Before you read to far I got a question about cancer treatment.
My dad died a few years ago from cancer and was given chemo and radiation treatment.
I though radiation caused cancer????
Also you probably can't compare it but my grandfather had 7 bouts of cancer starting 36 years ago
before I was born. He never had chemo or radiation treatment and died from parkinson's
2 years ago at 79.
my dad passed away less than six months after starting chemo, and within a week of starting treatments
looked like he aged 10 years.
I'm not emotional over the losses ( well I accept it and all and have come to terms with the loss)
Don't feel you have to candy coat anything, I'm just looking for some understanding on the use of chemo
and radiation.
I tried googling it but would have to read through reams of technical stuff.
anyone got any personal or proffessional understanding of this stuff, that could put it in laymans terms?
I'm just curious and confused

If i'm correct which (i don't know) radiation shrinkes it right.

I believe that radiation in general, will kill cells. The chemo given to cancer patients is very precise in it's targeting of only the cancerous cells. Sort of an "awp'd" radiation. I could be completely wrong, this is just my understanding....

Radiation will slice through the DNA in low levels and can cause a cell mutation that's not natural (cancer). Higher levels of radiation will shread a cell's DNA structure amongst other things and kill the (hopefully cancer) cell.

Recinded due to poor taste.

Massive doses of radiation can kill a person (radiation poisoning). Precisely applied radiation in minutely measured amounts can kill cancerous cells in X organ, without killing the entire body. Problem is, the radiation therapy sometimes (most times) also kills the healthy non-cancerous cells surrounding the cancerous ones.

Low doses/levels of radiation can cause hair to fall out, burns, and a generally miserable disposition (nausea, vomiting, weakness, etc).

My grandmother developed cancer under her eyes, and basically had the choice of being partially blinded by the radiation/chemo treatments, or having the cancer expand and make its way into her brain and CNS. She took the partial blindness, and even though all her hair was gone for a long time afterward, she still lived another 8-10 years...

Quote: Originally Posted by Gzim I was going to say something along the lines of "Radiation mods the hell out of Cells" but thought it was a bit tasteless.

so you decided to still post it after you gave yourself a reason not to?....

all i know about this stuff is it worked for my grandma, she also tested somthing like "lazer knife" ill try to google somthing about it.

Quote: Originally Posted by GrandpaNoob72 Low doses/levels of radiation can cause hair to fall out, burns, and a generally miserable disposition (nausea, vomiting, weakness, etc). My grandmother developed cancer under her eyes, and basically had the choice of being partially blinded by the radiation/chemo treatments, or having the cancer expand and make its way into her brain and CNS.

Again, I have heard, so I'm not sure, that the hair falling out is an effect of the medicine given to help the body cope with the radiation.

Also, my grandmother had cancer too, but died from it. It is interesting (and very scary) that you mention around the eyes, as within the past few months, a prescription drug I have for a skin condition around my face and especially around my eyes has gotten the infamous "Black Box" warning label on it. My condition makes my eye area very red, very dry, and appear to be constantly peeling. So, my choices are either, become a shut-in, or run the risk of cancer in the face.

Now, the "Black Box" warning only means that the creme has a slight possibility of giving me cancer, not like the creme is off the markets as a death drug. I just try to use it as sparingly as possible.

(Cure is worse than the disease...)

Quote: Originally Posted by me_john85 so you decided to still post it after you gave yourself a reason not to?.... all i know about this stuff is it worked for my grandma, she also tested somthing like "lazer knife" ill try to google somthing about it.

I thought that since the question had been answered, and the ice broken, I could speak more lightly. But in light of my last post, I decided to recind my lame quip.

As Iateronmly said - Radiotherapy mutates/fries the cancer cells DNA. Most cells that mutate usually die quickly as they don't work properly (tumours are actually mutant cells that DO work and don't die off).

Chemo is a different story altogether - it's harsh and imprecise. Essentially, it's designed to kill everything that it touches - in most cases, it's just as bad for the tumor cells as it is for the healthy ones - hence a lot of chemo patients get sick during treatment - they're being poisoned.

My dad has a tumor on his lung at the moment - Next week he's to go in for a biopsy to see if it's malignant or not. Here's hoping *crosses fingers*

It seems so ironic. That we cure a disease and wipe it off the planet, only to have two more diseases appear.

Does anyone know whether or not cancer existed or was nearly as prominent centuries ago?

EDIT: The first part sounds really emo and depressing, so I feel I must respond before someone says it: Life expectency is much higher now than ever before, and quality of life (in America, atleast) is much higher.

I think the idea is to kill the cancer with radiation and chemicals.But it is a fine line between killing just the cancer or killing both of you.Very primative idea but the only one they know of at this point.My wife lost both her parents to Killer C!Jo

no i didnt care about your post, just thought it was wierd that you said somthing along the lines of
"i decided not to post this, so here it is"

i didnt mean for you edit it., just thought it was wierd

Yeah well, I'm not great with tact, case in point:

My stepfather died near 3 weeks ago of a very sudden heart attack. I'm grilling up hot dogs and hamburgers for my mom and step sister, and the middle and back burners didn't light up right away, so I lean over the grill (now I know better) and sure enough, they flamed up several inches immediately. After calming down, I go in to tell them what happened, and tactlessly enough, I say "Oh man, I almost had a heartattack!"

Yep...no tact....

Cancer treatment is often a regimen of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The chemo is chemical and as stated before is very hard on the body..all cells, not just the cancerous ones. In radiation therapy they map the tumor through x-ray, MRI, and CAT scans. then a special mold for the body part to rest on insuring the position is accurate every time is made. Then off to the Radition therapy suite. They put you on a table, and with pinpoint accuracy they target the tumor. They are very careful to target only the tumor, and to shield with lead everything else. The force of the radiation is carefully calculated in Mass and Power to insure it penetrates just far enough to reach the tumor and no further.

Yes High doses of radiation can kill you, but in this case it is beneficial. Then again you can kill yourself by overdosing on water.

I really believe that people should not concern themselves with things like "Microwaving food makes it carcinogenic!" or such similiar possibly true but frivilious worries. As we can all die today in our sleep, but do we worry? (Sorry if you do now!) NO! You live your life knowing that you risk it in every action you take, but you accept this and learn to know what you can and cannot truely control. Running across a highway? Not quite safe. Freezing water in a plastic bottle? Just chaulk that up with the other things that could cause cancer, like the 15 seconds you spend everyday, walking past the people who smoke outside your office.

Sorry about the rant, just seemed like a bit of a depressing topic...

Quote: Originally Posted by Masterp As Iateronmly said - Radiotherapy mutates/fries the cancer cells DNA. Most cells that mutate usually die quickly as they don't work properly (tumours are actually mutant cells that DO work and don't die off). Chemo is a different story altogether - it's harsh and imprecise. Essentially, it's designed to kill everything that it touches - in most cases, it's just as bad for the tumor cells as it is for the healthy ones - hence a lot of chemo patients get sick during treatment - they're being poisoned. My dad has a tumor on his lung at the moment - Next week he's to go in for a biopsy to see if it's malignant or not. Here's hoping *crosses fingers*

Didn't read all the responses yet, (and thank you all)
Just wanted to mention that I think there is gene specific chemo. Meaning a biopsy is examined
and tested for the particular type of chemo that is most effective and least destructive.
( I only discovered this after my father passed)

I didn't mean it to be depressing I just wanted to tap other peoples knowledge on this stuff.
As far as chemo goes, I could see within days my father go downhill with his first treatment.
Why would you use a therapy that lowers your immune system so drastically?
As far as tact...I don't even know the definition so.. you can't offend me on that point.
From what I understand, Cancer is human cells that....well...yeah! got modded the sh%$ out of
to the point where their totaly useless but keep reproducing and spreading.
With the advent of stem cell research, wouldn't introducing productive dna patterns to cancer cells seem
like a better aproach?
I know if one of us could answer that one we wouldn't be modding computers you would OWN a pc maker.
It just seems to me that with all the Billions of dollars being poured into cancer research the return is shamefull at best.
Or is this a case where a conglomerate is sitting on a cure for fear of losing $$$$ on drugs?
This thread could go on forever and not get any further than the actual researchers.
It just confuses me even with the better understanding from your kind responses that our "doctors"
are using shotguns like chemo to kill a few bad cells???