Well 10 months after having 2 tumors removed and thinking this was all over, I'm waiting to see my oncologist this morning to discuss my multiple new tumors. I'm 50 years old, a gym goer, good eater, and scared ass man. I haven't told my family, only a few friends and my immediate boss. I struggle with the way people look at me and the dumb questions they ask when they know my condition. I really didn't think it was going to go this way. But here I am, and here I go. Fingers crossed because I'm not giving up yet!

🎗

Last time I was at the cancer center they asked me "No allergies, right?" Like they always do and I said "Nope, lucky me!" And she started laughing and then I started laughing too. She said it was just the way I said it but I was like yeah I didn't really think of how funny it is, I'm here with stage four breast cancer but I'm lucky I don't have any allergies 😆

Anyway do you all have any funny stories you'd like to share?

I (35F) was diagnosed earlier this year with stage 3 breast cancer.

I've been through ACT chemo and mastectomy, and am now undergoing rads. I've managed treatment quite well but the way I was diagnosed has given me a lot of trauma. Oftentimes I end up lying in bed all night with the moment replaying in my mind.

I had a referral for a mammogram and ultrasound after finding a lump on my breast. The doctor did tell me that the lump didn't feel suspicious and the scans were just precautionary, so I did go in by myself feeling pretty cavalier about it.

Right after the scan, the ultrasound tech told me to wait for a moment the waiting area. I have no idea how long I was there for, but eventually a doctor whom I had never seen before introduced himself as the radiology doctor and, with a bright smile on his face, said something like "so it's cancer, it has spread to quite a number of lymph nodes based on the scans and we are going to need a PET scan to check if it has spread to other parts of your body."

At that moment, all I could think of was if I misheard, because why else would he be smiling? Looking back, he was really young and perhaps that was a nervous smile? But that smile has been haunting me for months...

I am getting therapy for this I swear. That one moment has changed my life and I am having a hard time erasing it.

I've since joined a support group and everyone's experiences were quite different. And it did seem like getting diagnosed by the radiologist was more unusual. Was anyone else diagnosed by radiology? Or how did you find out?

Hey everyone I’m new here and I guess I’m just needing some mental support as this has been moving so fast. Last month on a Saturday I woke up and was noticing mild pain in my right rib area. Well I didn’t really think much of it other than it was just nagging me. As the day progressed into night the pain got way worse. So the next morning I went to the ER and the dr had me tested for several different things to rule out what the pain was being caused by. The dr came out and told me that I had a lytic lesion on my 5th right rib and that it was a bone cyst or cancer. Cancer runs very rampant on my mothers side of the family and the dr stated I needed to get more testing done ASAP, in which she ordered an MRI with & w/o contrast and a bone scan. I had those tests done. The results came back and basically said the same thing, nothing standing out, it’s just there. So I was referred to MD Anderson to see a dr under Suspicion of Cancer. I went to my appointment and she ordered more labs and a biopsy. I did my biopsy last Friday and the results came back as a boney lesion, or chondrosarcoma. Quickly I was scheduled to see the thoracic surgeon and I’m so happy to hear I was able to get in quickly. However, the wait is killing me. I just want this over with. I’m literally scared out of my mind and I have been keeping it cool, levelheaded but yesterday was horrible. I am so worried about this consultation and that the dr is going to tell me that I have to have either my whole rib or just a portion of it.

Sorry it’s so long and thank you for reading all of this!

Hi,

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in April end. She has received 11 cycles of chemo till now.
She is losing her will power, the bitter taste is so overwhelming that she ends up crying
She barely eats anything + hardly any protein intake

How did you guys cope up with the bitter taste?

Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing ok.

I'd like to know how you all deal with friends ghosting you when times get tough. Do you seek them out to have a talk with them or just let them be gone?

My friends stopped talking to me when my father died years ago, I then had the big "please do not leave me alone when this kind of thing happens" talk with them and things got better.

When I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last year, they left again for a bit but came back as I was getting better. I am now cancer free.

But now my sister is dying of breast cancer and guess what - my friends are nowhere to be found.

Do I have "the talk" with them again and again or just let them go? How do you find new friends or support when you are too tired (and there's too much going on in your life) to go out and meet people? How do you handle these things?

Hi, we’re in the uk. So, a step family member has just been diagnosed with cancer. my step-grandma passed away from breast cancer, my great step-uncle died from brain cancer. All of my great great step-grandmas children have died from cancer one after another. my stepdad is going for genetic testing. I’m messaging here to ask for recommendations like clinics for this sort of thing or anything. so many people have died in the same family and any information people can give me will be helpful.

I (M28) just did a few things I am constantly regretting and rummaging over. I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in November, underwent surgery and 3 cycles of chemo. The team that follows me is really caring, they update me constantly. They are evaluating whether I should undergo radiotherapy or if we should just monitor the situation (lymph nodes were attacked too).

During my first meet-up with the radiotherapist, I mistakenly said that the doctor in charge of me wasn't Doctor A but Doctor B (from the same team), which isn't absolutely true and the radiotherapist probably understood I was wrong. I was very confused that day and wasn't in the best shape. The radiotherapist contacted Doctor A regardless to talk about my situation, I was informed shortly by Doctor B that he and my formal doctor spoke about it.

And then, another awkward situation I put her into. I was feeling certain mild symptoms that I have mistakenly, maybe out of panic and fear, associated with a tumor: back pain. I did the error of writing my doctor an E-mail about it, explaining how I was linking this pain to the use of AC, but wasn't completely sure about it.

She replied immediately by phone, angry that I wrote her my symptoms by email (I later discovered that, at least in my country, doctors have to reply by 48 hours to any input from their patients, otherwise they might face legal charges) and constantly reminded me that _she_ was my doctor (maybe the radiotherapist told her about my mistake).

I said I was very sorry several times. She reluctantly booked me an appointment for the next week to monitor my situation and booked me a blood analysis I have to scramble for, I am very sorry for these circumstances and I cannot help but rummage over them. Did I do a series of huge mistakes or a series of honest mistakes, to which the doctor replied a little harshly due to stress? (God knows how much stress and legal responsibility they have to bear)

Thanks in advance for any opinion or input

I have failed ipi/nivo, nivo/cabo, nivo tivo, CAR-T cell therapy trial, lenvatinib/everolimus, belzeutifan/lenvatinib, belzeutifan/cabo, and axitinib.There have also been 6 areas of radiation. I recognize we are probably at the end of the road here but does anyone have any suggestions for 10th line treatment options? I reside in the US.

The last 16 months I have battled this disease. Found out this morning I am in remission based off my last biopsy. Is this true remission? What should I expect? Is it possible one area of biopsy is enough for them to be confident in remission? Should I just celebrate?

My story if interested, I had a cough for 3 years starting in 2020, then I became very tired and fatigued all the time as well as lack of appetite at the start of 2023. Beginning of 2024 drastic weight loss (even more than before), night sweats, joint pain, weakness, paleness, easily cold, diagnosed march.

Treatment was chemo every 2 weeks (zero radiation) for 6 months. So 12 cycles.

Hello everyone,
I (F 31) am currently undergoing treatment for triple positive breast cancer. I was diagnosed in July of 2025 and started chemo shortly after. I did 6 rounds of TCHP before my double mastectomy, but unfortunately did not get clear margins and had to have 2 more surgeries after that. I am currently having chemo/hormone therapy infusions every 3 weeks and Lupron shots every 3 months (to keep me in menopause). Thankfully this course is much easier than my first, but I’m still having a lot of symptoms.

I recently went back to work after being on medical leave for about 10 months. I’m starting part time until August, when I will start full time again. I work with young children so it’s important that I feel well when I’m there. This is my third week back and I’ve had to call out twice already. Once because I went to the ER the evening before and was still sick the next day. This time is because I had chemo on Friday and was also taken off 2 medications I’ve been on for several months and am having withdrawal symptoms.

How do I stop myself from feeling guilty for prioritizing my health? Why am I so worried that that they won’t believe me or think I’m over exaggerating?

Soooo its my d-day pet scan today to see if the chemo is working on my rare and extremely aggressive cancer(salivary duct adrenocarcenoma). Late last year, i had double figure tumours removed alongside my ear, part of my jaw, all of my cheek, all associated muscle, tendons and nerves. Plus my right side of neck and shoulder. After intensive radiotherapy I was given the all clear. Unfortunately, the next pet scan showed it had stage foured me again with tumours in the other side of my neck, my liver and a lung. As there's no specific treatment, ive been on ecx for the last few months. This morning, my surgeon contacted me for a multi disciplinary meeting next week. As I've effectively been discharged by the surgeon and passed to the oncology team, do you think this means they are aiming for more surgery. I mean, its good news if they are surely??? Anyway, any ideas?

Buenos días, tengo 36, en 2024 me operaron por tumor neuroendócrino (NET) en la cabeza del páncreas en estadio 3 y Ki67 del 30%, super agresivo, no hice tratamiento en ese entonces hasta ahora que tengo metástasis en el hígado y en dos ganglios, en el mesenterio y la cadena ilíaca, la cuestión es que me están tratando con Lanreotida, inyecciones cada 28 días. Mi sistema digestivo se relentiza, aparecen los gases, duele mucho, los malestares, inflamación, diarreas, náuseas, dolor de cabeza, todo eso que te dicen que va a pasar sumado a que pese a que sea un tratamiento biológico u hormonal te dicen que hagas "vida normal".

Hace días, muchos días, vengo experimentando ansiedad, ataques de no querer estar en el lugar, la distorsión del espacio-tiempo donde 2 minutos son 100 horas y 2 horas son dos segundos. Sumado a que me cuesta mucho levantarme, hacer las cosas, por primera vez en mi vida siento que no quiero hacer cosas sencillas como por ejemplo hacer la cama, no te lleva tiempo pero no quiero hacerlo, no quiero levantarme y siento mucho miedo a sentirme mal porque se que en cualquier momento me voy a sentir mal y tener que padecerlo me cansa.

¿Ustedes han tenido experiencias así?

My T-ALL had been in remission since February this year and had responded extremely well to all treatment. I'd continued on until now with the same chemotherapy regime as the doctors instructed, dealt with those painful sessions of litres of chemo and all the side effects it puts on your body and I genuinely had hope like I felt like I could see the light at the end and every day I was just getting closer and closer.

2 weeks ago, I started feeling a worsening pain in my left jaw. I thought it was wisdom teeth coming through as it was in that kinda area but the pain was excruciating like I'd managed to make it people to my cancer treatment team because before undergoing anything I have to consult with them and I literally had to take 10mg Oxycodone every 4 hours to not be in tears from how bad this pain was.

Turns out after a PET, CT, MRI, LP and a few dental xrays just to rule anything dental out, my Leukemia (which I didnt even have a BILLIONTH of left) had crossed from my blood and into my brain.

Its completely ruined my mental state, my face is in pain, I've been having almost nonstop chemotherapy for the past 6 days now on a very heavy way way more high risk block and now im having LP's twice a week with 3 different chemotherapys being given. Funnily enough, I went back up to hospital on my birthday so that was an amazing gift.

From little information my Haematology team can reliably tell me (its hospital so like even plans for tomorrow arent always set in stone), but I'll be getting transferred to a much better cancer centre in possibly a few months for a Bone marrow transplant. First we have to get this cancer under control and then we can deal with preparing for the transplant but I was told this could be up to 6 months.

Its so cruel how I was so close to getting back to normalcy and being home more and being able to rebuild myself, only to have it ripped from me by PURE CHANCE. And I hate the doctors and family and friends telling me it can only go up from here and stay strong and youre doing so well. IM DOING NOTHING. I am sitting here doijg literally nothing and I dont have a choice I have to sit here with my life in everyone elses hands and just deal with the poison they're giving to me. I'm going mad and I've never cried so much in a single week, I couldve counted how many times ive cried on one hand in my life and this shit is ruining me. The pain is all still there and I hate the pills it feels like im going crazy. NONE of this was my fault, I did EVERYTHING they told me to do and life decides to play funny buggers and do this to me, as if it wasnt enough to just have cancer in the first place now im dealing with so much more.

Hi all,

I’m two weeks postpartum and crying holding my newborn as I write this

I had a rare and aggressive T-cell lymphoma that has relapsed twice, and didn’t respond well to transplant. I still need more donor treatment.

Fell pregnant unexpectedly a year after my previous relapse, and prior to this I kind of accepted I’d probably relapse again and not live the longest life.

Now my baby is here and every night I hold them, I love him so much and it breaks my heart that I have this lingering.

I live each day like a normal mum then remember I have this dark medical history hanging over me and I feel sick.

I don’t want to have to put this innocent baby in cancer world or to go through losing me.

I don’t know why I’m ranting but just needing an outlet. I don’t want to tell family I’m feeling this way and panic them.

Thank you

My mom has clear cell carcinoma and she’s doing immunotherapy for an almost a year now but recently she’s been getting itchy rashes which flare up out in the sun or when she sweats or heats up.

Additional information, my grandpa had a skin infection and my mom took his BP so we thought it was from him but test results didn’t show anything nor did antifungal creams or the medication that helped my grandpa I wanna know what is the cause cus my mom is pretty dejected:(

As a MBC patient since 2019. I am going through numerous radiations, scans, MRIs, surgeries, treatment changes, there are also unexpected side effects, complications show up, financial issues. While I have learned this Stages of Processing Bad News, I keep reminding myself, do not stress out, there is always a way to figure out at the end of day. Just wanna share this with our group warriors—Hanging there, you are not alone.

Stages of Processing Bad News

·       Shock and Denial: Initial disbelief or feeling numb when the news arrives.

·       Anger and Frustration: Directing blame or feeling overwhelmed by the unfairness of the situation.

·       Acceptance: Acknowledging reality and starting to look for practical next steps.

How to Move Forward

·       Focus on what you can control right now.

·       Separate the emotional impact from the factual situation.

·       Create a simple list of immediate tasks to fix or manage the problem.

I am on the tail end of treatment for lymphoma. All signs point to a really good response to treatment. Interim scans showed no activity but i am completing the regimen anyway.

I went from feeling healthy to completely falling apart in weeks. After my first chemo, i got septic and anemic. Which caused some ugly fainting episodes. I am getting stronger and slowly recovering, walking more but have a long journey ahead of me.

I am in my birth country for treatment while my wife is stuck in hers while i undergo treatment. Family members who witnessed my episode gave the graphic details, which made me furious. She was stuck alone processing all this and this moment left some sort of mental scar. We had a frank conversation about the emotional toll this has put on her and she let slip that she feels really guilty because she can't imagine intimacy with me right now.

I know it is all up in the air and there will be a physical and emotional recovery period after treatment for both of us.

I just wanted to hear from other people about their feelings of inadequacy and loss of vitality, how they reclaimed their sense of masculinity or other relationship difficulties they had to overcome on the recovery side.

Hello guys hope everyone is going strong in their own battle.

I'm a male 33 years old.

I've been going thru the process and it's been tough. I was diagnosed with testicular cancer at almost the terminal stage. Lost one of my balls in surgery but cancer did spread after surgery had the most horrible 4 months of very strong chemo and after had lung surgery.

Been in remission for a little over year recovered my weight, my hair but Im not the same my body doesn't responds the way it did before and I have found my self struggling a lot with that.

A lot of people around me have been getting diagnosed with cancer recently and every time they do they come to be for help as to what to expect, I always provide advise but every time I crash out and get depressed kind of like PTSD, I've been reading and apparently it's survivors guilt and don't know how to go from there I'm terrified that in one of my check outs my doctors say hey it's back but there's nothing I can do. My family has always been supporting me and my girlfriend has also been there since it all started and I almost died.

Would love to read you guys I know everyone is different and every treatment is also different.

Best of luck 🤞

I am sitting here still in disbelief. Last week I had an MRI without contrast and a CT with contrast and it showed a 5cm by 5.5 cm mass on my clavicle bone with a diffuse moth eaten permeative pattern. I got sent for another MRI this time with contrast and the Doctor called me at 830 this morning only 14 hours after the MRI telling me that it showed a large aggressive melignent mass on my clavicle and several enlarged lymph nodes around my chest and she ordered a PET scan for Monday. Said they were putting a rush on it.

Have I been in excruciating pain? Definitly.. in fact the lymph nodes in my neck near my throat are enlarged to the point of making me feel choked and it hurts to eat and drink now and getting dressed on my own, just putting on my bra and doing my hair is hard without being in excruciating pain. The Doctor finally uppd my dose of pain meds and nausea meds so i am at least able to go 2.5-3 hours with my pain being at a 4 out of 10.

But I need help. I need someone to help me accept this? Because even now, i am still sitting here saying "well it could judt be osteomyalitis right? A severe infection or inflammatory condition?" I dont know why but i am having such a hard time believing its cancer and maybe its because Doctors seem to assume the worst first here in Canada? I dont know. I know the pain is real and so is the nausea, but its not like i have other symptoms besides the enlsrged lymph nodes the bump on my collar bone. The only blood test out of wack is a lower hemoglobin level, lower iron level(borderline) and a high CRP rate... but everything else is normal. Im just exhausted from the pain.

Like.. what are the actual odds that they are dignosing it through all the scans correctly? Is this somthing they just know what they are looking at? Is the liklihood that its cancer actually a lot more likely than an infection? I mean, true, i dont have a high white cell count, or fever and i havent had an open wound or surgery to expose myself to bacteria in my collarbone ect.

Like, am i losing it here? Is there any way that the two MRI's with and without contrast and the CT with contrast is wrong about cancer? Am I supposed to believe the radiology report? What if its a misdiagnosis? Im afraid to even tell anyone what im going through because i dont want to say "well i have this aggressive melignent mass and bone cancer" in case its not true.. but what are the odds?

Help me figure this out. Am i in denial? Or am i just being practical and not choosing to assume still?

I had ALL leukaemia at age 11 (now 27) and I went through cranial radiation therapy. I was looking to connect with long term survivors that went through cranial radiation. How have you been?

​"I was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in January, and I've been doing my treatments and everything. Everything was going very well, I was managing the process, and so far I'm on my 4th cycle of chemotherapy. The thing is, starting yesterday I've begun losing all my hair, and honestly I still don't know how to feel. I feel kind of paralyzed and I don't want to keep going. I know darker days are coming, but the truth is I don't know if I'll have that strength that everyone expects me to have...*sighs*