My 27 Year-Old Friend Has Cancer

[Doctor Z]

What the fuck is wrong with this world...

[JPMNICK]

wow that is shitty news. hopefully being young helps them recover faster and beat it. sorry to hear it

[KingGeno]

Sorry. That really sucks. Just be there to support them. Not all cancers are terminal, so they may be able to knock it out. Dunno if that is any consolation. Thoughts to them.

[Doctor Z]

I don't understand how cancer is becoming so fucking prevalent in recent years. Is it cell phones? Is it something in the air? In our food? I have one friend (only 25), who survived cancer a couple of years ago... Two of my closest friends have parents in their 50's who are terminal, and are on their death beds from cancer. And today I find out my 27 year-old friend has cancer. We don't know how bad it is yet, but what the fuck... what the fuck. Cancer is happening to way too many people who are way too young...

How? Why?

[Jughead]

I found out in the last few weeks I have it..BUT..it is skin and Dr Steve has made me feel a lot better about my chances...I Just hope and ( yes I do pray) it is in a place that today can be treated.....Im so sorry for your friend..Juggy

[donnie_darko]

One in three Americans will be diagnosed with cancer, often before the age of 65.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/19/opinion/edservan.php

[KingGeno]

How? Why?

Dunno. Nowadays, they sure are saying that anything from the plastic bottles you drink water from, the electronics you use, the foods you eat can cause cancer. It's tough knowing what the fuck to do. On top of that, you can be like "Well, I'm gonna live at the beach and use no technology and just surf for the rest of my life". Then you'll read "Salt water causes cancer" somewhere. Just crazy shit.

Again, sorry bout your friend. I've had one friend pass on from it, and two others in remission. I don't get it either. It's not fair, cuz they were really great and good hearted people.

[ahhdurr]

What the fuck is wrong with this world...

That blows...

Cancer killed and fucked up too many people from the neighborhood I grew up in. It strikes me as a pollution thing. Which is sickening.

It's looking to me like a prevention thing rather than a cure. I hope we find one though of course but whatever, or so. That sucks I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully he's got a supportive budday!:wink:

[Thebazile78]

A good friend of mine from the Avon Walk just turned 30 last weekend ... and she's a 5-year breast cancer survivor.

Depending on the type of cancer your friend has and the stage at which it was diagnosed, they have a pretty good survival rate because of all the advances in treatment that have been made in the last few years alone.

Can you elaborate on the type of cancer and what stage it's at? Do you know anything about what kind of treatment your friend will need (surgery, chemo, radiation, study-treatments, etc.)? Or would you prefer not to say?

[hurlmon]

Depending on the type of cancer your friend has and the stage at which it was diagnosed, they have a pretty good survival rate because of all the advances in treatment that have been made in the last few years alone.

exactly. I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer when i was 29. Went through a few surgeries, radiation, and a couple "is it back" scares. 10 years later I'm down a nut, but have finally been told i'm cured.

Just help him keep a positive outlook. In my experiences it seemed that the people who had a positive outlook responded better to the treatments and didn't have as many side effects. Sounds stupid I know , but it's how it appeared to me and what could it hurt to stay positive..

I hope everything turns out ok.

[grlNIN]

Sorry to hear this, it's nothing short of tragic when this kind of circumstance befalls someone so young.

My cousin Johanna is 26 and a survivor of cervical cancer. However, 2 months ago they found more tumors and now have to remove pretty much everything down there (ovaries, uterus, rectum). She gave the full litany of what the doctors will be doing but it's hard, even now to wrap my mind around in terms of what she will have to live with and without for the rest of her life.

I'm sorry about your friend, think positive, hope for the best and be there for her. She'll be in my prayers.

[EliSnow]

I've been cancer-free for 12 years now. I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1995, had surgery and four months of chemo. It's tough but cancer is beatable.

My thoughts are with you and your friend. Stay positive, because a positive outlook is very important to dealing with the disease.

[~Katja~]

I think at this point everybody has someone in their direct family or circle of friends that has or had cancer. It is scary how far spread it is.

My friend's son was diagnosed with ALL when he was just a few months old.
The first doctor was not taken the symptoms serious but his mother kept going back and insisted in blood work which revealed the truth.
He was on chemo and treatments and was in remission for a few month. Then he was out of remission and had to undergo additional chemo treatments.
All through this time, the little boy has been in great spirits and just a every joyful kid.
He is currently in remission and I am hoping it will stay that way. He is going to be three in November.

[WhistlePig]

I'm so sorry buddy. Cancer bites. My thoughts are with you and your friend.

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

I'm so sorry Doc Z. Cancer is the worst thing for anyone to have to go through; and it also takes a toll on friends and family. Just make sure that you take care of yourself as you take care of your friend. See if there's some sort of cancer support group in your area.

My dad died of cancer during my Junior year of college. He was my sole parent (mom died in '77). My friends and roommates were my BIGGEST source of comfort. Look to friends and family for comfort and maybe a support group.

My roommates actually got a grief counselor to come to our apt for me and one of my roommates whose dad also died (suicide). Granted, it was AFTER the fact, but it was also 20 years ago when people didn't seek out help as much. It really does make the WORLD of difference!!

You and your friend are in my thoughts and prayers.

Hang tight!

Fuzzybutt
aka Petrina

[Doctor Z]

Thanks for all the thoughts and support, everyone. It may not seem like much, but it really does mean a lot.

[ibanez23]

My mother had breast cancer in her forties.She had a masectomy and lived a few more years but died of lung cancer.My father died a year later.I was only 25 years old.
Sometimes life doesn't make scence.

[Doctor Z]

I'm really sorry to hear that ibanez. I don't think I'll ever be able to make sense of it all. My best friend/roommate is going through a similar experience right now. His mother is in her final weeks, and he has had to watch her slowly deteriorate and his family go through hell.

Fuck cancer. The fact that it hasn't been figured out is pathetic.

[Thebazile78]

I'm really sorry to hear that ibanez. I don't think I'll ever be able to make sense of it all. My best friend/roommate is going through a similar experience right now. His mother is in her final weeks, and he has had to watch her slowly deteriorate and his family go through hell.

Fuck cancer. The fact that it hasn't been figured out is pathetic.

Exactly why so many people fundraise and do walks & runs like the ones sponsored by Avon or the Komen Foundation or the American Cancer Society ... there's no nice way to say it. Cancer sucks.

It steals people from our lives and makes once-healthy and vibrant people weak and frail because the treatment is poison.

HOWEVER, because of the research that's being funded right now, we are constantly learning more and more about how cancer comes about ... AND how to treat it more effectively. There's some exciting research into the genetic composition of tumors (what makes them function differently from normal cells) and some more research about redirecting the courses of radiation to shorter, more intense bursts of treatment ... among other things.

They're constantly learning more and better things in medicine. There's always someone doing research somewhere ... and new partnerships are being forged between charities and research institutions every single day.

[OK, so I'm a bit wired ... but spending 3 days sharing stories of cancer survival with thousands of people kind of gets under my skin for a bit.]

Oh, and Z, did you get any more information about what kind of stuff your friend will have to face in their treatment? (Kind of cancer, what stage, treatment options, surgery, chemo, radiation, etc.)