HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

08-26-2005, 10:10 PM

Here is one possible explination. There is always mutating cells in our body and many are cancerous. However, the body has natural barriers that eliminate those cells. When those barriers break down then tumors can form. Remove the tumors you remove an overactive source for those mutated cells. Maybe the natural defenses keep others at bay and maybe not. Therefore, you are never cured of cancer but you may not be affected by it in the future either. Obviously, if someone develops runaway tumors, then the natural defenses have broken down and you are more supceptible to having them break down in the future or they may be permanently broken. That is not to say that the body can maybe repair itself in time to be "cured" such as Lance Armstrong case which means you should never give up. Almost half of all people will develop "cancer" in their lifetimes, but many develop it and never have their lives affected. Cancer is mutated cells and everyone produces them, just the cancer patients don't get rid of them like they should.

I personnally have a tumor in the heart. (Actually it is the paricardial sac) I have seen it mentioned several times that tumors don't grow in or around the heart but they do on VERY rare occasions. It is so rare that we went all over the US before getting it diagnosed by a couple of doctors who personnaly had never seen one until mine. (not even in the medical text books and you can put it on the insurance forms and not even get rated up for it) They thought it would be too risky to biopsy it unless it grew. We have monitored it for 10 years and it hasn't changed or grown. I haven't even checked it in the last 6 years. My body must have broken down but somehow fixed itself.

I checked into the cellfinder machine that was mentioned earlier and found out that since there are a lot of tumors in the body all the time it gives a lot of false readings (finding pockets of tumors that the body will naturally get rid of). Therefore, the onc told us to not bother with it at this time as it will read all of the mutations, which are all over the body naturally. (a lot of false readings) Obviously, if your natural defenses have broken down where the body has lost its ability to get rid of the tumor cells then it becomes more important. We are hoping that this was a one time breakdown of the defenses and not a permanent breakdown.

Back to the question, "can you ever be cured?" No, its in all of us, but the body can repair itself so it won't affect you. You just need to be watching more carefully since if the defenses break down once, it can happen again.

Good luck,

Shaeff

08-26-2005, 10:10 PM	#7
shaeff Guest Posts: n/a	Here is one possible explination. There is always mutating cells in our body and many are cancerous. However, the body has natural barriers that eliminate those cells. When those barriers break down then tumors can form. Remove the tumors you remove an overactive source for those mutated cells. Maybe the natural defenses keep others at bay and maybe not. Therefore, you are never cured of cancer but you may not be affected by it in the future either. Obviously, if someone develops runaway tumors, then the natural defenses have broken down and you are more supceptible to having them break down in the future or they may be permanently broken. That is not to say that the body can maybe repair itself in time to be "cured" such as Lance Armstrong case which means you should never give up. Almost half of all people will develop "cancer" in their lifetimes, but many develop it and never have their lives affected. Cancer is mutated cells and everyone produces them, just the cancer patients don't get rid of them like they should. I personnally have a tumor in the heart. (Actually it is the paricardial sac) I have seen it mentioned several times that tumors don't grow in or around the heart but they do on VERY rare occasions. It is so rare that we went all over the US before getting it diagnosed by a couple of doctors who personnaly had never seen one until mine. (not even in the medical text books and you can put it on the insurance forms and not even get rated up for it) They thought it would be too risky to biopsy it unless it grew. We have monitored it for 10 years and it hasn't changed or grown. I haven't even checked it in the last 6 years. My body must have broken down but somehow fixed itself. I checked into the cellfinder machine that was mentioned earlier and found out that since there are a lot of tumors in the body all the time it gives a lot of false readings (finding pockets of tumors that the body will naturally get rid of). Therefore, the onc told us to not bother with it at this time as it will read all of the mutations, which are all over the body naturally. (a lot of false readings) Obviously, if your natural defenses have broken down where the body has lost its ability to get rid of the tumor cells then it becomes more important. We are hoping that this was a one time breakdown of the defenses and not a permanent breakdown. Back to the question, "can you ever be cured?" No, its in all of us, but the body can repair itself so it won't affect you. You just need to be watching more carefully since if the defenses break down once, it can happen again. Good luck, Shaeff