Cancer - so many people with it!

julieca · 2021-12-01T05:39:22+00:00

I seem surrounded by people at the moment who have cancer. Okay an exaggeration, but not by much. Last night a friend told me she had just been diagnosed with cancer. I have another friend going through cancer treatment. In our small staff team of 10 people, two people are going through cancer treatment at the moment. I am just a bit taken aback by knowing so many people who currently have cancer.

WeAreTheHeroes · 01/12/2021 06:28

I know a few people diagnosed recently. Stand Up 2 Cancer states 1 in 2 of us will have cancer in our lifetime. Used to be 1 in 4 not so long ago. I think we have realised early treatment is key with many cancers. We're more likely to see a doctor early if we think something is wrong - public education campaigns have helped with this. Treatments have improved and survival rates have increased for many cancers. Research is ongoing and advances are always being made.

HelloDulling · 01/12/2021 06:30

I feel the same. Suddenly in the last couple of weeks; two friends, two colleagues. It’s horrible.

Original poster

julieca · 01/12/2021 06:34

@HelloDulling yes it is horrible, it has really shaken me up.
@WeAreTheHeroes two of them have secondary cancers, so the outlook is not good. One seems to have a "minor" cancer and should be fine. The other doesn't know yet.
Yes I know people get diagnosed at an earlier stage these days. But up till now I am more used to retired relatives having cancer, than people I know still working.

OP posts:

WeAreTheHeroes · 01/12/2021 06:38

Well it probably depends on your age and experience. When I was a kid one of our neighbours had aggressive breast cancer in her early 30s and sadly died. I've known a number of colleagues and younger people have different cancers. Different prognoses. I've actually only known one elderly relative have cancer. I'm in my late forties.

WeAreTheHeroes · 01/12/2021 06:40

I'll add that attitudes to cancer have changed and a lot of people diagnosed will be open about their diagnosis and treatment in a way that wasn't usual in the past. There is a stigma and taboo around life-limiting and terminal diagnoses though this is changing.

Original poster

julieca · 01/12/2021 06:42

I am in my fifties. I have known young people die of cancer as I grew up, from 16 to 42 years of age. My brother died of cancer. But it has been scattered through the years and seemed much rarer.
I have known elderly relatives have cancer, but none of them died of it.

OP posts:

Thegreencup · 01/12/2021 06:43

@WeAreTheHeroes

I know a few people diagnosed recently. Stand Up 2 Cancer states 1 in 2 of us will have cancer in our lifetime. Used to be 1 in 4 not so long ago. I think we have realised early treatment is key with many cancers. We're more likely to see a doctor early if we think something is wrong - public education campaigns have helped with this. Treatments have improved and survival rates have increased for many cancers. Research is ongoing and advances are always being made.

I think it's 1 in 2 people will have it and 1 in 4 die of cancer.

I think if you have been directly affected by it, either by having it yourself or someone close to you having it then it's more noticeable.

I lost my sister to it last year.

nether · 01/12/2021 06:46

Yes it's between a third and a half of people will be diagnosed at some point.

There's no shielding at the moment, so they're not hidden away, shut indoors and the message of 'they were going to die anyway' re the clinical extreme vulnerability to covid has abated a bit.

So perhaps the same numbers of people are a little more apparent

Bagelsandbrie · 01/12/2021 06:48

I think it is far more common than people realise, sadly especially as people get older. Every relative I’ve had has died of bowel cancer. It’s a horrible disease.

Original poster

julieca · 01/12/2021 06:48

Just googled it, and the average age for diagnosis of cancer is 66 years old.
Yes I do understand that in the past people didn't talk about cancer diagnosis. I know an older relative died when I was a teenager, about forty years ago. My mum said she thought it was cancer, but didn't know for sure. Whereas now people tend to be open about it.

OP posts:

MinnieJackson · 01/12/2021 07:24

Oh god. Im 32. I went to the doctors on Monday as I found a lump in my breast, I have agoraphobia and put it off for about three months. I'm terrified. I've gone from a size 18 to a 12 without trying. I have to go to hospital this morning for a mammogram and scan. Should I be alarmed they're seeing me so fast? The hospital is a massive trigger for my agoraphobia (it's where I gave birth to my stillborn son). I hope they let my mum come in with me. Does anyone know how long it will take to get results? I've got three boys between 9 and 3 😢

WeAreTheHeroes · 01/12/2021 07:40

Can you try to reframe how you think about this? It's better they are seeing you quickly and taking this seriously as there is a much better chance of cancer in the early stages being treatable. I hope things will be okay, but do be aware they don't dress things up if things look suspicious.

Oncewassmith · 01/12/2021 07:48

@MinnieJackson

Oh god. Im 32. I went to the doctors on Monday as I found a lump in my breast, I have agoraphobia and put it off for about three months. I'm terrified. I've gone from a size 18 to a 12 without trying. I have to go to hospital this morning for a mammogram and scan. Should I be alarmed they're seeing me so fast? The hospital is a massive trigger for my agoraphobia (it's where I gave birth to my stillborn son). I hope they let my mum come in with me. Does anyone know how long it will take to get results? I've got three boys between 9 and 3 😢

Don't be alarmed at the speed, it's part of the guidelines for breast lumps to be seen within 2 weeks; and breast cancer treatment has really come on in recent years so even if it is bad news there are so many options etc. And in regards to results I had mine back within 3 days of a biopsy this time round, last time it was a week, so they don't keep you waiting - hope it all goes well for you (and our hospitals are letting people take someone in for things like this so hopefully they'll let your mom in)

GlitteryApples · 01/12/2021 08:10

Yes lots more people with it. I’ve been shocked amongst friends and family

Also relatives in remission suddenly back with aggressive cancer and have died all within a few months of each other this year it’s so sad 😞

I wonder if it’s lack of vitamin d or something from everyone being indoors more last year ? I’m not sure if that would be a factor but if we there must be some kind of contributing factor as for me personally the numbers have been so high it’s made me think

MinnieJackson · 01/12/2021 08:10

Thank you both. I'd much rather they gave it to me straight. Might I find anything out today?

Badbadbunny · 01/12/2021 08:23

@GlitteryApples

Yes lots more people with it. I’ve been shocked amongst friends and family

Also relatives in remission suddenly back with aggressive cancer and have died all within a few months of each other this year it’s so sad 😞

I wonder if it’s lack of vitamin d or something from everyone being indoors more last year ? I’m not sure if that would be a factor but if we there must be some kind of contributing factor as for me personally the numbers have been so high it’s made me think

I really don't think it's much to do with covid. I lost both parents to cancer in the noughties, along with my father in law. None were particularly old - all in their 60s. My OH was diagnosed with an incurable blood cancer 4 years ago at only 53. I remember back in the 90s, a couple of workmates (different firms, different times) in their 20's were diagnosed with cancers meaning long stays in hospital (I think both were blood cancers, and one needed isolation in a sterile room for part of treatment). I've had two clients with breast cancer in the few years pre covid, and two neighbours have died due to cancer in the last decade. All of that was pre covid. So, from my experience, cancer was VERY widespread pre covid. The figures of 1 in 2 and 1 in 4 don't surprise me at all, but it was like that pre covid. I suspect covid has made it worse due to difficulties getting GP appointments etc.

PinkPanther57 · 01/12/2021 08:52

People have been drinking a lot more alcohol generally, in last couple of years (COVID). I was driving along a road in London and saw recycling bins of neighbourhood, stashed full of bottles. Contributing factor?

thereisonlyoneofme · 01/12/2021 10:03

I have cancer, I was totally shocked, never ever considered that it would be me. I have wondered if the increase in cases is due to the amount of additives etc we all intake with our food

MindyStClaire · 01/12/2021 10:07

It's just very very common, and one word that covers a juge range of illnesses.

My parents and my PIL have had cancer 8 times between them, not counting basal cell skin cancers. 7 of them were survivable with various degrees of treatment.

Add in a good few between grandparents that we know of, and (worst of all), my cousin dying at 23.

Not unusual to get it. Not unusual at all to live a long time afterwards.

Cancer - so many people with it!

Interested in this thread?