Do you ever wonder WHY? - Page 2

jaybt · 03-16-2008, 04:13 AM

I'm with you Marejo. I think genetics plays a big role in the 'why' though at the time of diagnosis I asked the question of 'what did I do wrong'. I have a reasonably healthy lifestyle so immediately I blamed myself.
But like you, my last generation went done like beer and skittles with various types of cancer, and my own generation across brothers, sisters and cousins has to suffer a choice of Systemic Lupus, Gillian Bare Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Breast Cancer, or Diabetes. All immune deficiency related diseases.
I took the pill for years and also HRT for the last two years and wonder if that contributed. However, the stats show that if you smoke there is more chance of getting cancer than taking HRT.
I always went for a mammogram every two years because my mother had breast cancer, and because of this one action my lump was found. I had gone to see my docter eight months before diagnosis to ask for a lupus test because I was not feeling well, and it came back with an auto-immune reading. My doctor (no longer seen) did nothing. What I am saying is that, I believe my system was designed to implode at one time one way or the other, and I got given this card.
I move on with my life because this weekend I celebrated survival with my friends as its been a year since I was called back for a biopsy. I raised my glass today to all those wonderful researchers whose knowledge and determination may keep us alive.

swimangel72 · 07-24-2008, 10:38 PM

I'm convinced my Her2+ tumor was caused by early exposure to DDT. My mother grew up in Ireland back in the 30's - life for them was similar to life in the 1700's in this country.......no running water.......cooking over an open hearth, living in a thatched cottage. They suffered terribly with bed bugs.......until the invention of DDT. To this day I can hear my mother and grandmother saying, "God bless the man who invented DDT!" My mother kept a supply of DDT in the basement - and used it liberally on all her beautiful plants. She and her friends lamented that DDT wasn't invented earlier, especially since a 7 year old boy in our neighborhood died from meningitis from a mosquito bite. I also recall back in the 60's when planes would spray insectiside over the beaches of Long Island Sound to reduce the mosquito population. I've done some research online and the newest studies are pointing to pre-pubsecent exposure to DDT as a possible cause for breast cancer. Older studies didn't show any connections because they only inquired about women's exposure to DDT 10 years prior to their dx - once they went back FURTHER into a woman's past, they found the connection.

I never thought I was at a high risk for breast cancer - no one in my immediate family had BC - I had a late period (age 15) early menopause (48) breast fed three children, never took the birth control pill, never took HRT, exercised strenuously and regularly all my life and had a normal BMI (until menopause when I gained about 30 pounds.) My only vice throughout life was an addiction to diet colas, starting with Tab. I used to work for a cancer research doctor back in the late 70's and he used to drink about 7 cans of tab a day. My joke was, "When Dr. Caruso' stops drinking Tab, I'll stop drinking Tab!" Later, of course, I switched to Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi. After my surgery, I couldn't stand the taste of any diet sodas - so I've been sticking with water or fruit juice these days.

Ultimately I believe my weight gain and added stress in my life "triggered" my breast cancer (I read a study that said being overweight increases a woman's risk of breast cancer by 50%) However, I believe my breast cancer was really the result of my early exposure to DDT.

I'm not one to "cry over spilt milk" - however, examining our past can provide some semblance of understanding - and for scientists - it's absolutely essential for defining risk factors to help prevent cancer from developing in other people. The world of science is a mystical, magical and mysterious place - and may God guide us all, including the research scientists, on our journeys towards the Truth!

Jackie07 · 07-24-2008, 11:14 PM

Ditto to that.

I was exposed to DDT as well when I was little. The routine of the family back then was to spray the DDT after supper, closed the door and windows, go out for a walk, then come home and let the air out through the screen door and windows.

I was also exposed to asbestos and pesticide for fleas at work from 1987 to 1990, just before my huge brain tumor was discovered - the pesticide caused huge headaches.

10 years later, in another worksite, within 6 months after I had worked in a huge room under the newly repaired roof (with tars? - it smelled terrible and my new boss scheduled me to work the Saturday right after the work was done Friday afternoon), my 3 residue tumors suddently doubled their sizes.

2 1/2 years later, I found out that I had breast cancer - my surgeon had mentioned the estimated time and I was just shocked that I had been poisoned. My employer has strong ties with the Army, so my local EPA agent (who was also my church member back then) disuaded me from persuing any inquiry.

We need to start a campaign just like Rachel Carson's Silent Spring did back in the 70's.

harrie · 07-25-2008, 12:15 AM

For me, well I have the gene (BRCA2). Then when I was in elementary school, I had this rash in my arm and was treated weekly with this ultraviolet light and that may have also increased my chances....possibly.
All I can say now is....I am what I am and I do, seriously, count my multitude of blessings. I have a good life, lots of love, healthy family, and I am filled with gratitude.
Maryanne

Jackie07 · 07-25-2008, 07:27 AM

Yes, Maryanne, we all have got so much blessings.

Your 'light-treatment' reminded me of my 'incubator' experience while a pre-mee. (Of course I did not 'remember' any part of it.) I was put in an incubator for many weeks after I was born prematurely and my body tempreture would not rise. My Mother eventually brought me home out of an older woman's advice in the hospital.

She held me close to her body as was advised by the old lady and eventually I was O.K. Though I was always weak and prone to having colds and fevers growing up. Besides the birthmark on top of my father's forehead, I think I can also relate my brain tumor to the 'heat' treatment in the neonatotal unit. But I have not linked my breast cancer to it. Now seems it all made sense.

naturaleigh · 07-30-2008, 09:31 AM

I honestly believe that the building that I work in and still do work in, is the main cause of my cancer. I left work for years with horrible headaches. I would leave work, go home and go to bed and sleep until the alarm went off the following morning.

After my diagnosis, I tried to get disability so I did not have to go back into this building. I was denied. I called OSHA and they checked the building out and found out that there was stagnet air and very little oxygen in this building. Hence, we now have a new "air" system. This still does not get rid of the mold, mildew, moisture and all the critters that come with the environment.

Yes, I am still here only due to insurance. Is there anyone on this site that is fighting the awful disease not have insurance? If so, could you please give me some advise on the ups and downs of not having insurance?

Me and my body would love to work a part-time job but I don't see how this would be possible since part-timers do not recieve insurance.

Thanks in advance for any help

Anita

hutchibk · 07-30-2008, 09:54 AM

I have often wondered if part of it isn't simply the result of the combination of your mom's dna and your dad's dna and just a rogue cellular misfire (these are layman's terms, so please don't laugh)...

Also, I think a lot of it might have to do with what our diet was when we were little children (2-6 or 8 yrs maybe) when our cells are growing and dividing very quickly, and tremendously impacted by and dependent on the nutrition in our diet. In my case it was the 60s and the 'shelf life' convenience foods with lots of preservatives had just started to come into fashion for our moms... as well as that's when the meats and milk were starting to be 'hormone enhanced' - and it was the dawn of partially hydrogenated crap and high fructose corn syrup, blah blah blah... I have talked with my doc about it and he thinks that the diet in our youngest years might play a role in our risk.

As well as what is in our tap water... the flouride (which most cities purchase as runoff from pesticide and chemical plants) and the chlorine - are not supposed to be ingested. And to think about all the medications that people take that are passed through the body and flushed, just to be treated and pumped back to us again and again as drinking water... yikes.

juanita · 07-30-2008, 10:52 AM

I live in the country so fields around me are sprayed with "safe" chemicals. And I've wondered if that's part of mine. I know of about 30 women in town with some form of bc and there are others with other kinds.

dhealey · 07-30-2008, 02:38 PM

I never wondered why me. I wondered when was it going to hit as genetics played a big part in my breast cancer. I did all the "right things to ward it off" . When it finally hit I decided ok I can deal with this now. My biggest fear now is when is it going to return. In my research I have found that most BC patients do recurr at some point in their life, be it 5 years or 20 years. It always come back. Only now we have better drugs to do battle with.

kcherub · 07-30-2008, 02:49 PM

Hmmm...though I will never really "know" why I got/what caused my BC, here are some things that have crossed my mind:

1. Drinking 2 Red Bulls a day
2. Smoking
3. Poor Diet (see above, wink wink)
4. IVF
5. 2nd ectopic loss almost 2 years to the day of discovering my lump
6. Lump was in exact same place that my son used to pinch me ALL THE FRIGGIN' TIME while he was nursing
7. Pregnancy 6 years previously
8. Paternal grandmother had BC at age 70
9. Using too many Clorox wipes (I was OCD at one point, ya' know)
10. Lack of consistent, planned exercise
11. Luck of the draw

To be honest, I haven't really ever dwelled on "why" or "what"? I have to many other questions in my life that could be answered to linger on one that never will! It's the only thing I have been able to not obsess about during this whole thing.

BTW: even if IVF, pregnancy, or being pinched contributed, I wouldn't give them back for all the healthy breast tissue in the world.

Take care,

rinaina · 07-30-2008, 03:09 PM

I am not sure if this was ever done on here so if not, could we maybe take a poll of who took hormone replacement therapy prior to diagnosis and which type and for how long? My periods became infrequent then stopped and my gynie said lets try synthetic progestin short term to see if it will bring on a period and it should help with the severe hot flashes as well. I was very hesitant and then she told me it would protect me against uterine cancer. I took it for 5 days every other month for a period less then a year. I do believe that along with my compromised immune system due to my Sjogrens Syndrome may have caused it but I will never know for sure. There is no history of cancer at all on either side of my family. Regardless, knowing doesn't help me but could help others so I hope they can determine risk factors more precisely with progestin and I would recommend strongly that no one takes hormone therapy. Just my opinion for what it's worth.
Rina

Jackie07 · 07-30-2008, 03:17 PM

I was given birth control pills when we found the three uterine fibroids developed a year after I had had 3 months infertility treatment. After my first breast cancer diagnosis, my oncologist told me to quit the birth control pills right away. I believe the hormone positive part of my breast cancer was triggered by the pills I took.

rinaina · 07-30-2008, 03:28 PM

I was hormone negative but I still believe hormones had a play in it.

Gerri · 07-30-2008, 04:22 PM

The interesting thing about this thread is that almost everyone has a different "why". I never wondered "Why me?". As a matter of fact, when I got the news that I had bc I was not a bit surprised. I think that cancer, like s***, happens. It happens to those with high risk factors and it happens to those who do everything right. Siblings brought up together, same environment, same risk factors - one gets cancer, the other doesn't. Why? Now, that's the question. DNA, Brenda's "rogue cellular misfire" or just plain dumb luck? Sure, some of it can be traced to environmental causes, but there has to be a common link somewhere. Finding it is the "needle in a hay stack" dilemma scientists face.

I truly believe that Dr. Susan Love is on the right track when she says that more money needs to be spent finding out how to prevent cancer not how to cure it. Of course, I am all for a cure for those of us affected - sign me up! But wouldn't it be a wonderful world if no one ever had to go into treatment for this horrid disease again?

Patb · 07-30-2008, 04:30 PM

I never wondered why me but how me. I took birth control pills a long time, never had a child, and then
took HRT for lots of years and my BC was 90% ER positive? Who knows, when the Dr. said it was BC
the second thing he said was, no more estrogen for
you.
patb

notamrnpsn · 07-30-2008, 04:41 PM

Where I grew up in Scotland there was a Glaxo plant and all the locals swear the fumes from the plant had a lot to do with the Cancer. Alot of the girls I grew up have passed away from it. Myself I just had my 2nd mastectomy last month. Had a bone scan today and thankfully it looks like the scans were good. So we don't really know how this all happens. Hugs and Blessings , Jeanette

Becky · 07-30-2008, 05:25 PM

I have to comment here because Gerri hit the nail on the head. I believe many things. First, I believe many cases of bc can be prevented and at LEAST primary care physicians should tell you that you're fat, you need to exercise, you need to eat your veggies and fruit, you need to take Omega 3 and eat fish. This is good for all disease conditions, not just bc. I believe for many of us, we have genetic predispositions that mix poorly with environmental conditions that exist at a certain moment in time. I think the body can keep these in check year in and year out but then, something else just gives and wham. I think this happens to most of us that have cancers (bc and others) in our families but are clearly tested BRCA neg (BRCA positive is clear). Our biological sisters who are unaffected may not have some of these genes or may not have hit the numerous steps in the process (and may never hit them).

My mother, 2 of her sisters - bc and my paternal grandmother - ovarian. I am BRCA negative but clearly there are pre-disposition genes. Pre bc - I am a chemist by education (high level) and first jobs. I was overweight, smoker (quit 1993), diet pepsi addict, non-exerciser. I ate alot of veggies but never fruit. I am totally different now. I am hoping the changes in my cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides etc prove that perhaps other healthy changes occured. My 2 (bio) sisters and brother are cancer free as are 30 female cousins (from both sides). I am the first of my generation yet one of the youngest cousins.

I am trying to bet that food is medicine (or a poison) and that that and exercise will prevent recurrence or a new cancer.

Prevention in the first place is key. Although those that truly take care of themselves get cancer, they are few (and as RB says, are they eating the right fats)?

We can only do our best and go from there.

Love to all of my sisters

Joan M · 07-30-2008, 07:09 PM

Hi Cathy,

Like MJo, I also took HRT. For three years after having a full hysterectomy at age 46 for fibroids, I took Premarin. I wasn't going to have my ovaries removed but kept getting warnings from my gynecologist and the surgeon about ovarian cancer and how I'd never have to worry about that if the ovaries were removed. I went for my annual mammo (five months late, actually) three days after I stopped taking Premarin and there were two tumors in my right breast -- one DCIS and one infiltrating tumor.

I believe that even though I'm estrogen negative, the removal of the ovaries in combination with the synthetic estrogen caused a radical change in my endocrine system resulting in a major adjustment to my normal immune system and allowing the cancer to grow.

That's just my theory.

Joan

Jackie07 · 07-31-2008, 10:31 AM

Hi Patb,

The statistics did say that childless women have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. The thing to me is, is it because they did not have children or because they 'could not' have children. I think 'not able to' says something about possible genetic problems that predisposed us (me) to breast cancer.

RobinP · 07-31-2008, 01:20 PM

Oh, sure, like many, I've wondered why bc happened to me because I wanted to know what I could have and should have done to prevent it. However, I'm afraid, I'll never have that answer, as science has not yet revealed it fully. However, I believe that taking the birth control pill before my first pregnancy for several months put me at risk, as this is a newly discovered risk factor. Personally, I think the FDA should be shot for allowing widespread HRT and birth control without informed consent and proper testing. The kind of warning on these meds should be a black box, somewhat like Herceptin's black box warning.

Besides birth control putting me at risk, I also wonder if I had the genetic make-up for it since both of my grandmothers died of bc, since my great grandma had colon cancer, and since my father has had basal cell skin carcinmona, along with myself.

Outside of genetics and hormonal causes, I also sustained a crushing injury to my breast where within a year my cancerous breast lump happened to showed up. Science will tell you that breast injuries don't cause bc. However, I wonder if it could in a situation where you already had some hyperplasia going on and injury is just the next insult to cause progression of that hyperplasia to cancer.

Lord, who knows EXACTLY why I got bc when I ate well, was thin, never drank, and never smoked or did drugs. I just don't know what caused it precisely. Though, if I had it to do over again, I would definitely avoid birth control pills and I would wear steel shields to protect those babies; either that or have them cut off completely and hang on the mantel for decoration-haha.