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...It depends who you ask.View Thread

The point I want to make, here, is this. Just as you, there were times I battled doom and gloom. But, I kept an open mind and heart about her future and mine. No one can predict the future. As it turns out, despite the worst possible outcome, I've found three young people who are game-changers. Her kids are nothing less than amazing...all funny, courageous and filled with optimism.
Don't get me wrong, my family, her family, her friends, her church and co-workers, dearly, miss Julie. But, I've got to be honest. My wife and I are as happy as we've ever been. Go figure?...Who knew?
Nobody knows what's going to happen, next.View Thread

The discussion solicits thoughts regarding this new technology and will it effect present methods of screening.
I believe faster and more accessible colon cancer screening methods are important for all Americans. I believe a breathalyzer tool could potentially save many lives in this country.
You speak of "finger pointing", but...
It's been 3 weeks...Did you have "anything" to contribute about the topic, at hand? View Thread

My theory why this is so is because lifestyle diseases take years, even decades, to develop and during this lengthy gestation period you're likely to feel "fine". Thus, when a doctor declares your fasting blood glucose reads over 125 or the biopsy comes back positive or your coronary arteries are blocked 90%, the first response is, "Aw, you're crazy! I feel fine!" Of course they do! Who can tell the difference between a systolic pressure of 150 vs a normal 120?
We need smartphones that can read out blood pressure, instantaneously. We need toilets that can analyze for diabetes and triglycerides every time you take a crap. We need surgically implanted pedometers that will tell you to get off your a$^ and move if you don't take enough steps at intervals throughout the day.
And, of course, we desperately need breathalyzer tools that can detect colon and other cancers.View Thread

Monitoring cancer treatment is the most common use of tumor markers. As cancer is reduced, levels often decrease. Stable or increasing levels often indicate that the cancer is not responding to treatment. The choice of tumor marker to use for monitoring is important. Only a marker elevated before treatment should be used to monitor a person during or after treatment. Timing of the tests is also important. Each tumor marker has a unique life span in the blood. To monitor a treatment's success, enough time must have passed for the initial marker to be cleared from the blood. Tests done too soon may be falsely elevated because the marker produced by the untreated cancer is still present...
...Conclusions based on tumor marker tests are seldom based on one test result but on a series of test results, called serial measurements. A series of increasing or decreasing values is more significant than a single value.
Talk to the doctor. CEA is just one means of measure. CAT or PET scan (physical measure) is another. Hope this helps, good luck!
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Can you explain why a doctor would risk "that" assuming he/she has no prior relationship to either you or your mom?
I will say that most cancer specialists are busy, busy people and they, generally, will not go out of their way to chit-chat; there's too many patients to see and not enough hrs in the day. I researched my best friend's Stage IV, thoroughly, and I had extremely detailed questions regarding her pre-treatment, post-chemo & post-Sir Sphere options . As a professional courtesy, I faxed them to the dr's office two days before every scheduled follow-up meeting...
Every one of my questions (and my friend's) were answered thoroughly and honestly.
As you research treatment protocols for stage IV lymph or liver spread, you'll find its well established and documented and no doctor (in his/her right mind) would deviate from these standards to any significant degree. Its really not a question of trust. Doctors will simply not go out on a limb for their patients if it risks getting sued for malpractice. That's why they can behave that way to patients...their following standard procedures that will hold up to review board scrutiny...
and, the board does not suspend licenses when drs are not congenial and chit-chatty. That's the way it is, unfortunately.View Thread


Lucky you. 6 down but 3 to go.View Thread

If there is one certainty in your post I can agree, its the power of a positive, grateful, and loving mind. For anyone fighting cancer, its very hard to not doubt yourself, at times. To be unsure whether you're making the "right" choices. It's these times when faith comes to our aid...
"Whatever the outcome, it'll be OK as long as I believe..."View Thread

Was there a point in your treatment where it occurred to you that maybe the chemo and radiation was doing more harm than good? That the chemo was destroying your liver faster than the mets? Do your attribute your recovery to the treatments you received from your doctors (chemo & radiation) more than your own body's immune system kicking in and defeating the cancer, on its own? Just curious...View Thread
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