Esther Rantzen has got lung cancer

That should have read 'asking intrusive questions of the sick'. I wasn't suggesting that the questions are sick (although. . .)

Indeed, Doodledog.

..... in answer to your 1st comment.

Rosie51

My mother died of lung cancer that spread to her brain. Yes she had smoked when younger but the tumours were in the lung the same side on which she had received prolonged radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer over 10 years previously. When you sign the consent forms it is pointed out that the treatment may cause cancer in the future. Possibly her lung cancer was caused by that rather than her juvenile smoking? But so much easier to blame the smoking such that she said she "deserved it" It broke my heart.

So sorry to read about your Mum.

My SIL died 2 years ago aged 66. When she was younger she had breast cancer and they gave her so much radiotherapy that it damaged her heart. This wasn’t apparent until about 10 years ago when she was struggling to breathe, was tired all the time etc. they said if the cancer came back there was nothing they could do as she had already had too much radiotherapy.

Her heart got weaker and weaker, she was on a massive amount of medication and every time she went to sleep she was scared in case she didn’t wake up. Her legs filled up with fluid to over twice their size although her body remained slim.

She died of a massive heart attack. So they cured the breast cancer but caused heart disease.

Primrose the drugs to treat cancer are so powerful and all carry huge risk
It was the treatment for brain cancer , which was effective in the brain, but caused the strokes that killed him

I agree that it can be so random. Otherwise how did my 16 year old nephew (and many other children) die of it? I'm sure it was the gruelling treatment that killed him.
I had a friend who was a fitness fanatic even to the extent of bringing her own food to parties - salad and fruit - so as to avoid processed and fattening foods. She died of cancer at 53. We can only do our best.

Iam64

I’m uneasy about the way cancer sufferers are often ‘blamed’ for the disease. Did you smoke/drink/eat sausages etc? I’m not suggesting we should ignore the evidence we have about the risks associated, especially with smoking which is linked to many cancers.
My husband died recently, six months after a stage 4 metastasised cancer - kidney, lung, lymph, bones and brain. He lived a good, healthy life, enjoyed a ten mile walk the day before the devastating diagnosis.

Hear hear, Iam64

It is so unfair the way people who get cancer are often blamed, as if they brought it on themselves.

There are so many factors, many of them unknown or unexpected.

Primrose53 That's so sad about your SIL. Fortunately they now have techniques to help prevent or at least limit heart and lung damage from radiotherapy. When I had my left breast cancer, I had to use a 'deep inspiration breath hold' technique which helps to lift the heart away from the beams.

I've just been reading that Sarah Ferguson has been operated on for breast cancer.

Oh dear, I wish her well.

I do too.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/esther-rantzen-book-cancer-diagnosis-b2363596.html

This is an interesting link - I love "“Sex drives people mad. Probably that’s what it’s for, because if you think about it, if you were sane, would you do such an inelegant, unhygienic thing?” the former host of That’s Life! writes. “Here is the good news. When you’re too old for sex, sanity returns. Here is the bad news. Then, nobody listens to you.”

Spot on Esther - sad news about the ling cancer.

Esther has been an interesting woman. She still is, love her comments about sex Lucky

Must get the book.

One of my school friends died of lung cancer 12 years ago. She has never smoked and had the healthiest life style you could imagine. Didn't drink, ate healthily and spent her spare time walking. She was the last person you would expect to get any sort of cancer.

Wishing Sarah Ferguson all the best with her recovery.

A friend of mine has stage four lung cancer (she did smoke but gave up over 30 years ago) but she has decided not to have any treatment after seeing her husband, sister and mother all die from cancer after having a very bad end and awful chemo and radiotherapy. I can't say I blame her - at the moment she is looking and feeling very well - although she does get very tired. Not sure how long she has got - the doctors say with any luck about a year.

My father in law died of lung cancer few years ago yes he had smoked but gave up 20 years before he got it

I'm just reading Being Mortal, written by a doctor, it's a wonderful book about quality of life not quantity.

Even if someone has been a smoker (and l have always loathed the habit) it is still extremely unfair to judge someone for their illness. My father died in 2018 aged 77 from lung cancer. He started smoking when he was about 15, at a time when most people smoked and teenage boys were almost encouraged to do so. The dangers of smoking were not known to the general public at this time. He stopped smoking in the house in the early eighties but could never quite give up altogether, although he managed to cut down from twenty a day to around five. Smoking is very addictive. We are very good at blaming people for their own illnesses in this country. I remember a newspaper article some years ago blaming people’s lifestyles for every health condition under the sun. The parting shot was that Stone Age people and the ancient Egyptians did not suffer diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes or heart attacks. As Stone Age people and the Ancient Egyptians would have thought themselves lucky to live to thirty and these are predominantly diseases of older people it is hardly surprising.

Have a relative who developed lung cancer never having smoked. Was though exposed to cigarettes from a baby to her 20s. Developed cancer in her 40s. Still surviving. Another friend again in 40s died from small cell lung cancer. Never smoked. Only had weeks after diagnosis. A sister in law died when 54 years old from lung cancer. Had been a persistent smoker from a teenager. Hope treatment goes well for Esther.

Grammaretto my DH died from kidney cancer too, which 5 years later spread to his lungs. I was lucky enough to have him another 7 years while they kept the cancer at bay with surgery and frequent scans. Made lots of memories during those years.

My dad died 9 years ago of lung cancer, within 6 weeks of diagnosis, as it had metasticised into his liver. He'd stopped smoking some 15 years earlier but the damage was already done.

I have the same type of response for my chronic pancreatitis, "how much do you drink", well my mum and great nan both died of Pancreatic Cancer and neither drank, my Pancreas is now showing up as pre cancerous on PET scan and also my Lung , now its a question of whether both are primary which would be better but unusual , however my nan died of 2 types, but no one still around that could answer any questions regarding it, or has it spread from the pancreas and is secondary in the lung, i have smoked for many years and am a young 63 year old, so its just waiting for results now, oh and i had breast cancer 6 years ago but lucky, and just had a masectomy, i just feel so guilty for possibly having to leave my family and all the heart ache i will cause them.

Sorry to hear all the sad stories on here. I can understand the need for research into what behaviours cause which diseases and the need for us all to be told about them; but the blame culture that we are in these days just adds to the distress that people already have to suffer when they or their loved ones get a difficult diagnosis.