Ever wonder what caused your Neuroendocrine Cancer?
OPINION. When you're diagnosed, you go through a whole host of emotions. It's not just the initial shock, the disbelief, the anxiety and morbid worry produced by the words "you have cancer", it's other stuff such as anger and denial. With the latter, the denial normally wears off as you finally accept the predicament. In hindsight, the anger is interesting because there can be a mixture of thoughts including "why me", "what could I have done to head this off"; and would you believe I was even angry that my diagnosis was going to affect my performance at work and…
Neuroendocrine Cancer Awareness – let’s move into the 21st century
OPINIONThe build up to (so called) "NET Cancer Day" (sic) has begun and I can hear hoofbeats becoming louder every day. Is it a horse, is it a zebra etc etc. However, is this aged equine medical adage still applicable as an awareness tool for Neuroendocrine Cancer or should we be looking for something which is more impactful, up to date, more compelling, more adult, more likely be taken seriously and attract new audiences? p.s. even our day has a ridiculous name - "NET Cancer" decodes to "Neuroendocrine Tumour Cancer" which is quite ludicrous not only because of the grammar…
The trouble with the NET (Part 1) – Cancer Myths
Certain popular ideas about how cancer starts and spreads - though scientifically wrong, can seem to make sense, especially when those ideas are rooted in old theories. To a certain extent, it can be the case with treatment too. But wrong ideas about cancer can lead to needless worry and even hinder good prevention and treatment decisions. In one study, a surprising 40% of Americans believe cancer can be cured solely through alternative therapies, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)’s second annual National Cancer Opinion Survey. In a similar study in UK, the NHS blamed social media…
Tobacco and Cancer: A smoking gun?
I've never smoked so I'm reasonably confident my own cancer experience is not related to this type of personal lifestyle. I did, however, grow up in a world where smoking was widespread and a generally accepted behaviour. We now know that smoking causes more than four in five cases of lung cancer. Lung cancer not only has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, but is the most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Shockingly, most of these deaths are preventable, by giving up smoking in time or not starting at all. Smoking also increases the risk of at least 13 other…