What is your cancer diagnosis?

Hello everyone,

This group contains many different types of cancer. I hope we will experience some sharing across cancer types here in this forum.

I am interested in hearing about your personal story. What kind of cancer do/ did you have and how were you diagnosed?

All the best,

Marina

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer six months ago. I went to the doctor because I noticed that I was peeing a lot and I got worried, so the doctor started testing and after having the blood and biopsy results the doctor confimed that I have prostate cancer. Fortunately it is at an early stage and surgery is not necessary right now. 

Of course I find it worrying that I have cancer and nothing is being done, but I have to trust my doctor that this is the right decision.

Has any one else had a cancer diagnosis and no treatment? Is this normal? 

Hey Mickyblue

I have prostate cancer too. I've been struggling with this for some years. Don't worry for not getting treatment, that is actually good news. It means it hasn't developed that much. I also have not gotten treatment. 

Keep the good spirits

My husband found out he has advanced renal cancer last July, it has spread to his spine and is unable to walk. He has had no biopsy and they have told him they can not operate as he gets chest infections all the time. I dont know what is going to happen to him in the way of treatment, the GP tells me they are making him comfortable. Since being at home since last october and medication to control the pain he feels in himself better then he has ever been and he looks great. Has anyone been in this situation?

Hey hopey881

I'm sorry about your husband, I know how hard it is to fight against cancer. My father had renal cancer and they did a nephrectomy to him and got much better, but as you say if your husband has chest infections it is not that easy :(

Maybe you can try some alternative medicine. I know my father even after having surgery he kept going to the acupuncturist because he said it made him had balance in his body and to not allow the cancer cells to regenerate. I've tried it too and I do feel well. Maybe that can help; I mean it is just a tip alternate to medicines or surgery...

Wish you and your husband all the best

Having survived throat cancer but found the after effects quite distressing at times. Salivary glands destroyed, jaw bone dead and the lymphedema under my throat for life. But I am alive, scarred and battered from the radiography, even liquid/food entering my lungs somewhat distressing at times. Dry mouth at night, gave up on the prescribed lubricants settling for swilling water around every few hours instead. Many dry foods a real challenge, a simple bag of crisps and peanuts a real problem but at least I can eat chips again finally with plenty of sauce. Finally putting weight on now but since my diabetes has been suppressed so I would like to keep it off. Great diet 6 stone in two months but eating mince meat in all its variations was a drag, never want Shepard's pie again. Chocolate tasted like salt, so many confusing things, nice to eat a curry again but hot a no no, as is chicken without lube. Sipping drinks all the time and permanent bottle of Diet Coke on hand to sip while I'm out and about. 

My brother died earlier this year from a treatable cancer but the GP let him badly down. My mother died of it again due to poor health services letting her down but it does seem the way these days unless you spot it yourself. The cancer no trouble for me, the treatment terrible and life changing, thankfully I spotted it and insisted the GP refer me to a specialist. 

I have had skin cancer (Melanoma) - the only treatment for it is surgical removal and I have had two moles removed - one cancerous and one pre-cancerous.  In each case, nothing else would have helped, so it was important that the moles were removed early, before the cells had spread too much.

In my case, neither mole was very big - smaller than your little finger nail, but both had irregular shape, not a neat round, both had a darker area within the mole and both cracked and bled a bit.  In each case, they healed up again and I was tempted to ignore them, particularly the first one, which proved to be the cancerous one!

I would urge anyone with a mole that is getting larger, has a darker spot within it, has an irregular shape rather than neat round edges, or one that bleeds to get their GP to check it.

I was not a sun bather, or sun bed user, but one was on my face and the other just above my breast. 

I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 18 years ago, and treatment has changed since then. First time around I had a lumpectomy, chemo and radiotherapy. All of which I coped with reasonably well and managed to continue work. Four years later I was diagnosed again with breast cancer on the other side, not a secondary but a new prime tumour. Again, lumpectomy, chemo and radio therapy. This time I didn't handle the chemo at all well and it made me really ill, having to go into hospital every ten days for five days only to repeat the same again.  Four years later I was diagnosed with cancer on the right side, and also had a feeling that it was on the left again, again these were not secondary cancers, they were prime, so I decided to have a double mastectomy and was glad I had as my instinct was right I did have cancer on both sides again.  By this time new developments had started and I was tested for the Brach 1 and 2 Gene, lucky me I had both!! All the females in my family were tested for this gene and my niece had it and decided at age 30 to have a double mastectomy, a brave decision.  I had been cancer free for eight years and last year I was diagnosed with neuroendocrine live cancer! A rare form of cancer. I had decided that I would take the hint and I refused treatment. However, with pressure or encouragement I'm not sure which, I have been persuaded to start a form of treatment next Wednesday injections of  lanreotide, if it works I will have one injection every 28 days. I can not say I am looking forward to it, in fact if I'm honest I'm a little scared of the side effects, I realise that not everyone has side effects but I've never done anything simply. But I will try one and if they make me too ill then I will have no more and take my chances.  I have no idea why I have had so many cancers, neither does my consultant, who was so good with me from day one.  To say I'm cross would probably be an understatement, but I just take each day as it comes and if I don't want to do housework I take my dog and camera out for the day and say 'sod it'. So that's me

Hi @jeanwalley - hope all goes well.  I know sometimes the treatment can be as bad as the condition, as a close friend found, but with luck, it will not be too bad and you will break the habit of not doing things simply :)  I relate to that - if there is a way of complicating anything medical out of sight, sign me up!!!!!  Inconsistent symptoms, inconclusive  test results, wounds that burst open after stitches removed or get infections, operations for one thing that create another worse than the first - yep, why make it easy? :)

Like your style, dogs and cameras beat housework any day!

Suncatcher2015

hi I was diagnosed 24th November 2016 with grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma triple negative breast cancer have surgery 19th dec  really don't know much about my condition as my journey just began I'm having surgery 4-6 mths chemo and radiotherapy sorry to read all your stories but glad ive found people who understand the fear worry and how I feel right now wearing my smiling mask at the moment for the sake of my 5 children but underneath dreading the journey ahead xxx big hugs to you all xx