[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Tom

My nana had bowel cancer for 10-15 years before it was diagnosed. Other than a few pains in her stomach she had no other health problems and even then it was only diagnosed because of a scan for something else. Unfortunately it was terminal but they attempted to operate to reduce the size of the tumour. It was partially successful but most of it was sat over a major artery. After the operation she required lots more medical treatment including parts of her bowel removed and put onto a lot of cancer related drugs. She died within 3 months of diagnosis. Can't help but think if she didn't have that operation, we could have easily got another few years out of her.

A friends mum died of a brain tumour and another friends nana of breast cancer both within 6 months of being diagnosed despite both having it for a while. I don't know the ins and outs but the one with breast cancer was told she'd make a full recovery. Both had treatment. The treatment is brutal and only seems to work if you can recover. If you can't recover then I really do think it speeds up death. I'm no expert but I don't see how anyone can go for so long having a tumour and then die pretty much straight away (in comparison to length of time having it) once diagnosed or once treatment starts.

A further example we can all probably relate to is Jade Goody especially with someone so young. Did anyone really think she'd be diagnosed in September and dead in March?

This really scares me.

My mother went for a mastectomy yesterday morning, after 2 other operations that didnt work...and will be starting her radiotherapy (and possibly chemo, depending on some stuff) just after xmas :/

[fruit_cake]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

This really scares me.

My mother went for a mastectomy yesterday morning, after 2 other operations that didnt work...and will be starting her radiotherapy (and possibly chemo, depending on some stuff) just after xmas :/

crikey Vicky, I hope everything goes well. A friend of mine just had a lump removed from her breast and had radiotherapy sessions. She's absolutely fine now a year later.

I think radio therapy is nothing like as invasive as chemo and can be localised just to the cancer itself.

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by christmas_cake

crikey Vicky, I hope everything goes well. A friend of mine just had a lump removed from her breast and had radiotherapy sessions. She's absolutely fine now a year later.

I think radio therapy is nothing like as invasive as chemo and can be localised just to the cancer itself.

Yeah Im hoping she just needs the radiotherapy. Though with the luck shes had so far(was told it was a really slim chance of the first op not working, then even slimmer of the second not working...both failed. Was told lump was small, turned out to be massive etc etc) no doubt it will turn out she needs chemo too