Posted in Cancer

It may not be Luis Vuitton or Prada....but mama's got a new (ileostomy) bag.  Tales and experiences with a colostomy from one of our wonderful patients. Hi there, welcome to the club! If your experience was anything like mine, you were so beautifully cared for by the stoma nurses in hospital following your surgery. It felt like a safe little cocoon, and entering out into the world with your Colostomy bag (c-bag) on board felt a bit like leaving home. What I'd like to poin...

When someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, they undergo a biopsy during which 3 receptivity markers are tested: ER (oestrogen), PR (progesterone) and HER2 (human epidermal growth factor). Each of these can be positive or negative, suggesting whether cancer cells are receptive to these hormones. This defines the type of breast cancer present. Most common types of breast cancer are: ER/PR+ve HER2 -ve (70-80%) ER/PR-ve HER2 +ve (20%) Triple negative (meaning all the three above...

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men. Presenting symptoms of prostate cancer: Some men have no symptoms at all this is called 'Asymptomatic presentation'. Frequent urination (especially at night) Difficulty holding back urine (dribbling) or starting urination Interrupted or weak flow of urine Burning or painful urination Painful ejaculation Blood in semen or urine In some cases, prostate cancer can present wit...

Peripheral Neuropathy is a common side-effect of some types of chemotherapy: especially the taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel), the platins (cisplatin, carboplatin) and vinca alkaloids (vincristine, vinblastine). It is the tingling or numb sensation in the hands and/or feet, and is caused by nerve damage that occurs from the treatment. It can be quite painful, and may significantly impact fine motor skills and daily function, such as handling utensils, writing, typing and, when affectin...

  Meditation is no longer associated with highly spiritual people sitting cross legged under a tree. It is becoming increasingly popular even with us common folk, and is proving to be very effective for managing stress and anxiety. A cancer diagnosis is clearly one of the most stressful things that can happen, and clinical studies are showing that Meditation and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction are very useful and should not be taken for granted. It is easy, safe and free - ...

Twenty-two is such a strange age to endure a life threatening disease. I was almost twenty-three years old, and from down the other end of the phone, from a doctor who was almost not going to bother running tests because I was "so healthy", told me that it was cancer. A late stage, but curable, blood cancer. I was too young to have wisdom under my belt, as were any of my friends trying to comfort me. I was too old to adopt the method of my youth and excitedly stay home fr...