Esther Rantzen has got lung cancer

I do too.

Oh dear, I wish her well.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Indeed, Doodledog.

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

Joseann

But there has to be something related, sonewhere, somehow, or the medics wouldn't be asking the patient those questions professionally. ^People who are thoughtless and unkind are probably just ignorant, whereas the doctors knowingly ask these questions too.

I agree. There is a link in some cases between lifestyle and disease. But there is also supposed to be doctor/patient confidentiality, yet people think nothing of asking the sick intrusive questions, or leaping to conclusions based on weight or other assumptions.

Another example, a friend of mine's husband died of liver cancer, and the speculation about how much he drank (not a lot) was rife. It's horrible.

So sad for you Aldom losing both brothers so close together. 💐

But there has to be something related, sonewhere, somehow, or the medics wouldn't be asking the patient those questions professionally. ^People who are thoughtless and unkind are probably just ignorant, whereas the doctors knowingly ask these questions too.

Harris27

Sparkle fizz I have always thought this and a doctor once questioned me too. I lived in a house where dad smoked like a trooper and my asthma was terrible. Never smoked.

Yes. Passive smoking has caused us a great deal of damage. My Dad "smoked like a trooper" too, and the cigarettes were rough old things in the 50s and 60s.

I suspect it's a form of superstition, like crossing oneself against plague. If you find out that someone had smoked, or eaten 'junk food' or was overweight, or anything that doesn't apply to you, you can tell yourself that you are safe (you=generic here).

A friend of mine lost count of how many people asked her if there is a breast cancer gene in her family when she was diagnosed, and they seemed disappointed when she said no. It's the same sort of thing, but without the blame aspect. It's perhaps understandable, but very thoughtless and self-centred.

Sparkle fizz I have always thought this and a doctor once questioned me too. I lived in a house where dad smoked like a trooper and my asthma was terrible. Never smoked.

But so much easier to blame the smoking such that she said she "deserved it" It broke my heart.
I'm not surprised, Rosie .

People can be so thoughtless and unkind when it comes to perceived 'self-inflicted' illnesses (even when they may not be). Smokers, drinkers, the overweight/underweight, addicts etc can be treated as though they deserve all they get, and I've even heard people say that they should be refused NHS treatment. It's heartless when people must be feeling bad enough already.

Yet runners with knee damage, cyclists with broken limbs caused by accidents, people who fall off mountains, people who get lost on hills, or have accidents sailing or driving, (etc etc) - all of these people could have been reasonably expected to know that there were risks attached to their behaviour too, but they are somehow immune from criticism and seen as unfortunate. Pretty much all disease is somehow lifestyle related, and yes, we know that some behaviour makes some disease more likely, but smoking is an addiction, and often not a choice after the first few packets. I'm not a smoker, so I'm not being defensive - I just hate the thought that already sick people can be made to feel even worse by judgemental comments from those who should know better. And yes, Iam, not all people with the sort of diseases that can be caused by lifestyle have them for those reasons.

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.

My father began smoking in the navy and carried on all his life. He died a horrific death of lung cancer in his 70s. My sister and I have never smoked and very few of my nephews and nieces do.

Thank you for your compassion Louella12 It truly broke my heart my mother thought she deserved her lung cancer. I don't care if someone has smoked much longer than my mother, NOBODY deserves lung cancer, any more than anyone deserves to die from any disease!!

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.

It would almost certainly have been the radiotherapy treatment that caused your mother's lung cancer, Rosie51. A tragic and sad but known result.

I'm so sorry that she died thinking her youthful smoking had caused this.

Lung cancer is curable if caught early enough and I hope this is the case with Esther.

If you're reading this, Esther, yes, you can do everything right but it can still catch you out. It's unpredictable.
Wishing you all the best.

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.

I have literally just come back from having a chest XRay tonight. I have a horrible cough but only at night when I’m asleep. My husband and son tell me I also snore and choke in my sleep!! I sleep with a window open and use an extra pillow but I do have a hiatus hernia. The GP has doubled up my Lanzoprazole and given me a nasal spray but no improvement yet. Poor Esther.