Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I don't want to start getting morbid as I'm trying to remain positive but just wondered is cancer getting more prevalent or is it because, I'm around people in similar situations, I'm older so notice things more, the Internet puts us in contact with more people that we would have never met or known. I really don't know the answer, but only this week I've three more friends who have or are close to someone who has been diagnosed or lost their fight. I just wonder if it's diet related, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Not sure of the answer but I think people are more open about having it now. My gran had Breast Cancer must have been about 25 years ago when she was about 70 and she didnt like to tell anyone about it, didnt even talk about it with the family, maybe a generation thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chewitts Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Also much easier to detect and diagnosed now...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotsQuine Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 IMO people aren't as scared to mention cancer these days. My mum died of lung cancer in 1981, she was 51 years old, I was 14. It wasn't until her last 4 weeks that I was actually told what she was dying of! There were lots of hush hush conversations, The Big C and ooh don't say IT out loud giving the impression that if you voiced the word cancer, that you might catch it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Should be less prevalent. A lot less people smoking and everyone knows about the dangers of the sun. If diagnosed early the outcome should be more positive than years ago too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest66881 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Should be less prevalent.A lot less people smoking and everyone knows about the dangers of the sun. If diagnosed early the outcome should be more positive than years ago too. I think it's the other way around Parley, lots of smokers at the back end of a smoking career and getting older too, other illnesses on top of that, planets getting hotter more sunshine around more people migrating around the planet into climate environments there bodies are not made for, all sorts if you think about it really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Firstly TPQ I'm sorry to hear about your friends,and although I don't read every post,I hope you are ok too? I think its a combo of things. People are living longer these days.People are eating more processed food and not enough of the main food groups,smoking,lack of exercise,stress,too much sun and not enough protection.I'm not saying all these things cause cancer in everybody,but I for one am going to try and beat the odds but looking after myself the best way I possibly can.Not sure if that's enough but its worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Good point Melza. Obesity and fast food probably are a factor if there is an increase. Its hard to know whether there is an increase. Our population has gone up, there are positive factors and negative factors at play so who knows what the overall result is ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelP Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Your perception is correct in that the number of cancers has doubled in the last two decades, but it's not as simple as that. Many of the extra cancers are prostate cancers that are slow growing and would not cause death or serious disease. Many of the other extra cancers have been picked up by new screening programs such as those for cervical cancer. The good news is that many cancers are now treatable compared to even ten years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chewitts Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Your perception is correct in that the number of cancers has doubled in the last two decades, but it's not as simple as that. Many of the extra cancers are prostate cancers that are slow growing and would not cause death or serious disease. Many of the other extra cancers have been picked up by new screening programs such as those for cervical cancer. The good news is that many cancers are now treatable compared to even ten years ago. [ATTACH=CONFIG]28315[/ATTACH] The number of cases has doubled but the rate of cases per 100,000 has not risen that much though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Doesn't mean the cancers themselves has increased necessarily, but we are detecting them now. Did they check for prostate cancer or do PSA tests 30 years ago ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 And sadly many men have had their prostates removed totally unnecessarily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 It is also the case that as you get older so too do your acquaintances and they, and you, are more likely to have chronic health issues (not just cancer). Contact with older people is quite limited when you are young as you mix largely with your peers. When you're young you mainly seem to get invites to weddings and christenings. As you age it seems you get more invites to funerals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzukiscottie Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Previous generations used to die from just "old age". Nowadays, that can be much more specifically designated as being a result of other medical issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckleface Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 When I was younger I knew several people who had cancer but hardly anyone I know has been diagnosed with it in the last 20 years (thank God/touch wood). Thankfully it doesn't seem to be a disease common in my family. My grandfather died from it but his lifestyle was a contributing factor and he ignored the symptoms until it was too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Dad diagnosed with lung cancer aged 38 , 1978, he died two years later aged 40. It really did happen, Then too. I was 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I lost a friend to breast cancer last year. She was 29. Yes 29. Doesn't seem fair / right/ possible. So you wonder about pesticides, chemicals in plastics, pollution. I'm with Melza, try to reduce your own risk but genetics are a huge factor too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 (edited) You are right PQ when we are around cancer we see more, bit like when we are having a baby and we see others who are having one also. That said I do believe that some cancers are definitely more prevalent now. For example as my daughter has brain cancer as you know I notice that so many more people and they are not old die of this condition these days. In my street 11 houses we have had 6 houses that have people with cancer. I have two. My oh was work related asbestos but my daughter we do not know why. I have always had the opinion that our modern way of food production, proliferation of cars and particularly diesel fuel is the cause of so many people getting cancer. I have read up about it extensively in particular to diesel. Diesel is fine if cars and trucks are well maintained but as the modern way is to everything on the cheap and not fix things we are breathing it every day. Of course no-one wants to know the god car could be a problem as we all have one. Also the food chain, I believe that if a cake can last 6 months or 12 months or other food stuffs, what the hell is in it. Try and read a label its beyond most of our comprehension and if you wear glasses you cannot even read it as they make it so small so we are not informed. So my belief is that asbestos is not the only thing we should be blaming for cancer in a lot of people. Obviously some people are more susceptible but when we are looking at these products before putting on the market they should take this into account. I also blame the obesity epidemic on chemicals in the food chain. Our water supplies are full of medicines and all sorts of stuff now. We have to live with it but at least lets go back to seasonal veg. Also here in Aus I don't know about recently but most veg farmers were not English speaking so could they read the labels on pesticides. Like you PQ I cam affected so I take notice, we tend not to want to notice when we are not affected. I mean when my daughter tells anyone she has brain cancer, they are awkward, do not want to face it. Same with my husband when he died of asbestos cancer, people said oh that is terribel but they were not worried about me and him they were worried then about their husbands, their families as they do not realise they reveal this at the time. Its terrible and horrible and I guess I am worried for the future of the human race these days. Edited January 24, 2015 by Petals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I don't want to start getting morbid as I'm trying to remain positive but just wondered is cancer getting more prevalent or is it because, I'm around people in similar situations, I'm older so notice things more, the Internet puts us in contact with more people that we would have never met or known.I really don't know the answer, but only this week I've three more friends who have or are close to someone who has been diagnosed or lost their fight. I just wonder if it's diet related, etc. I don't know if there's more or just that because of social media we hear more about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I lost a friend to breast cancer last year. She was 29. Yes 29. Doesn't seem fair / right/ possible. So you wonder about pesticides, chemicals in plastics, pollution. I'm with Melza, try to reduce your own risk but genetics are a huge factor too. I've a friend here who was diagnosed with aggressive BC a few years ago aged 40 we were all so shocked then the following year another joint friend got diagnosed with the same type aged 32! Thankfully both have survived having gone through mastectomy and chemo. Does make you very aware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Anne Pope Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Cancer has been around for thousands of years and people are living longer nowadays- we haven't had diseases like the Plaque or even Influenza to wipe out large numbers of the population and also there haven't been any world wars for 60 year to wipe out a generation of young people, many of whom had they lived would have went on to develop cancer. My sister passed away in August last year at 42 after battling breast cancer for 14 years - she was very young when diagnosed and we have a zero family history of any females dying of breast or ovarian cancer - all have lived to a very old age (80+ years). She was told that it was just one of those things - bad luck (as a recent study has confirmed is the most common reason for getting cancer).If you are very young treatment can extend your life, but the prognosis is still very poor - if the disease doesn't kill you, the treatment to stop the cancer advancing will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Cancer has been around for thousands of years and people are living longer nowadays- we haven't had diseases like the Plaque or even Influenza to wipe out large numbers of the population and also there haven't been any world wars for 60 year to wipe out a generation of young people, many of whom had they lived would have went on to develop cancer. My sister passed away in August last year at 42 after battling breast cancer for 14 years - she was very young when diagnosed and we have a zero family history of any females dying of breast or ovarian cancer - all have lived to a very old age (80+ years). She was told that it was just one of those things - bad luck (as a recent study has confirmed is the most common reason for getting cancer).If you are very young treatment can extend your life, but the prognosis is still very poor - if the disease doesn't kill you, the treatment to stop the cancer advancing will. I'm so sorry for your loss :hug: that's awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 The population has doubled in fifty years, people are now living long enough to die from cancer, newspapers revel in reporting doom, people blog their fights with the disease, detection rates are hugely greater, we're now a global community who can share information in milliseconds... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelensvaleHoward Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 All the women from my Mums side of the family have died young from cancer My Aunt came to my wedding and looked pretty good all things considered and wearing a wig She had a photo from the wedding on the ward She died 2 days later My Mum had 3 boys so all being well the line has been broken We've had 7 girls and 1 boy between us and the girls will be monitored more to be safe I take after my Mum so much and have several of her ailments The nearest to cancer for me is Barret's Esophagus which is a pre cancer which is now being monitored with regular scopes to watch for any changes and I'm on Nexium for the rest of my life Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) As a birthday present the Federal government sent me a Bowel Cancer screening kit, which requested me to send them a couple of samples of certain unmentionable bodily outputs. I did procrastinate for a few months but finally sent them in and got my result back. Negative thank goodness so can relax for 2 years until they tell me I should do it again. This is a good thing the government is doing. A measure that will ideally test everyone over age 50 every 2 years (free of charge). Early detections are treated a lot easier than if someone waits until they notice symptoms. Edited January 25, 2015 by parleycross Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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