Do You Know Anyone Who Has Cancer?

My mom had uterine cancer, had a hysterectomy and is now cancer free. My maternal Aunt and a cousin had breast cancer and beat it, my paternal grandfather and a maternal uncle had/have stomach cancer and last but certainly not least, I have a very dear friend, who's breast cancer has spread to her bones, and now 70% of her liver is covered in tumors. It is a horrible disease!

My Father has had cancer for about 14 years now.
About once a month, he tells me that he only has about a month left to live.
for 14 years...

Personally, I think pure anger has kept him alive.

My wife had cancer cut out. It was either overies or uterus (some female part). It was scary but, she is clear.

I have had a bit of skin cancer taken out (welcome to the Sunshine State.)

My friend and co-worker Wes was 47 when he died in 2009 from lung cancer. I vividly remember the day he got "the call". I was the only one in the office besides him (my cube was right next to his) and when he got off the phone he stepped out of his cube with all kinds of things going on in his eyes. I looked at him and didn't know what to say...so I just went up and hugged him.

He fought a brave fight but died less than a year after diagnosis - he was stage 3 or 4 when they found it.

My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer 3 years ago... she is still fighting and going strong...

My fiancee passed away in 2007 from brain cancer. 2 months shy of his 31st birthday. He made it a year from being diagnosed.

one of my dear friends is 82 years old. She has lived through two bouts of breast cancer...and beat it both times. two years ago she got a lump which was cancerous in her neck...she went through chemo for a year, couldn't eat solid food for a whole year and today she is healthy and can eat anything she wants....so awesome to see her each week

My mom was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer in April of this year. She was receiving a combination chemo which included the platinum based componant which while killing the cancer also began shutting down all of her primary systems. She is now on a different combination We will not know if it is working for another few weeks. Her numbers are going down again but I want to see the CT scan which will be ordered soon. Watching her suffering has been awful and we are enjoying seeing her feeling better. I even took her shopping for some clothes that actually fit. She said she always wanted to be thin but this wasn't what she had in mind! Obviously her sense of humor is intact. I have been running my office, commuting to her office 2 hours away and working for her, then staying with her and my dad for a few days and taking care of their personal stuff. People ask me how I am doing it but the fact is I consider myself pretty blessed to have this time with her.

Update: Mom deceased May 2012. Sad but suffering is over.......stupid, hateful cancer:grumble:

Great news about your mom!

An aunt died of breast cancer. My grandma had slow-growing skin cancer (spots removed, absolutely fine now).

My partner of 9 years mom (age 48) was diagnosed last june with stage IV pancreatic cancer w/mets to her lungs and liver (the tumors on her liver combined is about the size of a grapefruit). Doctors estimated about 4 months for her, but HOPED to get her through the holidays and her birthday (1/7) at least, if possible.

Even though her dad & aunt had both died of pancreatic cancer, MIL (so to speak) opted for treatment to prolong her life. At first she had pretty much every not-uncommon complication, and then despite the chemo the tumors were still growing. She changed chemo regimens and things started to get better. Her markers dropped from 22,000 to <2,000. Doctors ended up estimating her prognosis to now be 11 months from diagnosis. She was hospitalized only once for 3 days for an infection that had just started when they caught it.

Ended up renting a cabin for a few days to go to with friends, and bumped her normal chemo one week later to do so with the consent of her doctors. That was a few weeks ago, and since then she's had increasing problems with pain, feeling sick, and increased falls and weakness. They did an MRI of her brain and spine which was fine. Basic bloodwork fine. Not sure on markers yet or the results of her routine CT which was done this past week (she should get the results when she has chemo on Monday).

I'm happy to say that with such a strong family history of such a deadly cancer, my partner talked to her doctor at her appointment last week and although there isn't a blood test to predict if someone is at risk for pancreatic cancer, as there is for some other cancers, her doctor has referred her to a genetic counselor to help her with this, and plans to physically monitor her closely, herself.

Lots of them, unfortunately. My grandmother died of lung cancer almost 12 years ago. My mother had breast cancer. My great uncles all died of some form of cancer and my father in law had skin cancer recently. It's an ugly disease :frown:

Lost a number of family members to various forms of cancer .

I was diagnosed in early 2009. Spent the rest of 2009 and the first half 2010 riding the chemo/radiation roller coaster. I'm now 2 1/2 of 5 years into adjuvent therapy. Hate what the meds do to me but it sure beats the alternative . Life is good.