Day 3 More About Cancer

 

I am participating in the American Cancer Society’s challenge to write for thirty minutes each day in May. I do a lot of writing and I can meet this challenge. What I plan to do is make a blog entry each day with what I’ve written.

I wanted to participate in memory of loved ones who fought cancer bravely but succumbed:

My brother-in-law Jeff

My sister-in-law Ann

My dear friend Kay

My Uncle Bob

My Uncle John

I also wanted to help raise money to support research and a cure for all those who are currently fighting this vicious disease.

My Facebook to the fundraiser is here. 

Thank you to all who wish to support the American Cancer Society this month.

Day 3: Learning More About Cancer

 I subscribe to a newsletter called The Conversation. The other day, I saw an article that especially intrigued me because of this writing challenge for the American Cancer Society. It was called “Every cancer is unique – why different cancers require different treatments, and how evolution drives drug resistance”. All I knew about cancer up to now is that it’s a vicious disease and many times a killer. I didn’t know much about why cancers form.

I learned a lot from this article. In one way, cancer is like the way trees, plants, animals, and humans have evolved. In that case, our genes can mutate to help us survive better in our environments. Cancer evolves too but it’s different because instead of adapting to an outside environment, it attacks our own cells to get what it needs to grow.

I’ve never been very good at understanding chemistry and how DNA works. I do understand that our bodies are constantly making new cells to replace the old dying ones. It’s an ongoing cycle. Sometimes a mutation occurs in a cell, changing the DNA. I understand this because my first husband, Rich, had a spontaneous mutation in his DNA. As a result, he had Marfan Syndrome.

Most of the time our immune system can detect and get rid of mutant cells. In the case of cancer, though, that doesn’t always happen. The mutant cell that survives starts to replicate itself. When enough cells replicate, a tumor develops. As it grows, it spreads throughout the body.  Cancer cells are different, depending on which organ of the body they attack. Some cancers are related to family DNA.

Because cancers in different parts of the body are dissimilar, they needed to be treated separately. What works successfully at reducing or eliminating one cancer doesn’t necessarily work well with another.

I found the article to be very educational, even though I still struggle a little with how the chemistry of it all works.

I have been remembering other older members of my family that had cancer.

The article mentioned screening for cancers. My Uncle Bob, a favorite uncle, suffered from colon cancer that spread throughout his body. He should have had a colonoscopy but didn’t want to, either because he was Deaf and didn’t want to go through a procedure in which he would have difficulty communicating with doctors or because it was that manly resistance to health care. Anyway, he was a wonderful uncle and I miss him.

I haven’t had a good colonoscopy because I can’t seem to empty my intestines of everything. Doctors have told me that I am still constipated even after the evil prep procedure I go through to have the screening. I worry about that sometimes.

My Aunt Betty had breast cancer and was successfully treated. When she passed, she was in her 80s.

My godfather, Uncle John, was another favorite relative. He was a loving, kind man and passed from prostate cancer. When it was detected, he was hopeful because his doctor told him it was a slow growing cancer. Usually, old age caused death before prostate cancer did. Perhaps he had an aggressive form of it because he passed away a year or so after he was diagnosed.

My husband, Ted, had prostate cancer. It was detected early through a screening. There were several treatment options open to him, and he elected just to have his prostate removed. His PSA has been normal since.

Both Ted and I have had cancer cells on our skins.  I know mine came about from worshipping the sun in my youth. The sunscreen I did use wasn’t strong enough to prevent the dangerous part of sun rays from soaking into my skin. Every year, we go to the dermatologist to have our bodies examined for any weird appearances on our skin.

Early screenings are so very important. The earlier a cancer is detected, the greater the chance treatment will eradicate it or put it into remission.