July, 2015 - Ronny Allan - Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer

30Jul 2015 by Ronny Allan 8 Comments

‘Chinese Dumplings’ and Neuroendocrine Cancer

Treatment

One of my daily alerts brought up this very interesting article published in the Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology last month (June 2015). I personally found it fascinating. Moreover, it gave me some hope that specialists are out there looking for novel treatments to help with the difficult fight against Neuroendocrine Cancer.This is an article about something generally described as "Intra-operative Chemotherapy", i.e. the administration of chemo during surgery. This isn't any old article - this is written by someone who is very well-known in Neuroendocrine Cancer circles - Dr. Yi-Zarn Wang.March 2022: Note Dr Wang has a new post.“I am now in Permian Basin-Odessa Midland Texas as the new Program Director of a new general surgery residency program. I have officially joined the faculty of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center on…

26Jul 2015 by Ronny Allan 48 Comments

I’m still here

Awareness, Inspiration, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy, Survivorship

I was diagnosed with metastatic Neuroendocrine Cancer - 26th July 2010. Until I arrived at my 5th anniversary, I hadn't thought much about how (or if) I should mark these occasions. I never thought I would dwell on such things as 'Cancerversaries' but I now totally get why many patients and survivors do.There are several types of 'Cancerversary' that for some, could trigger a mix or range of emotions including gratitude, relief and fear of cancer recurrence or growth. These milestones could be the date of a cancer diagnosis, the end of a particular type of treatment (anniversary of surgery etc) or a period since no signs or symptoms of cancer were reported. Everybody will handle it their own way - and that's perfectly understandable.The 5-year milestone was significant, I…

21Jul 2015 by Ronny Allan 16 Comments

Sorry, I’m not in service

General

Featured by Macmillan Cancer - check out this link. Featured by Cancer Knowledge Network - check out this link. It's good to be busy, it can take your mind off stuff you don't really want to think about. That was my tactic after being diagnosed with incurable Neuroendocrine Cancer. I just kept working and working and was still sending work emails and making telephone calls on the day I was being admitted to hospital for major surgery. After all, how could they possibly function without me? Although I was banned from work after the surgery, I still dropped an email to let them know I was doing cartwheels down the hospital corridor. They expected nothing less. I guess the image of 'invincibility' was important to me at that time. It was part of my personal…

14Jul 2015 by Ronny Allan 20 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer Nutrition Series Article 2 – Gastrointestinal Malabsorption

Diet and Nutrition, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Survivorship, Treatment

This is the second article in the Neuroendocrine Cancer Nutrition series. In the first article, I focused on Vitamin and Mineral deficiency risks for patients and there is a big overlap with the subject of Gastrointestinal Malabsorption. Those who remember the content will have spotted the risks pertaining to the inability to absorb particular vitamins and minerals. This comes under the general heading of Malabsorption and in Neuroendocrine Cancer patients, this can be caused or exacerbated by one or more of a number of factors relating to their condition. It's also worth pointing out that malabsorption issues can be caused by other reasons unrelated to NETs. Additionally, malabsorption and nutrient deficiency issues can form part of the presenting symptoms which eventually lead to a diagnosis of Neuroendocrine Cancer; e.g. in my own case,…

07Jul 2015 by Ronny Allan 30 Comments

Neuroendocrine Neoplasms – not as rare as you think

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy

UPDATE AS AT 21 JAN 2023 - a leading US cancer organisation accepts that NETs are not rareI don't like to gloat, but this post is heading for its 8th birthday. UK and Australian figures recently confirmed that Neuroendocrine Cancer is the 10th and 7th most common cancer type. Several NET specialists in USA have been more vocal (see some graphic quotes below) than the cancer organsiations (including the ones who represent us) and disappointingly "carcinoid" use is still rife in that part of the world. Let's hope they will now get on with moving to the new paradigm I've been suggesting for a long time.Read more in the "Meanwhile in USA" section.BackgroundAlthough initially considered rare tumours up until 10 years ago, the most recent data indicates the incidence of…