OK, funny title. But seriously, actress Christina Applegate has breast cancer.
I hope that her treatments are successful. Unfortunately, I would disagree with the “not life threatening” comment in the sense that breast cancer in any woman can be life-threatening - sometimes even many years after seemingly being cured of an early tumor, women can have a recurrence that ultimately proves to be fatal. Undetectable microscopic cells can lurk in the body for years.
The type of breast cancer seen in women Christina’s age is often more aggressive than the type that tends to strike older women. So, even with an early stage tumor, the risk of a recurrence is a very real concern and there is a need for vigilance.
(This is more a common for general awareness than a criticism of her publicist, though).
Damn! Lustful male that I am, I opened the thread in high anticipation. Now I feel guilty as hell.
Don’t you feel that the title is a little inappropriate?
Especially since Christina’s mother had both Breast and Ovarian cancer. If I were Christina I’d have my ovaries removed.
The shopping mall dick-and-fart-joke store Spencer’s is now selling breast cancer awareness bracelets that say “I (heart) BOOBIES.”
So sorry to hear of any woman dealing with breast cancer. My mother died from it. My yearly mammogram is tomorrow. Anyway, I know very little about this actress except that she has a very pleasing persona in her television appearances. Looks like she’s had a terrible year, and I feel bad for her. Sending out good wishes and good vibrations her way.
and yes the thread title is a little, um, disrespectful…
I saw the story about her breast cancer yesterday. So I knew what the title was referring to, and found it a humorous take on a serious situation.
Of course, to put things into perspective - I talk about my invisible gibbering monkeys, and how helpful they are when dealing with my father’s decline, too. So YMMV and obviously does.
In the context of Married… with Children it’s pretty appropriate.
She chose to have a double mastectomy. (video interview)
Yipes.
Sorry if anyone was offended by the title. At the time I posted the OP there was another thread in Café Society, and the title seemed not-so-offensive in juxtaposition to it.
A tip o’ the hat to the boobies that made Sunday night exciting for a teenage Happy for many, many years…
I’ve always enjoyed her acting, especially in Ron Burgundy.
Bummer. I wouldn’t wish such an event on anybody. (Cancer and amputation, that is.)
Better seeing it here than on eBay.
(going directly to hell, not passing go, not collecting $200)
Damn. A double mastectomy. Anyone else think that in 20 years time our current methods of treating cancer are going to be regarded as every bit as barbaric as bloodletting?
Well, it did provide a funny moment in Star Trek IV, the “save the whales” movie.
When we can find a cure that stops the cancer or prevents it from occuring to start with without the mutilation of a mascetomy, I’m sure we will end mascetomies - many of us support that idea with our time and our money. However, I think history will judge us as making the best decision for the technology we have at hand. Study after study supports mascetomies when certain indications are in place for the best chance of recovery. Unlike bloodletting, which never had any scientific support (ignoring the very few conditions that bloodletting is good for).
She tested positive for the BRCA 1 gene mutation which basically means double mastectomy and double oopherectomy (ovary removal) because she WILL get more cancer. I’m hoping we’ll get a vaccine for that, but we’re not there yet. At least we know now that if you have the gene mutation, cancer is all but a certainty. 20 years ago radical mastectomies were the routine treatment. Now, researchers have discovered that lumpectomies can be just as good as getting rid of the cancer and preventing the reoccurence.
I haven’t had my genetic test yet. I will after all my treatments are done, then we shall see what we shall see.
No.
To expand a little, the problem with cancers are often late detection and the risk of metastasis. Excising the affected organ, or tissue, where possible, is often going to be the lesser risk to the patient unless we can actually develop nanotechnology of sufficient sophistication to be able to specifically target cancer cells, and leave the healthy cells alone.
To consider an alternative: Ivylass has been describing for the past several months her experiences with what appears to be a successful treatment for an early detection of breast cancer, in a woman with no abnormal history or risk for the condition. And she’s had a lumpectomy, and is undergoing chemo and radiation treatment to ensure that the doctors have gotten all the cancerous tissue. AIUI cancer treatments are more successful today than they had been 20 years ago because of two factors: earlier detection is the norm, though in cancers where detection is difficult, such as pancreatic cancer, there are still huge mortality rates, and terrible five year survival numbers; there has been some sophistication developed for the ability to better tailor the chemo treatments being used. But in general chemo is just as rough on the patient as it had been in the past.
Ms. Applegate is in a position where she has a significant family history of this condition being a problem, and has already had her first indication that she is not immune to the problem at a relatively young age. I quite literally cannot imagine any degree of progress where twenty years from now, an immediate double mastectomy would not be considered as a possible treatment for such a patient. IMNSHO we’re more likely to get continuous fusion in that time frame than we are some magical anti-cancer treatments.
Actually, as I understand it, it’s gotten MUCH better. The drugs are less toxic and more effective, and oncologists are interested in treating the side effects (I’ve had queasiness but no nausea and vomiting, and I get a booster shot to keep my white blood cell count up.)
The days of spending three days vomiting into a toilet after chemo are over, for the most part. It doesn’t mean it’s a picnic, but it’s not as debilitating as it used to be. I take a half day off work every two weeks for chemo and that’s it.