on my dad's side as I never really knew him. I don't know how common it is to have 3 immediate family members with some form of cancer, but I bet it happens more than we know.

Vinny, Lisha, Sue, and others - please keep up the good fight and keep us up to date.
My good wishes to you all,
Tom

tcvine said:

Siblings
Hi Roseann, and All,

Just had my second round of chemo today ---- well, I guess it was yesterday. It went very well. In fact, I got the impression from my doc that, since I have had very little side effects during the first round, I might get through my 6 or 8 rounds pretty easy. Of course I hope that works out, but I almost feel guilty hearing some of your stories. Here I am at 1:45 AM after taking sleepy meds and still fairly pumped, but that is not a side effect that I really consider to be bad. I'll sleep when I sleep. Not like the pain and other bad things that y'all are talking about. All I can say it that I read you whenever I can and that you have my get well thoughts and prayers.

As a follow up to the family cancer question, my mother is a two-time breast cancer survivor at 84. First one was 35 years ago - radical mastectomy. Unfortunately, my sister did not survive her melanoma. She passed away this past March. But she had some other issues and was on some pretty strong prescription meds for much of her life. No telling how that might have affected her. I think she didn't have much fight left in her. No data on my dad's side as I never really knew him. I don't know how common it is to have 3 immediate family members with some form of cancer, but I bet it happens more than we know.

Vinny, Lisha, Sue, and others - please keep up the good fight and keep us up to date.
My good wishes to you all,
Tom

Thats great!
Hi Tom,
I'm so glad you are doing good with your chemo. Today is day 5 of my first round and I have to say, it has not been "near" as bad as I had thought it would be. I have eliminated the nausea meds(as of 3rd day) because I don't need them and I feel so much better since I dropped it(Zofran). I don't take any of the pain pills they gave me because I don't have any pain, so why take them? This idea that you take a pill to ward off pain or nausea when you arn't experiencing pain or nausea just seems crazy to me. I think "less is best" when it comes to taking medications. I'm so happy that I'm getting 5 to 6 hours sleep at night while being on the prednisone....it is certainly do-able. Today is my last day for the pred...wonder how many days it takes for that stuff to get completely out of me? Anyways..if the next rounds go like this one I think I will be a fairly "happy camper". Keep posting with your progress and I will too. Have a nice 3 day weekend. It is windy as the dickins here today, but the temp is about 72 and just wonderful!...Sue