Anyone Here with Cancer do Any of the Following?

[Jack&KatiesMommy]

I am just trying to think of all of the things that may have lead to this diagnosis....and while I know that I can't change it....if there is a common thread among us (ie, diet soda, etc.) I want to make sure that my children don't do the same....even if it is only antedotal.

So, if you wouldn't mind answering:

Did you ever:
1. Smoke (i did but quite 9 1/2 years ago before I got pregnant with our son)
2. drink a lot of diet pop (or regular) (I drank diet coke constantly since I was 18 years old)
3. exercise (after becomigng a Mommy, I stopped exercising)
4. become overweight (I gained @ 35lbs after the birth of our second child)
5. Take steroids (I went through 6 IVF's to have our babies...and took 1-4 months of steroids with each)

Thanks for taking the time to read/answer.

[BrownBagger]

It's not even close to being that simple. Different people get this disease for different reasons and different combinations of reasons. No way any of the things on your list can be directly related to CRC, though smoking might come close.

As they say, everything in moderation.

The best thing your kids can do is get scoped at an early age, and keep getting scoped on a regular basis per the doctor's orders.

[weisssoccermom]

Cynthia,
First of all, WELCOME but sorry you had to find and join our club - the club that is wonderful but that no one really wants to join!

As for common threads - well that's been hashed and rehashed over and over again. You'll find people on this board who: ate all the right things, exercised, didn't smoke, never drank, etc. and yet were dxd with cancer and then you'll find others who did some or all the 'wrong' things and also got the cancer diagnosis.
As for me:

Nope, never smoked - ok, I smoked one cigarette once - couldn't tolerate it - never did it again
Not a diet/non diet soda drinker (hubby, however is a soda/caffeine/coffee addict - can go through a 2 liter coke bottle/4 cans a day + cups of coffee/daily and he's never even had a polyp!)
Yes to overweight but wish I wasn't.
Nope to no exercising - worse since the kiddos are all grown up!
Nope to the steroids - have taken them occassionally for breathing issues when I've had super bad colds (have a history of pneumonia so respiratory crud used to do a number on me)

Like I said, people out there in the real world who don't exercise, are WAY overweight, drink, smoke, etc. in many different combinations and DON'T have a cancer dx yet people who DO exercise, aren't overweight, don't smoke/drink, etc. and do get the diagnosis so go figure.

The one common thread that seems to be prevelant and that has been studied is the low vitamin D level and colorectal polyps/cancer. It doesn't appear that more sunshine is necessarily the answer either. It seems that there is something in 'our' bodies that (a) either prevents us from metabolizing the vitamin and/or (b) absorbing vitamin d correctly. Check with your doctor about having your level tested if you haven't already. That's something you can pass on to your kid's pediatrician as well although having a blood test at their age isn't something they're going to want to do. I can tell you that my kids levels are LOW as well. Considering the solution is relatively easy/inexpensive, it's a no brainer to have them get tested when they get older.

Jaynee

[stephh]

Hi there-I agree with BrownBagger-no one really knows why we get this horrible disease...could be a number of things. But I don't think it's any of what you mentioned...but then again, I'm not a doctor either.
But to answer your questions:

No-never smoked.
No-not a diet soda drinker,,,but a regular coke drinker....but prior to my diagnosis, I pretty much was drinking mostly water.
Kind of-to exercise....I am not a big exerciser,,,but prior to diagnosis, I was trying to jog/walk about 3-4 times a week. But really not a big exerciser.
No-to overweight.
No-to steroids

I wish it were that easy,,,,to know what causes this, and how to prevent it. I have no family history, and happen to be the "lucky one" for this disease. No rhyme or reason to it unfortunately.

Steph

[sadysue]

What "brownbagger" said about smoking. I quit smoking over 15 years ago. Two doctors told me that my rectal cancer could have been caused by the smoking I did years ago. Scarey that it can do so much long term damage. Smoking is the only thing I can point my finger at as I've always been super healthy, got plenty of exercise and there is nobody else in my family that had any kind of cancer ever.
Mary Ann

[Jimswife]

Oh no don't say that , I've done Ivf once , embarking on my second within weeks , with steroids , plus I used to smoke ? Are these linked with cc ??

[hannahw]

My Dad's doc like to say "all things in moderation." It's the extremes that tend to cause problems. But even then, there are people who have avoided the extremes and still ended up with colon cancer, so nothing is perfect.

I think there's an interesting philosophical question here, whether you should change everything, to the point that maybe it takes some of the joy out of your life, or whether you continue with some of your "risk" habits because you enjoy them. For example, my Dad loves donuts. He has changed his diet in many ways (more fresh veg and fish), but he hasn't given up all of his indulgences. Donuts - in. Red meat - in (although in lesser quantity). Is that right or wrong? I really don't know. He's happy when he's BBQing, happy to when having Sunday brunch topped off with a Top Pot donut. I'm not sure if he thinks about those things when he's having a medical problem. I do think about those things, and I wonder whether they contribute, but it's endless wondering because there isn't an answer. At the end of the day, he has quality of life. That's what we hang our hats on.

I saw on 60 Minutes a few weeks ago the story of a monestary that is located on an island and is self-sustaining. The clergy come to the monestary from a variety of places. They pretty much grow all their own food (basically a version of a Mediterranean diet), make their own clothes, have very little exposure to any sort of toxins, spend most of their time in prayer/meditation. And their incident rates for things like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc is very, very low. But it isn't zero.

Regret is a difficult thing. Maybe if we would have made different choices, we would have gotten different results. But we can't know and there isn't a miracle recipe for living that is going to guarantee the results we want (although if you move to the monestary, you're improving your odds). We know there are certain risk factors like smoking and obesity, but I think just living in the industrial world, you're being exposed to all manner of toxins, simply by existing. You're not going to avoid all those things without moving to the middle of nowhere (and then you might get a bad cut and die of infection).

As to your specific questions, my Dad was a smoker, is not (and has never been) overweight, exercises regularly (mainly swimming), has always eaten reasonably (although better since diagnosis), has never been a soda drinker, and never received steroids.

[babs249]

As others have said, all things in moderation. However, as a non-smoker, and pretty much a non-drinker - even when I did occasionally drink, it was maybe half a glass of wine, but have not had a drink in almost thirty years - and, before colon cancer ate very little red meat, I still got colon cancer. We do have a family history, but my father was not diagnosed with it until he was 81. I was fifty. Also, as one who has a sister-in-law who said maybe I got colon cancer because of the way I think , I don't like assigning blame to myself or anyone else when they get cancer. Don't beat yourself up about this. Other people drink diet soda and never get colon cancer, smoke and never get it, etc. Keep everything in moderation, and make sure your kids have all the information they will need when they have to start being scoped, etc.

By the way, my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer last month, and we (for a couple of reasons), have not yet told his family or our children. We will be telling people soon. I'm already anticipating being blamed for his cancer by his mother (she has dementia) and above mentioned sister-in-law. He will be the first in his immediate family (and I hope only) to get cancer, and since I already had it I'm anticipating them making some association to me (I dearly love his family, but they can be really strange sometimes).

[Laurettas]

Interestingly on one of the other posts on here, there was a discussion of diet and exercise. I think it was 18 young people--under 50--who had colon cancer that said they all exercised a lot and were into healthy eating before they got cancer. That alone says to me that there is something else that is causing cancer in MANY circumstances.

I should be a poster child for getting colon cancer. My father got it when he was in his early 70's--only one in his large family; I have never been into exercise; I'm overweight; eat a lot of sugar; we eat a LOT of red meat and barbeque much of it(well done for me); don't do as many fruits and veggies as we should; live in the north with a lot of cloudy weather; and yet I had not a polyp this year at 56. The only thing in my favor is that we have raised most of our own food for much of our lives, including milk and meat. We also built a home out of mostly natural materials which may have helped as well. BUT, all of the things that are supposed to be negatives, according to the experts, I have done wrong.

I have come to the conclusion that we need to do some more research on this because I see too many contradictions on both sides.

[dianetavegia]

Did you ever:
1. Smoke NEVER
2. drink a lot of diet pop (or regular) From the time I was about 10 until about 5 years ago. REGULAR soda only
3. exercise On and Off in the last 15 years but a lot prior to that
4. become overweight FLUFFY but not really overweight.
5. Take steroids NO

I have had problems with constipation my whole life. I sometimes wonder if that was a contributing factor.

STRESS from money concerns when hubby lost his career in his mid 50's

[Gaelen]

Jack&KatiesMommy - trying to identify the "why" of "why did I get cancer" is a normal phase most of us go through at some point after we're dx'd.

There are several things which studies have definitively linked to colorectal cancer, including smoking, consuming processed meat like hot dogs, a family history of CRC and and (for rectal cancer) having had at any point in time one of the HPV viruses also known to cause cervical cancer. Science is also moving toward implicating alcohol consumption >1oz per day as a CRC cause...but they're not there quite yet.

Being overweight, inflammation in general, family history of other hormone-dependent cancers (like breast cancer and melanoma)...the jury is still out on all of those things. Being overweight and inflammation are known to contribute to other health issues, but haven't yet been directly linked as causes of CRC.

So - this process you're going through of trying to identify the causes of your CRC and reduce them in your kids lives is common, normal, laudable - and ultimately, at this point, maybe not of much benefit because not enough is known about the exact direct causes of CRC.

So, if you wouldn't mind answering:

Did you ever:
1. Smoke - one or two cigarettes a week, socially, in my late 20s (for about 3 years, total) to maybe equal two total packs of cigarettes in my life
2. drink a lot of diet pop (or regular) nope, hate the stuff
3. exercise regularly - I had a series of very active jobs, and also have trained dogs in obedience and agility and taught those training classes as often as 4x/week. I didn't really cut back on my exercise until after I was dx'd and walking was just about all I could do.
4. become overweight I was overweight by BMI charts, but had a measurable BF% of 26, which was completely normal for women of child-bearing age. BMI charts don't really accurately account for short, muscular women.
5. Take steroids Nope, never.

And FWIW, I was a pescatarian (fish + vegetarian) since the 70s, had and used my gym membership, and was at a healthy weight when dx'd.

Don't make yourself crazy trying to figure out "why." But if your choices for your kids are between a peanut butter sandwich with milk or a bologna sandwich with kool-aid or soda, pick the PB and milk. Teach your kids to respect the food supply and choose food as close to the source and minimally processed as possible. Encourage them to move, every day. And make sure that they get screened when appropriate. 'Cause bottom line, cancer is looking at their genes more than at their menus and exercise logs.

[thostie]

I've never asked my doctor why, i think its a unanswerable question. i think if they knew why cancer would be curable but here goes

smoke-I smoked 1.5 packs a day from 19-25. i quit when i was pregnant with my son. i smoked socially after that until i was pregnant with my daughter then i quit for good.
drank soda- I am a fan of Pepsi. i limit myself to one can of soda a day. i really should quit since i have cancer but my Chemo is working so i guess its really not doing that much damage.
exercise- I was a big fan of the high protein low carb diets from about 18-25. i was in very good shape physically but not very healthy because i smoked and basically only ate protein.
being overweight- Ive never been over weight
take steroids- Ive only had steroids one time, i had to have my tonsils removed and they used it to get the swelling down.

[Jachut]

Ive never smoked, never been a soda drinker, but have been overweight. However, that said, I did grow up on a healthy, unprocessed diet, and have exercised all my life. I've been a hardcore exerciser for about six years and about that long ago, I got serious and lost 50kg. I'm now very thin and very fit.

I actually think, my diet once I decided to lose weight was worse in many ways than my diet all my previous life. I often wonder about it. I had lapband surgery, so I cut down very strictly on portion size. I eat all foods but in reality, becuase I cant stomach them very well, I eat less fruit and vegies than I should. I cant remember the last time I actually ate a piece of fruit actually - I have to eat it cooked, pureed, tinned etc. I have a vitamix and went through a stage of making green smoothies but I cant chug them down, they cause me incredible belly pain. My idea of a serving of red meat is probably good in a cancer sense though - I wouldnt get through any more than somethign the size of a cassette deck, with a bit of green salad (couldnt eat a potato as well). So I dont overdo that sort of thing, but then again, I'm horribly anaemic.

I really think its all balance and moderation.

[Toby57]

Good habits:
1- fit since early teens, played all kind of sports and still do, weight always normal.
2- never smoked, moderate wine drinking.
3- around mid fourties, avoided fast food as much as I can.
4-no family history
5- Got screened at age 50, three years later cancer found, missed a flat polyp .
6- stress kept at minimum

Bad habits:

1- loved steaks on the grill, weekly.
2- sugar junky
3- loved yogurts
4-stopped drinking diet drinks in the last ten years, drank it frequently before.
5- ate too fast
6- never tested for vitamin D, it could be the culprit. Still do not know the level, will test soon.

Who knows, if anyone new, we would all follow it. A study shows the medeteranian diet help prevent it.

[SkiFletch]

And FWIW, I was a pescatarian (fish + vegetarian) since the 70s, had and used my gym membership, and was at a healthy weight when dx'd.

Don't make yourself crazy trying to figure out "why." But if your choices for your kids are between a peanut butter sandwich with milk or a bologna sandwich with kool-aid or soda, pick the PB and milk. Teach your kids to respect the food supply and choose food as close to the source and minimally processed as possible. Encourage them to move, every day. And make sure that they get screened when appropriate. 'Cause bottom line, cancer is looking at their genes more than at their menus and exercise logs.

I'm too lazy to type all that out again atm, but it's fantastic advice, especially the last sentence.

To answer your questions:

Never smoked cigarettes
Would have ~2-3 Coke/Pepsi's a week as a treat
Exercise FIEND, some might say I was and still am a complete addict. I climbed Mt Marcy and Mt Hood the summer before I was diagnosed as an example
Was 6'3" 170lbs at dx, skinny as a rail. Most I've ever been was 190lbs and even then I was only 15% body fat
First steroid experience ever was because of cancer...

Strangers who just see me without knowing much about me don't know what to say at all when I tell them I have cancer. Some even think I'm joking. About the only "thing" I did that might have increased my cancer risks is eat bacon and hot dogs. Not to excess though. Couple slices on Sat/Sun of bacon and the typical summer social bbq hot dogs. It's the nitrates in those foods that's the problem. As BB and everyone else says, moderation.

I too asked the question of WHY but quickly realized I wasn't going to figure out the answer and stopped wasting my time with the thought process. Mercifully it came at a time when I had enough other things to worry about to distract me