October Is Here Again

SIROD said:

We are NOT close to a cure!
I don't want to throw a wet blanket on your pink parade, but we are NOT even close to a cure! Over 40,000 women and men die from metastatic breast cancer each year. Thirty percent of those runners in Komen's Race for a Cure will be diagnose with metastatic breast cancer and will die.

Breast cancer is not one disease and there won't be ONE cure for it. It is as all on this site should know a disease with many variations.

Even with target therapies for those who are lucky to be ER and PR positive or have the oncogene HER2NEU are only guaranteed that they might have a longer time to live with it. To date, no one is cured. Many whose cancer metastasize, find that their cancer mutated to being "negative". All today's treatments end up failing.

Breast Cancer Awareness should be making aware that we are not even "CLOSE" to a Cure at all. I despise the month of October and all the pinkness! What it should have is Pink with a black edge around it. This will take the hype out of breast cancer being curable.

October and it's pink ribbons everywhere make it look like this disease no longer a killer. It is and we are not even close to winning the battle of PINK.



SIROD

fauxma said:

Re and Chen,
I was groping for the very words that you each wrote. I know that for many October is an unpleasant reminder of their cancer. On one hand, I hate it because I was diagnosed in October. On the other hand, anything that brings attention to getting screened, donating to find a cure, etc. is great with me. I think that a cure is out there somewhere but it may still be a long time coming. And a cure for one type of breast cancer will not cure others. I and the other ladies here also know that each diagnosis and stage is very different and even each Stage IV is different in how they respond to treatment. I am grateful that my cancer was Stage 1 and no node involvement but I am bothered by the use of the word "lucky" by SirRod. I am sure that the intention was not to make light of my cancer journey or others with this stage but honestly no one is lucky to have any diagnosis of cancer. I know this because, as most of you know, I have had several cancers. Stage 2B grade 3 uterine cancer, Stage 1 bladder cancer, Stage 1 no node involved breast cancer, squamous cell skin cancer and sebaceous skin cancer. I am sure that someone who has any one of these at a greater stage or grade might feel I am lucky. Well, gosh, I wish I didn't have such great luck. I have also been screened for and have Lynch syndrome which ups my chance of colon cancer to 60 to 80 percent and increases my risk for stomach, esophogeus and other cancers. I also have the subset of Muir Torre which increases my chance of more skin cancers. I am grateful that all of the cancers were caught early and that I can be diligent in screening for the other cancers. But lucky, I think not.
I pray that my cancers never return and that I don't get new ones but the one thing I have learned from the ladies on this board that have recurrences and mets and other primary cancers is how strong they are and how in spite of times when the walls must feel like they are closing in, they deal with this with dignity and courage while still managing to give hope, encouragement and love to the rest of us. I do not assume to know how someone else must feel with their diagnosis and my heart goes out to all with cancers and yes I say an extra prayer for those battling Stage IV but the truth is cancer is ugly, nasty, horrid and scary no matter what type, what grade, what stage. And we need cures for all of them. It won't happen in my lifetime but I think that it will happen. Cause while RE was right that some see the glass half full and some half empty, I myself am just damn happy I have a glass.
Stef

carkris said:

Stef you certainly have been
Stef you certainly have been through a lot. glad you have a glass too!
I get discouraged sometimes as well, especially having daughters, but then I think about the first time I was diagnosed, I was tested for ER pos or neg -no other receptors. herceptin wasnt around, no arimedex, tamoxifen, taxol, no parp inhibitors no sentinal node biopsies, so while there is no cure we have more hope and more progress.
P.S. I dont like the pink reminders all the time, particularly as I seem to be a little more down than usual, but I guess its better than being ignored like some illnesses are.(this is what I tell myself, when I open a magazine and see all pink merchandise for our special month! LOL)
So we will all get through this month holding each other's hands, but I think research is making a difference, sometimes at a snails pace it seems, and that is why we try to raise awareness and funds to find a prevention, cause and cure!

Marsha Mulvey said:

perspective
I have read and re-read all of the comments and now have some of my own. The initial thought that comes to mind is perspective - we are all facing this from different points of view. I do not disregard anyone's feelings.

As for the month of October and all the pink ribbons and products - I LOVE IT. To me it is a little like the display of American flags and patriotic slogans after 9/11 - a unity of millions - what more could we ask for? If consumers buy products whose companies are making donations from sales, what's wrong with that? The people themselves may never have made a donation.

For those of you who are directly affected by this disease, I can hardly believe when you say that you would rather not have the constant reminder of breast cancer. I am Stage IV and constantly aware that I will never be cured, can only hope that my cancer can be "managed" for a long time to come. It takes no reminders for me but I love the fact that they're out there for the future.

When you're LIVING with Stage IV, it is obviously a different perspective from those with lesser Stages, grades, or types of cancer, though I take NO CANCER lightly! Every now and then, I struggle to stay positive and keep the hopeful outlook that I have most of the time. For you there is a lot of hope. Many of you will never have to face this again, but unfortunately, many will. If you were one of those, would you not accept a new treatment to save your life? One that may be discovered through funding raised by Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Komen "Races", or the ACS "Relays".

A "real cure" will NOT likely be found in my lifetime, but I have a daughter, son, nieces, and nephews, (not to mention probable future grandchildren) that I love and care deeply about. My greatest hopes involve them, that none of them will ever be affected by this devastating disease.

Then there's the perspective on Herceptin. I can speak "first hand" on the subject. While there is great promise for this targeted therapy, I am a prime example that it DID NOT WORK ALONE. In combination with a traditional chemo as the first line of treatment for me, it worked well with significant shrinkage of all of my tumors in all the different locations. But, when used alone it took a very short time (less than 2 months) for the tumors to begin rapid growth again. I'm still receiving it (because it attacks in a different way) along with another traditional chemo drug. This statement is not meant to scare or diminish hope for anyone. As an extended treatment for those who are HER2+ who've had surgery to remove their cancer, it DOES SEEM to be a wonderful advancement to stop a recurrence for many. Perhaps research can continue to improve on this.

What I'm posting here is not meant to be a personal pity party - it's meant to make a statement that much more research is needed and it must be kept in the limelight. Just last week I posted about the local Komen Race and the overwhelming feelings of unity, hope, and encouragement associated with it. If you've not been to one of these events, I would strongly urge you to do so.

LET THE PINK FLY!

Marsha