Cancer Survivors? Do You Know Any?

[PepsNick]

I was just wondering if we have any cancer survivors on BYC... if so I have some questions.

1) What kind of cancer did you have?
2) How did it get treated?
3) Did you go through chemo?
4) What year did you find out you had cancer, and what year did you beat it?

Just thought it'd be interesting to hear.

Glad you survived.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

My dad is a survivor.

1) What kind of cancer did you have? He was initially diagnosed with pancreatic. Thankfully it turned out to be lymphoma instead.
2) How did it get treated? He went through chemo.
3) Did you go through chemo? Yup
4) What year did you find out you had cancer, and what year did you beat it? It has been a couple of years now. He went through chemo from March until May. He still goes everty three months and gets another blast of chemo. That makes him tired for a day or so, but for the most part he is doing great.

 

[Dunkopf]

My older sister had breast cancer. she is 53 now. Got it about 5 years ago. 2nd stage. Had chemo and surgery. Had a lumpectomy. She looked like the walking dead for about 6 months or so. She gets checked every 6 months and is very careful about any thing that affects estrogen. Difficult during menopause.

I'm sure she lives in constant fear of it coming back. I understand it's genetic. So I worry a little about myself. The only person in my family before my sister was my great grandfather. He died when I was 6 and I never really knew him. He had stomach cancer. Nobody in my family has ever smoked. at least not back to my grandparents.

 

[Mak]

1) What kind of cancer did you have?
Colon

2) How did it get treated?
Surgery (Right hemicolectomy, specifically)

3) Did you go through chemo?
No. No evidence of metastizing. Still none.

4) What year did you find out you had cancer, and what year did you beat it?
2007- found a large polyp during a routine colonoscopy. Biopsied and did the surgery.
I still get blood tests every 6 months, and had colonoscopy every year. Am out to 3 years on colonoscopy now.

Have that colonoscopy, peeps! It saved my life. Prep no fun, procedure piece of cake. Don't mess with it.

 

[Carolyn]

My sister. At age 19 the doctor found an abd mass which turned out to be ovarian cancer, bilateral. She had a total hysterectomy. They consulted with John Hopkins specialist and did not recommend further treatment. That was in 1973! She has had no cancer related problems since inspite of the fact there were fewer treatment options then.

 

[Judy]

4 people in my immediate family or close friends survived cancer with surgery followed by little or no chemo. One lived 20+ years. Some are still alive, others died of unrelated causes.

 

[mom'sfolly]

two family members...BIL and MIL

MIL stage 1 breast cancer
lumpectomy, chemo and radiation
about 8-10 years ago


BIL....soft tissue sarcoma
Initial treatment:surgery
Cancer returned, approximately 2.5-3 cm in diameter when found on the 6 month post surgery scan
Subsequent treatment: Chemo-no change in tumor size, side effects of marrow strengthening drugs completely horrible
Radiation: 6 week of pre-surgery radiation, surgery, and radiation at the surgery site while opened up.
Now he is 4-5 years post cancer. Considering how aggressive this thing was initially, I think he is most likely cancer free.

I've also had friends/family with breast and coloerectal cancer that are many years cancer free and an almost family member who died of pancreatic cancer about 18 months after they said he would be dead.

My grandfather died of leukemia, but that was almost 40 years ago, and cancer treatment is much better. I think any American adult over 40 knows cancer survivors and ones who didn't survive. Cancer covers such a huge range of disease and is very prevalent.

 

[squiqwe]

I had prostate cancer. They did a psa test mine was off they chart

0 to 1 is normal, mine was 22

!

In 08 I had 41 radiation treaments then started hormone therapy. Today I am cancer free! Thank god

 

[ChickaDiva]

Daughter had bone cancer at 12, bladder cancer at 19. Has survived both....1st cancer 5 types of chemo, surgery, radiation. 2nd cancer removal of tumor only---she was pregnant at the time. No longer candidate for chemo due to aggressiveness of treatment --- spirit and attitude are a HUGE part of the answer! Love, Dee

 

[poconoadoptionfamily]

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2008 with a routine Mammo at the age of 42. After a lumpectomy the drs found they couldn't get clear margins so I had a bilateral Mastectomy with reconstruction instead. (Ductal Carcinoma Insitu - Estrogen Positive - Stage 1) I chose the bilateral b/c I just didn't want to go through this again with a young child at home. Didn't need chemo and I was cancer free in 2009. I had a reconstructive surgery earlier this year. Hoping to put this behind me and looking forward to the 5 year anniversary of being cancer free.(2014)