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Alberta Cancer Foundation’s Underwear Affair, June 2, 2012 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The Underwear Affair is a fund raising event. Participation in The Underwear Affair helps lift the taboo connected with cancers below the waist. Proceeds from the Alberta Cancer Foundation's Underwear Affair support the Tom Baker Cancer Centre here in Calgary and 16 other cancer centres throughout the province.
i rolled my daily dice thismornin' & these
came up.........
mom got her #'s today....
she has MORE cancer treatments.
REALLY puts a perspective on things huh?
Creative photographers have long experimented with superimposing images, one over the other, to produce striking visual effects. Now a group of NIH-supported scientists at Houston Methodist Research Institute and their colleagues have done the same thing to highlight their work in the emerging field of cancer nanomedicine, using microscopic materials to deliver cancer treatments with potentially greater precision. In the process, the researchers generated a photographic work of art that was a winner in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 2015 Bioart competition.
More information: directorsblog.nih.gov/2016/06/23/snapshots-of-life-findin...
This image is not owned by the NIH. It is shared with the public under license. If you have a question about using or reproducing this image, please contact the creator listed in the credits. All rights to the work remain with the original creator.
Credit: Jenolyn F. Alexander and Biana Godin, Houston Methodist Research Institute; Veronika Kozlovskaya and Eugenia Kharlampieva, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
NIH funding from: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Microscopy of human colorectal cancer cells. DNA is labelled red. Credit: S. Regmi and M. Dasso, NICHD/NIH
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(CC) Phillip Jeffrey. www.fadetoplay.com. Feel free to use this photo. I request that you link back to the original picture on Flickr and credit as shown above.
Chemo treatment and living with multiple myeloma + anemia have reduced my cognitive abilities to remember things, recognize people, and recall information. I rely on calendars digital notes, and memory cues to help me through each day. These strengths that once felt solid as a rock, are fading away.
Like sand slipping through my fingers.
My 1st week of Cycle 2 is complete. Last Monday I had a Complete Blood Count. It is a common blood test (1 test tube) I have every 2 weeks that examines my general health during chemo treatment. The results showed that my white blood cells, neutrophils, blood platelets, and hemoglobin were all within/almost within normal range. This is good, it means that there isn’t a negative reaction to treatment. Each month I have a more comprehensive blood test that measure my cancer levels. Last week, I had the hiccups occasionally, a side effect of the steroid dexamethasone, but they went away after 10-15 minutes. I also felt a bit tired and used naps to help me recharge.
Secondary breast cancer, also called metastatic breast cancer, occurs when the disease spreads from the breast to elsewhere in the body. Some patients will have their first diagnosis of breast cancer only to discover that it has spread and is in fact metastatic breast cancer. Many women who are diagnosed with secondary cancer have had breast cancer at a previous time. Secondary cancer is caused by cancerous cells breaking away from their first place of infection to travel via the bloodstream to other parts of the body. Obviously metastatic breast cancer is serious and harder to fight because the disease is not confined simply to the breast.
When metastatic cancer develops, the most likely places it will spread to are the liver, lungs, bones and the brain. But because this type of cancer spreads, it does not mean it will necessarily spread to most or all of these places.
Because every woman is unique, those who develop metastatic breast cancer will have their own set of symptoms. These are determined by the location of the secondary cancer. If in the bones, the symptoms will usually mean aches and pains in the bones and particularly so when moving. It can also be difficult to sleep.
Epidemiology
The pain in cancer patients is usually multifactorial, may arise from the process itself, treatment side effects or both. For these reasons the approach and management of this symptom should be multidisciplinary. Pain syndrome occurs either by local proliferation or tumor invasion of a metastatic tumor from a distance. With metastatic bone pain often reflects the presence of a tumor in breast, thyroid, prostate, kidney, lung or adrenal.
Physiology of bone pain
Bone pain is associated with tissue destruction by osteoclast cells. Normally, osteoclastic bone resorption are in balance with bone formation mediated by osteoblasts. In neoplastic osteolytic activity is increased and there are substances such as cytokines, local growth factors, peptides similar to parathyroid hormone and prostaglandins. Autacoids are also released other owners as potassium ions, bradykinin and osteoclast activating factors. These tissue substances play an important role in sensitizing the neural tissue against chemical and thermal stimuli, lower thresholds for discharge of the neuronal membrane, produce exaggerated responses to stimuli above the threshold and result in discharges of tonic impulses normally silent nociceptors. This phenomenon is called peripheral sensitization and primary hyperalgesia and is understood as events occurring within the ranks of the injured tissue and stimulate peripheral nociceptors (C fibers and A delta fibers) translating pain. In bone tissue of the sensory receptors are located primarily in the periosteum, whereas the bone marrow and bone cortex are insensitive. This phenomenon of peripheral sensitization results in abnormal sensitivity to pressure surrounding skin (allodynia and hyperalgesia), pain in muscles, tendons, joints and deep tissues in contact with bone. This is limited to ensure that the peripheral ends have a greater capacity for alarm response to injury.
The constant presence of harmful process, stimulating nociceptive receptors gives the introduction of a subacute pain that tends to be chronic with the growth of bone metastases. These stimuli lead to another prevalent phenomenon called central sensitization important which includes abnormal amplification of incoming sensory signals to the central nervous system, particularly the spinal cord. The phenomenon occurs because of the persistent input stimulus through the fibers C. This spinal cord triggers a temporary increase in the power of silent synaptic terminals. In this process plays an important role of glutamate receptor N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). The resulting amplification of the signal generated in the postsynaptic neuron sends a message to the brain which is interpreted as pain. In short central sensitization amplifies the sensory effects of both peripheral nociceptive inputs (C fibers of pain) and non-nociceptive fibers (A of touch).
In practice the two phenomena come together in the genesis of metastatic bone pain and peripheral sensitization occurs acutely metastatic lesions to appear nociceptors and translate the information conveyed through the afferent myelinated A-delta or unmyelinated C fibers to the spinal cord where the information is modulated by various systems. With the set up process subacute begins the process of central sensitization which sensory synapses begin to activate silent. And there is a state of increased central perception. By becoming chronic pain phenomenon becomes even more complex because all that is in contact with the area of injury becomes a powerful generator of pain. The touch, muscle movement or joint pain result, manifesting the phenomena of allodynia and hyperalgesia much more marked.
THE ZODIAC. Cáncer.
Fotografía y edición: Patygelduck
Modelo: Carol Rodríguez
Maquillaje y peluquería: María Rishmawi & Juan Carlos Herrera
Body: Jennifer Mars
Asistente de fotografía: CheeseThief
Summersome ward has approximately twenty six patients when at capacity, mostly it had seventeen or so. Of those, five were long term patients like myself. We would pass each other in the corridors and greet one another, asking how we are but never enquiring about details. We all knew each other to some degree. I knew some better than others. On nights I couldn’t sleep I would sit with the night shift nurses at the station where others would be. We would talk about a wide range of topics. Despite the differences in opinions we were all united in one thing. There was a camaraderie because each of us there were fighting a weapons grade cunt called cancer.
I hadn’t slept in the night so ended up at the station where I learned that a long term patient had died in the early hours. She was a lovely lady, a fight in her that burned behind her kind eyes. She had been progressively weaker over the weeks. However nothing prepares you for their death. Nothing. You can’t help but get emotional, at this stage in my life I have given up fighting back the tears, clenching my jaw in defiance of the emotion that wells up from deep inside. I will miss her.
There was a knock on my door and Dr Hardy came in. Smiling she pulled the chair closer to my bed.
“It’s good to see you again Jack, how are you?” she asked.
“Dr Hardy, is it eleven already? Time flies when you are having fun I guess. I’m okay, no real pain, a few new bruises from the insulation injections.” I replied.
“Please call me Ann, I prefer less formality. Do you mind if I sit down?” she asked.
“Of course not, please do” I said motioning to the chair with a nod.
Pulling the chair further towards me she sat down and wriggled to get comfy. Crossing her legs she rested my medical notes on a knee and began turning over the pages.
“Major abdominal surgery, bowel cancer metastasised to the liver, pancreatic internal bleed. Diabetic. Chemo toxicity. You’ve been through it” she said casting a confirming glance at me.
“It’s been quite a ride” I replied.
I still wasn’t sure whether this was real world or the morphine again. The afternoon before she had touched my shoulder though, I had felt that. She was real therefore this wasn’t a hallucination I concluded. I would open up to her.
“Also have erratic heart rates that Dr Crusic has concerns about. Full house I guess” I added and smiled at her.
Ann got up and replaced the notes at the bottom of the bed, sitting back down. She crossed her legs again and leaned back in the chair. She pursed her lips.
“How do you feel following that conversation with Billy, sorry I mean Dr Crusic?”
I paused to think about this. I hadn’t really determined how I felt about it. Sounds ridiculous I know but I really hadn’t.
“I appreciated his direct approach in stating the facts. I don’t want to sound complacent to any of this, I accept I’m on the clock now and I have fantastic teams all helping me fight to stay alive. I appreciate every single one of them. However I know I could die at anytime now. Deep down I’ve known and accepted this when I was first told the seriousness of my condition.” I said.
Pausing for a moment I glanced at Ann. She was regarding me carefully but said nothing and in doing so encouraging me to continue.
“Without rambling on… I think that accurately describes how I feel about the conversation we had, and indeed how I feel now. I have my distractions, my blog, my music, and my exercise. All of these I believe keep me sane, objective and a desire to keep fighting. I have my memories.” I concluded.
“Is that your greatest fear as of now, death?” she asked as she rubbed her leg, one of those itches that just had to be scratched I guess.
“Not really no. Sepsis closing down my organs and the excruciating fucking pain. The many times I have been so ill that it was unlikely I would make it through the night. I think any fear I had of death… well I would just say it’s not a fear I have. My greatest fear right now is that I am ignoring someone so very near and dear to me” I said.
“Do you mind if I recline the bed a little, I am finding sitting up like this to be rather uncomfortable on my bum” I asked glancing back to her.
She reached for the bed control and it began to flatten out.
“Say when?” she said.
“When!” I exclaimed smiling back at her. “Thank you, that’s much better.”
“Who are you ignoring and why Jack?” she asked as she attempted to replace the control on the hook, missing it several times before finally finding the right angle so it caught.
You ought to try doing it in the dark, on morphine and while laying down, most of the time the control ended up on the floor shortly followed by me muttering ‘fuck it’.
There was a knock at the door and Caitlin appeared, time for the vitals. Caitlin was really kind with me, would always stay and chat. She saw Ann was sat at my side, greeted her and said that she wouldn’t be long.
“Short pain” Caitlin said as she pressed the button, the lance launching the needle into my finger.
“How come you don’t say sharp scratch, I was under the impression that was the default announcement before stabbing anyone” I asked Caitlin, offering her a smile.
She looked up from the monitoring phone and appeared to be considering my question. Apple iPhones by the way, it seems there is no industry that they haven’t penetrated with their kit.
“It’s not really a sharp scratch though is it, more like a little prick” she giggled.
Packing up the trolley she made for the door. Stopping in the open doorway, “but we can’t say little prick, it sounds rude” she added.
“I’ve been called much worse” I said after her. The door quietly shut and I was left with Ann looking at me with what I would describe as a rather quizzical expression.
“It’s true, I have been called much worse in my time. Most of it underserving I hasten to add, some of it I did deserve. Certainly no angel by any stretch of the imagination” I said.
Ann bowed her head laughing. Scratching that leg again she looked up and gave me a friendly smile. Running her fingers through her ponytail I sensed she was wondering what to say. However she wasn’t wondering at all, she probably knew what she was going to ask three or maybe four questions ahead.
“You had said your greatest fear was that you were ignoring someone important to you. I had asked who it is and why you feel the need to ignore them?” she persisted.
The feeling came over me very quickly, this was not a subject I wanted to discuss with anyone. I was ashamed of my actions. I needed to say goodbye but the hurt I knew I was causing to someone who did not deserve it. I could feel myself closing off, becoming guarded as if Ann had asked a deeply personal question. Which she had. She just didn’t realise maybe.
“Would you mind if this conversation was discussed at a later point, I don’t mean to be rude or appear unappreciative of your help and time. It’s because I am so ashamed of myself for not doing what is right, that it is hard for me to put this into words. Coherent words I mean. Coherent enough to convey the who and why” I asked.
“Of course. When you are comfortable with talking about it you can let me know. If it weighs heavily on your mind then I would recommend that you share it. It is clearly important you” she replied.
I quietly thanked her, not lifting my head from staring at the bed sheets. Now this was fucking rude of me. Ann wanted to help. I looked at her, into her eyes as tears rolled from mine.
“Jack, I am going to let you rest now. I will call in to see you tomorrow around the same time if that’s okay with you?” she asked placing her hand on my shoulder.
“Yes please, thank you Ann. I will look forward to that and I am so very sorry for all this. I don’t know what has come over me” I replied.
“You have nothing to apologise for Jack, I am here to help you where I can, whatever the issues” she said. The slight pressure from her hand went as I closed my eyes, the sound of the door quietly closing. I tapped the music app on the laptop, set it to shuffle and tried to sleep.
I vaguely remember Caitlin coming in, offering my arm for the vitals check. She was humming along to Pauly Fuemana’s ‘how bizarre’ playing on my laptop. It was a soft hum that relaxed me, sending me back to sleep. When I finally did open my eyes, the room was dark except for the small light that remained on all the time. I had slept through the rest of the morning and all of the afternoon.
A knock at the door. It was Clarissa. “Can I get you a drink love?” she asked.
“I’d love a highball Clarissa” I replied grinning.
“What’s a highball, never heard of that? Is that one of those funny coffee concoctions because we can’t do anything clever with the hot drinks I’m afraid”
“Typically, a highball is a shot from each bottle across the optics, a splash of mixer. If you ask for one in the Viper Room that is.”
Clarissa boomed out her contagious laugh. “You would be so lucky love, I can offer a cup of tea, white, two sugars?” she said still laughing.
“That would be perfect, thank you. Oh and if you see anyone from the diabetes team, don’t mention the sugar?”
She winked at me, the door slowly closed behind her.
And John was belting out God Save the Queen. Indeed John, God save her.
If you enjoy this content, please consider buying me a coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/grifandesqz- Thank you.
I am diagnosed with terminal stage 4 colon cancer that has metastasised to my liver. I now have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and as a result of the colon cancer, I have an ileostomy called Elvis.
Here is me and the love of my life, on a quick break away as my darling wife starts chemotherapy again in the morning, she as been battling cancer on an off for just over 4 years now,she is one courageous and brave lady..
In commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Ambassador Shapiro and Ms. Fisher will hold a ceremony tonight (Tuesday, October 25) to illuminate the Embassy in pink. The seaside wall of the Embassy will be illuminated from 18:00 to midnight for six nights, from October 25 - through October 30.
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(CC) Phillip Jeffrey. fadetoplay.com. Feel free to use this photo. I request that you link back to the original picture on Flickr and credit as shown above.
Last Sunday I completed a year on Pomalyst chemo - 13 four week cycles. Sometimes dealing with the side effects has been quite challenging, however I’m happy that my overall experience has been good. As my treatment continues through 2016, I remain hopeful that my cancer levels will remain low, and that my spirits will remain high.
Emphasizing stress-free activities in my life, such as photography, exploring nature, and relaxing with friends is essential for my health and well-being. As a multiple myeloma and anemia patient, I’m 100% committed to fight against this incurable disease. Thanks to the support of my friends, I’m never alone.
Standing strong!
To recap: I have multiple myeloma and anemia, a rare cancer of the blood plasma. It is treatable, but incurable. On Sunday, February 7th I completed Cycle 13 Week 4 of my four week treatment cycle. I have 21 days on (Pomalyst chemo pill) and then 7 days off. In addition, I take dexamethasone, an oral steroid, every Monday.
WORLD CANCER DAY – Debunk the Myths
The panel was moderated by Ms Julie Torode, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), whose organization is responsible for World Cancer Day.
The distinguished panellists were:
HE Ms Ana Teresa Dengo, Ambassador to Austria and the Resident Representative of the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the IAEA
Dr Hania Morsi Fadl, Founder and Chairman of the Khartoum Breast Cancer Centre, Sudan
Professor Ian Olver, Chief Executive Officer, Cancer Council Australia
Dr James F Cleary, Associate Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, United States of America
Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA
It's time to think about those 3 day walks coming up this fall! These would make a thoughtful gift for any breast cancer walker, fundraiser, participant or just for YOU!
These Sterling Silver Sandal charms feature the classic silver ribbon design and are accented with Swarovski crystals on the earwires and tiny Swarovski pearls.
A surgeon doing reconstructive surgery for breast cancer patients becomes a passionate advocate of women's breast health and and an activist for healthcare coverage relating to the disease. She tells a good story and she combines her Western medical training with Ayurveda principles, the 5,000 year old Indian healing practice. Thus Waking the Warrior Goddess is a compendium of medical studies offering proof for her underlying lifestyle advice. Similar to The China Study in that respect, but much more detailed as to specific advice and more holistic, since she does cover supplements, exercise, sleep, emotional outlook, and spiritual reflection as well as diet. She is also of the opinion that vegetarianism is the preferred diet, but does not insist that it is the cure to cancer as The China Study seems to. She is a big advocate of organic food (and even the way food is grown) which The China Study didn't care about.
She also takes the route of describing a breast cancer profile as the author of Anti-Cancer does. She lists it rather dramatically as a singles classified ad in search of "an overweight, older, American or Western European woman who loves to stay up all night drinking, eating red meat, junk food, burning the candle at both ends, thrives on stress, isn't into exercise, smokes and puts everyone else's needs before her own." This last characteristic is the kicker that overlaps with the profile in the Anti-Cancer book and is somewhat useful to the patient to start saving her own life.
She does caution that breast cancer finds all woman desirable nonetheless, but her book is mainly about coaching the high risk people into a less risky lifestyle based on holistic Ayurveda principles. The depth of her advice is encyclopedic. It's hard to imagine someone carrying out even half of everything she suggests, but it is all sound medical advice or sounds like it; there are studies to back up everything though the reader cannot know the quality of the studies and some seem to conflict within the book itself.
I was impressed by all the foods that were anti-cancer like mushrooms, flax seed, melatonin, stevia. And there's the controversial soy foods which she addresses as being a misunderstanding of the way estrogen works. Then there are the cancer causing and cancer inviting foods, especially sugar, which she says, feeds the cancer. (This is ironic because when you are on chemo you are encouraged to suck up as much sugar as you can in drinks because it gives you energy and it is also delivered to you in the hydrating fluids.) And of course red meat, smoking, drinking, hormone replacement therapy, the Pill and environmental toxins are all bad for you. She touches on stress and gives a run down on the benefits of meditation particularly transcendental meditation, but that's as far as it goes on the inward journey.
This book (published in 2005) is on the conventional side and much of her advice has already seeped into the culture. It is a unique book in that it addresses only breast cancer, thus the pink ribbon on the cover. But because it starts off, by putting the responsibility on the patient for getting cancer, she would be given the boot by any number of feminist, breast cancer survivors who, in my world, also happen to be therapists. It is a no-no to blame the victim. So it is really a book for those who want to tweak their lifestyle to prevent cancer and feel good about doing so. It likely will not appeal to cancer patients or cancer survivors. And because there is a whole section on carcinogens I would not give this book to a cancer patient for fear that they would just fixate on all the bad things that might cross their paths thus feeding their paranoia.
It's very popular to think of a cancer patient or AIDs patient or other terminally ill patient as one who uses their disease as a wake-up call and changes their life dramatically thus transforming shit into gold. From what I'm seeing most people just want to get their life back exactly as it was before; while some may channel their residual anger (at being put through the ordeal and having to navigate the healthcare mill on top of it), into productive activism and patient advocacy. Or just supporting others going through similar circumstances. (Which I much appreciate. Thank-you survivors.)
And for those rare people who have one of those intriguing spiritual transformations in a sort of initiation by fire, this is not the book that is going to ignite such a change. Read too much of it and it just sounds like so much well meaning haranguing by your mother to eat your vegetables.
I do, however, appreciate the passion and good intentions the author puts into this body of work and she does tell a good story about meeting President Clinton.
Recommended by the daughter of a cancer survivor friend.
IAEA World Cancer Day Event with this year's theme "Not Beyond Us" at the Agency headquarters in Vienna, Austria. 4 February 2015.
Panel Speakers:
HE MS Roman Tesfaye, First Lady of Ethiopia
Dr Tezer Kutluk, President of the Union for International Cancer Control
Dr Doyin Oluwole, Executive Director of Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon (launched by the George W Bush Institute)
Dr Kennedy Lishimpi, Executive Director of Zambia's Cancer Diseases Hospital
Ms May Abdel-Wahab, Director of the IAEA's Division of Human Health
Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA
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While discussing #cancer, most people will consider tongue cancer as an afterthought. People generally talk about cancer in the lungs, skin, colon, and other internal organs. But the fact of the matter is that tongue cancer, along with other types of oral cancers, is just as life-threatening as other types. You will, therefore, need to check for the #symptoms of #tongue cancer to make sure that you are not infected.
What is tongue cancer?
The tongue consists of two parts. The front two-thirds part of the tongue is known as the oral tongue, whereas the remaining part, which is at the backside, is known as the tongue base. According to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), tongue cancer usually forms on the oral tongue. This cancer results in the formation of thin, flat cells known as squamous cells. These cells cover the surface of the tongue. Cancer that forms on the base of the tongue is known as #oropharyngeal cancer.
Symptoms of tongue cancer
You may want to consult your dentist first if you think that you have tongue cancer. A thorough oral examination will make things clearer in this regard. You may want to look for the following symptoms to check for the presence of tongue cancer.
•A sore #throat that looks chronic
•Pain while chewing and swallowing
•Persistent pain in the jaw or tongue
•The inner lining of the mouth appearing unusually red or white, especially the tongue
•Numbness that doesn’t go away
•Trouble moving your jaw
Tongue cancer detection
You will need to call your dentist right away if you notice one or two symptoms of tongue cancer. The dentist will perform an oral examination. This check will include an examination of the tongue, throat, cheeks, and roof and floor of the mouth. He will also check lymph nodes in the neck. Upon finding any unusual growth in your oral cavity, the doctor or dentist will perform a tissue biopsy.
The detection of cancer is usually performed by a doctor. For instance, he or she may perform an endoscopy to have a closer look at your throat and lungs. A CT scan will help in the identification of any tumors in the infected area. An MRI test may help in determining if cancer has undergone metastasis. If the doctor is unable to determine the reason behind symptoms, he or she may refer you to an ENT specialist.
Treatment methods
The most significant requirement for treating this cancer is to find it early. There are several ways to treat tongue cancer. Using any particular method will depend on the size of the infection and whether or not it has spread to the other areas around the tongue. If cancer has spread to lymph nodes, you are going to get radiation therapy, which aims at destroying cancer cells. Chemotherapy is another treatment option. You can discuss all these options with your doctor.
Cancer of any kind is life-threatening, so finding it early is the key to a successful treatment. The best way is to practice preventative dental and overall healthcare to make sure that you are not affected by any life-threatening condition.
My mother's cancer was all throughout her body which was the reason why I chose a lavender ribbon which stands for all cancers and the 17 swirls stand for the 17 wonderful years I had with her.
Con motivo de la celebración del Día Mundial del Cáncer 2013, el 1 de febrero se ha organizado un encuentro con las asociaciones que trabajan en este ámbito en Andalucía, para presentar un balance del Foro de Pacientes con Cáncer (www.onconocimiento.net/foro) puesto en marcha desde 2010 por el Plan Integral de Oncología de la Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social, en colaboración con la Sociedad Andaluza de Cancerología.