how life threatening is markel cell carcinoma?
822170
Merkel Cell carcinoma is a very serious skin cancer because of the high chance of recurrence. Early treatment is essential and consists of surgical excision with wide margins to reduce the chances of recurrence.  It is as life threatening as melanoma. good luck\n\nhttp://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cancernet/210847.html\n\nhttp://www.merkelcell.org/
786371
The smoking at his dad's house sounds like it is off and on. I wouldn't worry about that.\n\nThe chaw is what most concerns me.  He can get cancer of the lip, tongue, mouth or larynx.  All disgusting cancers because it affects the face, speech and breathing.  \n\nCancer of the larynx would require a laryngectomy and he'd have to use one of those fake electronic voice things for the rest of his life.
769632
A lot like having a flu bug you cannot shake and general malaise.  When my cousin had it (age 6) she developed bruises that did not heal.  She had a test done on a Friday for the cancer with negative results, another on Monday and it was positive.  She is now 16 and in remission for years.  Good luck.
108626
Way too many variable for a one-size-fits all answer.  How serious is the tumor?  Is the woman in a coma?  How viable is the fetus? What does the family want?  You get the idea.
955043
Really sorry to hear about your Dad....It depends on the severity of the cancer and the treatments he recieves. \n\nAll the best !!
661091
Yes you can die from skin cancer, especially the one that originates from the mole. Its the most dangerous one out there. That is because it metastasises early. Metastasis is a process by which parts of the cancer breaks off and travels through the blood vessels or lymphatics to different parts of the body and starts grawing there. \nIf a cancer hasnt metastasised by the time it it is diagnosed there is a very good chance of complete cure if the cancer can be excised as a whole. If, however there has been metastasis, it becomes very difficult to search and destroy all cancer cells and these cells will eventually grow and destroy normal cells of the body and take away all the nutrition for its own growth, eventually causing death either by constricting a vital structure or destroying it.\nOf all the skin cancers melanomas( which arise from the mole) are most unpredictable and can pop up years later at wierd sitess just when you thought you had everything under control. \nOne must be very careful of the following skin changes\n a mole that \nsuddenly grows in size\nis irregular\nis multicolored(ie parts of it might be brown to red to black and not uniformly brown or uniformly black etc)\na lesion on the face that doesnt heal.\nIf you ever see anything like this, consult your doctor immediately.
605476
Pancreatic cancer is fatal.  It is unknown the length of time one person has to live.  It depends on how fast it spreads and if it mets to any other part of the body.
812864
I am no doctor, but, my father was diagnosed with initial stage NSC lung cancer in his one lung. Whoops; now I am confused, maybe it was small cell lung cancer. I think that is the more aggressive kind. Now I am not sure, and I started to answer your question. My point is, I know both cancers can spread, one more quickly than the other, but, when diagnosed at a later stage, which I believe your husband's one, the stage it is at gives you the percentage of survival rate (based on five years). So a six month prognosis was a 10 percent survival rate, which was horrible (to me). That is why the Dr. was shocked. No matter if the doctors were wrong, go with the facts. Your husband is still alive, he is living with cancer, not dying of cancer, so prayer, exercise, medicine, is all working. Accept it, and keep doing what you are doing. My son is outperforming all expectations for his rare diagnosis. How? Doctors can't explain it, but they say, "Keep doing what you are doing" Prayer is a very powerful thing, the most powerful and potent thing you can do. It is not his time, and keep loving and living with him. God has a plan for him. You may not know what the plan is, but, God does. Good luck, and I will keep you all in my prayers. A good resource for me was the lungalliance.org They have people who can help with questions. Or, it might be thelungalliance.org. Try both, or do a search engine on lungalliance.
727121
I know you will be worried, but it could be something as simple as an infection or to the most other extreme, cancer.  Whatever it is, you've done the right thing by going back so quickly so when you find out the doctors will have a far better chance of treating it, whatever the case!!  \n\nNurses won't normally give an opinion as to what might be wrong so they don't frighten people, so please DON'T be worried by this!!\n\nGood luck for when you get your results, I'll be thinking of you!
406879
Dealing with a life threatening cancer is certainly a life changing event for the family (along with the obvious for the one who is afflicted). Watching my father die this year (even though for much of it i was away at school) has been the most difficult thing ive had to deal with in my life. Seeing someone that you love and respect so much slowly go from an active person, to a sedentary person, to a dying person is a difficult transformation to witness. There is always some form of bad news as the cancer slowly defeats some of the different methods that are used at times to treat the illness. You tend to experience every emotion in small bits. First theres a lot of fear and denial, because although there are so many different forms of cancer, and so many people get the disease, its never going to happen to us, we thought. Then theres anger and despair, and just an incredible sense of loss as you realize some of the things that will hopefully happen someday in my life that he cant be there for.\n\nYet you begin to realize that you are not alone, and that life really is a precious thing. I became so much more thankful for the 19 years i got with my dad (sadly a lot of this was after he passed, as it was too tough for me to be around him while he was in his final weeks). Although you have to deal with the slow dying process, you get to spend so much more time with them, than if death had come quickly from an acute illness. You begin to value the things which you take for granted from before. The difficulties never go away during the process, but every little bit that Dad fought, along with the good moments made life worthwhile. \n\nonce i made peace with the idea that he would die, there was a pretty horrible sense of waiting, because you know eventually it will come (if its terminal). But you realize that you have time, and that is a beautiful thing. Ironically, ive learned to love who my dad was more since he has gone than while i was an ungrateful teen (or maybe i just didnt realize how i loved the man).\n\nFortunatly all cancer is not fatal, and there is a lot of hope for a cure. Im now a better person for the difficult process, and ive learned to have empathy for my fellow man and woman. I love my dad, and the fact that he is gone doesnt take away from the wonderful 19 years i got with him.
664402
It can kill you.\nIt can bring cancer to your body and there are some really nasty cancers about.\nThroat Cancer which can mean having to speak with a box as your vocal cords can be damaged.\nLung Cancer effects your lungs makes breathing hard and in some cases you will need to have an oxygen tank to help breathing.\n\nThe thing about Cancer is spreads like the arms of a tree and there is no guarantee that you will be able to stop it remission does happen but it can come back. \n\nRadiotherapy and Chemotherapy are no walk in the park hair-loss being sick pain and other side effects.
1163956
I am not for sure what kinda answer you are looking for. Good or bad.  I did not like chemo and all the side affects.  It will be four years soon since my masectomy.  I still have a small bald spot. No eyebrows.  My eyes drip continually. I have carpal tunnel. Hot flashes galore. Osteoporosis.  All from chemo. I did not enjoy not being able to taste anything.  Or the fact my fingernails hurt so bad I could not touch anything without pain. I did not like getting pnemonia every year.  Or catching every little virus that rolled my way.  No one tells you all the crap that is going to happen afterwards.  The doctor said if they did no one would get treatment.  He told me it could be 3-5 years before my immune system is up.  Well I am much better now and I do not get sick as much. I do still everyday live with the watering eyes,ect. ect.  It caused relationship problems with my family. They just really could not deal with how I looked.  My husband however is the best husband on the earth now.  I am glad to be alive.  I do believe cancer woke me up to the realization of who is truly there for you. I stand up for myself more. Don't put up with all the daily drama.  I am not so happy go lucky as I used to be.  Hope this helps.  Heres wishing you  a cancer free life.
1075253
I work in cancer research, so I know a bit about the statistics.\n\nIt will depend on the stage at diagnosis.  If it's stage I or II, it's possible.  Stage III is unlikely, and stage IV has a very poor prognosis - usually those who are diagnosed at stage IV only have a few months to live.\n\nI hope that this person has had an early diagnosis - cancer is a horrible thing - I wish your friend the best.
1075523
It is up to her oncologist. Get a good one. Maybe she will be given radiotherapy. She should stop eating too much meat, do alot of deep breathing cos it seems cancer cells don't like and can't survive on oxygen but thrive on carbon dioxide. Take alot of fresh fruit juice (buy a juicer and start juicing). Take wheatgrass and more vegetables.  Read up on ovarian cancer on the internet.
627079
Let's see ...\n\nOver 1 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. Do you want to be one of these people?\n\nThe effects are anti-aging and yes, skin cancer (Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas) which left untreated can ultimately lead to death.\n\nBut you'll be tanned.\n\nThe cons far outweigh the pros, my dear.
224939
My favorite cousin was just diagnosed with inoperable kidney cancer, so I know how you feel.  The first thing you can do is educate yourself on the disease.  \n\nYou can read more about the disease at the following link: http://www.medicinenet.com/stomach_cancer/article.htm\nhttp://www.cancercompass.com/stomach-cancer-information/living-with-stomach-cancer.htm\nhttp://oncolink.upenn.edu/types/article.cfm?c=5&s=14&ss=105&id=9463\n\nRight now, I am sure your cousin is in shock as well.  I mean, we know how we feel, but we have no idea how THEY feel.  When Andrew has had time to process this new finding, I highly recommend a support group.  Call your local chapter of the American Cancer Society.  http://www.oncochat.org/ offers an on line support group in a chat like setting.  They also welcome family members of cancer patients, so you might want to check it out as well.\nhttp://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/support/organizations offers all kinds of cancer support resources.  I will think of your cousin, Andrew, whenever I think of my cousin, Hal.  God bless....
364981
Honestly, its better you consult a cancer specialist/doctor in your area, I'm sure they have reference/contact informations. I really want to help but I don't think I can give better answers than specialist do. Sorry.\n\ngood luck\n\nLove is omnipresence, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.