Are there any side effects from being around someone who has cancer treatments such as chemo and radiation?
923653
Chemo- highly unlikely, since most chemotherapy is administered through an IV....\nRadiation-yes, especially if it was the implanted type.  I used to work Oncology in our hospital for several years.  We had treated a number of patients with chemo and radiation.  The chemo patients we had, we had to use only normal isolation techniques...gloves.  With those that had implant radiation, we had to wear a lead vest followed by working behind a large lead apron (it was a sort of small half wall on wheels) and we all had to wear radiation badges, which were collected periodically and checked for amounts of radiation absorbed.\nAs for your sister, she may have what is called Radiation sickness, or it could just be severe depression from the loss of her husband.  Depression has hundreds of symptoms, many of which you mentioned.  Have her make an appointment and have a radiation level test done on her to rule out the radiation sickness.  If that comes back fine, ask her to seek counseling.  Last of all, since she is your sister, let her vent all her anger, frustration, sorrow, etc on you.  Right now she needs lots of love and support to get her through this terrible time.  Your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
969787
I am so sorry to hear about your family friend and hope you are providing support and understandin right now....the fact that she has secondarys (the cancer has spread to  another part of the body) is , I will be honest, worrying.  I know how awful this illness can be and how devastating it can be especially when the person has been healthy....my dad got cancer...he didn;t smoke, he was active and healthy....by the time he was diagnosed he had secondarys.  The chemo might be there to ease the side effects rather than cure or extend life...she needs to know which it is in her case....my thoughts are with your friend and all who love her right now...I do wish you well and hope that any news she has is positive.  Keep us updated? and if you need to chat...feel free to mail me
933177
go see the doc , don't worry he sees this stuff all the time , if it's cancer - the sooner the better the worst that can happen now is you be 1 stone lighter , if you  leave it there could be really intense chemo & all that fun stuff & it could even kill you \n\nGO TO THE DOC ASAP\ncheers:\npaul  :-}
511680
Yes I do. They tell everyone that when you have skin cancer you will live longer if you get surgery and chemotherapy. I have not found that to be true. My aunt, uncle and a friend all had it and all died not long after getting those treatments. My dad has it too. He refused to get the treatments and is still living this very day and gets around just as good as he did back then. He has had it for 33 years.
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 !!
450415
Yes, the radiation from cancer treatments is very dangerous, but the radiation is directed in such a way that is that it will be more damaging to the cancer cells than to healthy cells.
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.
104520
My mom has been recently diagnosed and had surgery to remove her female organs. They found cervical and ovarian tumors. She begins chemo a week from Monday. She is 62. At the moment she is just as perky as ever, even considering surgery. She was painting and hanging fans just two days ago. LOL. I can tell you that if she goes down, she will go down swinging. :0) That is just my mom's way.
635950
As the cancer grows, the pressure it places on surrounding structures within the brain increases. This will increase the severity of the symptoms. Depending on the type of cancer it is (whether it's primary or a metastasis), the growth rate will vary. Obviously, faster growing cancers will cause the symptoms your friend is suffering from to increase in severity rather rapidly. Conversely, if the tumor is a slower growing one, your friend can live a relatively functional life for a long period of time.\n\nTherefore what you can expect to see in your friend can be quite variable. Generally speaking, if untreated, her current symptoms will worsen, and new symptoms may appear such as seizures, difficulty walking, loss of vision, memory loss, and personality changes. The usual cause of death in a patient with brain cancer would be respiratory failure.\n\nWith more information, such as the type of cancer (if known), when it was diagnosed, and how the symptoms have progressed over time, I can provide you with a more specific answer.
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.
795505
I know how you feel, but there is hope if it turns out to be cnacer. \n\nI am currently in the Bahamas with my Mother who has Terminal Lung Cancer. There is a clinic here that has been in operation for over 30 years. We have been here for 4 of our 8 week stay, everyday is really neat. A lot of the patients stick around in the meeting room/ waiting room to visit, and share stories and catch up. There were 40 people all talking and laughing, talking about cancer and life, the returning patients talk about how bad their cancer was 4, 8, 10 even 18 years ago when they started coming to the clinic, the cancer that has since disappeared. There is nothing dangerous or foreign to the treatment, just building up your immune system in a very effective manner. If you want to know more contact me or go to www.immunemedicine.com I cannot tell you how impressed I am with what I have seen and how my Mother has already improved. I know one man who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he skipped all US, conventional (poisonous, dangerous) options and went to the Bahamas and is doing great now. Another man who has been coming here for 18 years that had prostate cancer. People with just about every type of cancer. But, they are honest here, you send them your medical information and they will tell you whether they believe they can help you or not, and they will send you home if they don't think you are benefiting. \n\nMy mom has shown drastic improvements and is feeling so much better. and we are in the Bahamas so we are having a good Mother-Daughter vacation.\n\nI have also done a lot of research on the Cesium Chloride/DMSO treatment and think that it has merit and you can do it at home.\n\nThe clinic here believes that a supplement/liquid called VIBE works really well in addition to other treatments, I am going to look in to that some more.\n\nUS doctors push chemo and radiation, but when you look at the statistics and side effects it is not a good option for most people. My Mom had both before we came here and now that I know more about them and have researched them I feel horrible that I let her go through them. She was lucky (so far) the only long term side effect she has shown is short term memory loss. \n\nThe stories I have heard from the other patients here about how they were treated by US medicine astound me. One lady went home to have a shunt put in her liver so she would be ok to come here, but they refused to put it in unless she agreed to do chemotherapy, is that what our country is about? Denying helpful procedures unless we agree to dangerous, toxic ones? The drug companies run US medicine at least when it comes to cancer treatment and it is sad. Most doctors will tell you not to try alternative medicine and some will refuse to even see you again if you do. To some degree they are not to blame, they have not been taught anything about it other than that it is evil and wrong and they would be rejected by their colleagues if they suggested alternatives.\n\nI would also like to tell you about another lady staying at the house we are staying at, she is 86 years old and has breast cancer. She arrived at the clinic the same day we did and is doing very well. Her immune system continues to improve and she gained 2 pounds since last week. She is absolutely thrilled with this treatment and knows that it is helping her.\n\nThere is another elderly gentleman who just finished his 8-week treatment and is feeling better as he returns home. He has cancer around his optic nerve, but also had diabeties. His daughter said that while he was here on the treatment he needed a lot less insulin than usual. I am NOT claiming that the treatment also helps with diabeties, I am just saying that is what his experience was.\n\nPlease whatever you do, research first. \n\nOne very helpful website is www.cancertutor.com\n\nGood luck!!
1151600
Chemotherapies can be given through I.V. or in oral form.  Chemotherapy kills fast growing/dividing cells.  That's why many will cause a persons hair to fall out.  Every chemo treatment is given differently, because each drug affects people differently.  \n\nI had Hodgkin's Disease and was on a regimen known as ABVD (Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, DTIC).  I didn't have horrible side effects, but some common side effects are:  Low blood counts (white blood cells, hemoglobin, platelets...ect)  fatigue, nausea, hair loss, mouth sores (the chemo can cause the insides of your mouth to "sluff" away leaving sores) constipation, diarreha, anemia, loss or change in taste buds, infertility, weight loss or gain...and the list goes on.  \n\nI also did a set of salvage chemotherapies when my cancer stopped responding to the ABVD.  This was a combination of Gemzar, Navelbine and Doxil.  The side effects were pretty much the same.   \n\nI also went in for "high dose" chemotherapy which was a combination of the drugs:  BCNU, Etoposide, Arc-C and Cytoxin.  Since they were given in "high dose" form they destroyed all of my bone marrow and the blood cells that are created there (white blood cells, hemoglobin and platelets)  In order to give high dose chemos, a person needs to have stem cells or bone marrow waiting to be transplanted back into them.  I had my own stem cells harvested from my blood, it's known as a autologous stem cells transplant.  The cells go back to the bone marrow and start making new bone marrow after the chemo kills pretty much every fast dividing cell in the body.  \n\nEvery cancer has different chemo treatments and every chemo has to be given differently, though many are simply given through I.V.
125151
First of all, as a cancer survivor myself, I want to offer you a warm hug and my best wishes.  I know making treatment decisions is not easy at all, and the worst thing is having people who don't know your situation tell you what to do.  Plus different cancers have different prognosises and treatments, so what worked for one may not work for another.\n\nStill, the fact that you said you are opting for NO treatment concerns me, especially because you said you have an early stage.  I do believe that the choice of treatment is up to you, but at least try something.  Even if it is an all natural treatment with no side effects you will at least be doing something to make yourself less tired and live a fuller life!  There are all kinds of natural remedies (herbs, change in diet) research them!  Even if they don't cure you, they could at least give you more energy.\n\nPersonally, when I was diagnosed with cancer at 23, I chose conventional treatment (chemo plus radiation).  That was my choice and I am not pushing it on you, but I will say I am glad I went through it.  I am now 24 and in remission.  Have you researched treatments to see how "bad" they really are?  There are so many horror stories, but treatment may not be near as bad as you think it is.  Some cancers, like mine, have really high cure rates and early stages usually require less treatments.  Please thoughtfully consider all options with your mother.  Like I said, this is a personal decision for you and your mom.  Still, be prepared that your symptoms are going to get worse without any treatment at all.
927784
Give her all the supports you can by encouraging and giving medical attention. You have not told what cancer she is having the stage and grade of the disease so that I could have suggested the possible medication and treatments. Any way act as per the advise of your Oncologist. The treatments generally are - surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The treatment side effects are more killing than the disease itself. What to do you have to fight the disease as -\n\nCANCER IS STILL AN ENIGMA.  Best wishes for speedy recovery of your friend.-
942219
Never heard of that!  Check out http://curezone.com/diseases/cancer/ \nfor some answers
875643
If its treated,  not much different to someone without cancer...;
849618
Sure, don't hesitate, the longer it goes on the worse the treatment.  I have been through cancer 3 times, the cure is worse than the cold.  Get attention, even if you only suspect and have no symtoms.