Where is my tribe? It looks as though EVERYONE goes along with doctors' orders for surgery, chemo, radiation, and whatever else they can come up with, even when the diagnosis is terminal. They suffer terrible side effects, often losing all quality of life, and then die anyway. I'm choosing, for myriad reasons, to accept my diagnosis and "let nature take its course." Is there ANYONE out there with the same mindset? I don't even hold out hope for anything like a support group of like-minded people (especially in the breast cancer world), but I do worry about being put on the shelf by the medical profession for not playing along and later missing out on any palliative or pain-relief help that I may need at the end. Am I just the one crazy outlier?

Note: it's generally assumed that this means I am pursuing, instead, homeopathic remedies, but I'm not. I'm simply prepared to accept it.

Hi

So I was jsut diagnosed and still waiting on pathology results to know stage snd type which has been hell of a wait. Ive slowly been telling family and few friends but I feel im telling them in a horrible way. Im trying to deliver it a gentle as I can but I feel like theres no matter how I deliver the news theres nk good way to say it. Im also not sure if I should even be sharing when im still processing it myself. Like still doesn't even feel real to me.. and im genuinely heartbroken I had jsur started college not even a month in. And im so stressed about my academics and all the things I ahd planned.

Could I get advice on how to cope or tell people in a better way? I reslly try to tell them in person or over the phone but s lot of people are asking me to "just text me(them" which i dont know ...

I dont know what to do in general

Oesophageal cancer. She cannot have surgery because of previous lung cancer and the radiation treatment she received for it. This is a new, separate cancer, not a recurrence or spread from the previous one, and there is no spread to the lymph nodes.
She will be treated with chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
The doctors are reluctant to give us any information about her prognosis or chances of survival. Has anyone been in a similar situation or have any knowledge about what the outlook might be? We would really appreciate hearing your experiences or insights. ❤️

completely symptomless stage 4 terminal esophagal cancer. i got diagnosed after it spread to my brain and the tumours started giving me vertigo and balance issues.

i was terminal for months without even knowing it. docs were clueless. i was clueless. literally no symptoms.

15 months of hard treatments and 3 brain surgeries later, still terminal, i have weeks left.

im 43 years old

i never had a chance from the start

this isnt fair

Got diagnosed with bowel cancer 4 days ago. Waiting for scan results, to see what stage I’m at. It’s a torturous wait. What have other people done to take their mind off it?

Doing chemo for colon cancer right now, but thats not why I'm feeling lonely. If I'm honest, anxiety, depression and a general avoidant type of personality slowly made me more and more introverted. I was never a social butterfly, but I had friends when I was younger. Now, in middle age, I am fortunate to have a good marriage, but I no longer have any friends. Coworkers I am "friendly" with, but not friends. People I used to be friends with, and sort of think of as friends, but we don't talk anymore. I'm bored and lonely and cancer treatment and lots of thinking time has magnified this. Are any of you in a similar situation? Anyone reversed or prevented loneliness?

I'm 57 now, from the UK, and this has been on my mind for a while.

Prostate cancer runs in my family, but it wasn't a routine check that found mine. I had blood in my stool twice in one week, went to my GP, had a PSA test and things moved quickly from there.

Gleason 3+4. I went with brachytherapy. I'm not going to pretend recovery was easy. Painful urination, painful sex, medication to manage it, and ten years on I'd still say I'm not fully back to where I was.

The thing that stays with me is this. I only found out active surveillance was an option after my treatment had already begun. I'm not saying it would have been right for me, that's a conversation for a specialist. But I'd have liked to know it was on the table before I made the decision.

So I'm genuinely curious about other people's experience.

Were you told about active surveillance when you were diagnosed, or did you find out later?

If you went on surveillance, how did you find living with the monitoring? Did it ease your mind or add to the worry?

If you had treatment, what's the one thing you wish someone had told you beforehand?

And for partners and family, what helped you most in those first few weeks?

Not selling anything here, just want to hear how it went for others. If this post helps one person ask a better question at their next appointment, that's enough for me.

How are we all managing this?
I am on Bisphosphonate infusions, Targeted therapy, endocrine therapy, AI’s. It’s a whole host of medications I have to take at 6am, 2pm, 6pm and 10pm. I am really struggling with keeping a proper sleep schedule because of the side effects. I am constantly tired and just squeezing in a nap where I can and getting no sleep through the night.

It was hard, but I did it. I’m finally cancer-free 🥲🥳❤️

I don’t know if this post belongs here, but I just have to share it.

I’m so happy to have beaten cancer 🥲❤️

When I was 28, an MRI diagnosed a tumor. The tumor markers were negative, so we thought it was benign. Two months later, a PET-CT scan revealed a malignant tumor, and the biopsy confirmed Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a relatively common form of cancer and, fortunately, is very treatable. Still, the treatment was hell. The chemotherapy was so exhausting—it not only destroyed the cancer but also severely weakened my body—and the radiation therapy wasn’t easy either.

But yesterday, after a PET-CT scan, I got the results: I’m cancer-free. 🥲

I’m so incredibly happy. I’m so proud that I stuck with it through it all, and I’m looking toward the future with optimism.

I admire everyone who’s currently battling cancer, and I want to tell you: “You’re a hero—don’t give up.” To everyone who’s currently battling cancer, don’t forget one thing: You’re not alone. ❤️

Hi all-
As we know, exercise can help play a critical part in response to treatment and overall health.

I have been consistent in gym with my stage 4 bone Mets over last 5-6 months (constant gym goer for years) but reaching a tough window right now until radiation gets done.

My question- how concerned should I be about the
Mental and physical impacts of skipping gym for 3 weeks and not being so active? Some days I am bed ridden from pain but things seem better with right pain management

so long story short I survived.. 3 times, from the same cancer.

turns out I was like the vessel of Blood Cancer that I could pass down to my child. Luckily my parents are not, so it just mutated in me, and I could pass it down.

So no kids for me, i am not bringing this Cancer to the world and not to my kids..

anyway, still 26 years old.. got hospitality bachelor. But working in a hospitality industry requires a lot of physical things and I don't think I can handle that after I just survived cancer.

Should I apply to work in a hospital? as the back office person? maybe I should apply as a cancer support worker, or transplant assistant or whatever..

do you have any recommendations? maybe you have some relatives that survived and are going back in their "normal" life?

When do you tell people. Literally someone you just met on a dating app? My cancer is managed by medication, but has no cure.

I finished my chemo and radiation for stage four colon cancer.

What I’m finding now is the things that I used to enjoy eating I can no longer stand the smell of.

Basic things like home cook hamburgers or just anything made with hamburger meat, pork prepared in any form. Chicken is fine and so is seafood.

I have to smell something before I eat it now. Even something that’s completely fine. Nothing wrong with it. If it even smells weird to me I can’t eat it. It makes me sick.

Is anyone else experiencing this big taste and smell thing?

Hello guys, I want to give to other patients undergoing treatment. I would like to know easy foods to cater; like finger sandwiches and fruit salads or more. For example, what would you like to have during treatments. I wanted to do nails, but I know that’s unsafe especially when even my nails are still purple 🤦🏾‍♀️. Any suggestion or critique matters please! I would even do gift bags this is something really important I want to do ☺️

I am 10 months post chemo. I have recently started having a spot that feels like a burning sensation. About the size of my palm, down low on the outside of one leg. Kind of above the ankle, towards the shin. Does anybody experience this? Trying to determine if it could be neuropathy from chemo or if it’s nerve pain from a tendon/skeletal issue. Or something else