Heart Cancer Stages

Question: dose breast cancer heart? I have stage 3 cancer and will be having one breast removed .but I was wondering if breast cancer hearts because I do have some pain in my upper left side like in my shoulder and back.

Answer: Sometimes it does, but the majority of cases do not present as painful lumps or regions.

Question: My father has COPD and Severe heart problems. starting chemo for lung cancer. What are his chances honestly? My father stays really sick already. Now with the lung cancer which is stage one he has got worse. Surgery is out because his doctor says he wouldn't survive it. He is to start chemo and radiation treatments soon. I just am afraid his body is too weak to take the treatments. Need advice

Answer: I am so very sorry to read your question - both for you and your father. The Doc should be able to tell you what his chances are. Enjoy what quality time u can with him. My best wishes to u both.

Question: Can Stage 4 cancer surround my sister's heart? She has Parkinson's, Diabetis, High Blood Pressure, has a tubing in her left lung due to her lungs filling with blood and clots. Over 400 cc per day. 3 Antiobiotic treatments were injected into the tubing to go into the lungs to heal the lungs and stop the bleeding. Its onlly slowed it down.

Answer: My mom had Stage 4 cancer and there was one near her heart. Stage 4 would mean that the cancer had spread to other major organs in the body. I know a little about the chest tube, my mom had one.

Question: cancer and heart problems, any advice? my father is 80 years old, he had a very weak heart from a heart attack he suffered 4 years ago. he has only about 40% or his heart functioning and he also has a defibrilator in it. 2 months ago he was diagnosed with stage 3B lung cancer, with a 7cm tumor in his lung and it has spread to his lymph nodes and chest. we have not been able to start chemo yet becayse he was jus in the hospital for 2weeks because he is having arythmea and his defifrilator keeps shocking him. he is now on amiodarone to help fix it. im afraid as every day passes, the cancer is spreading and growing, and im not even sure his heart will be able to tolerate the chemo. any advice or similar stories or in formation?

Answer: Because of his heart condition some of the chemotherapies would not be suitable for him. Some chemotherapies can cause serious heart problems affecting the rhythm and causing heart damage. I am very sorry.

Question: lung cancer & its breaking my heart & how do you stay strong for everyone in a rough time? im 15 years old and i completley heart broken over my grandma. she has stage for lung cancer that spread to her brain. we know she has very little time hospice is at our house taking care of her once a week. today i was sitting with her and i was just looking at her and like what i would do to make things normal and we could just watch tv together and laugh together. my grandmother is only 62 she is very young. just looking at her breaks my heart than seeing all my family members disgusted with everything-- seeing my mom dad brother aunts grandpa uncles and cousins heart broken it makes me even more up set. i just dont understand why everything always happens to such good people. does god not like me? have i done something wrong that hes punishing me in the worst way. i miss my normal and loving and warm feeling i get whe ni see my grandma now its just cold and heartwrenching. i probally sound crazy for all what i said. but how do you find strength in such hard times-- where there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Answer: You have my sincerest condolences. I understand what you're going through; as a nurse I see it every day. As a family member, I watched my two siblings fall victim to cancers, within eight months of each other. There is nothing anyone can say that wouldn't sound stupid. It's a whole other thing when it's happening to you. I won't burden you with talk of gods. You don't sound crazy at all. What you're feeling is grief, and the sense of loss. It's normal to feel this way. There is a light at the end of this tunnel: Your own young life. I can assure you your grandmother would not want you to wallow in this. Her life is almost over, and yours is just beginning. You will honor her memory best by getting on with your life. Make yourself worthy of the love she feels for you, and learn to love yourself, as well. Our loved ones will always be in our hearts; as long as you keep the memory of your grandmother in your heart, she will live forever. Again, my condolences.

Question: Lung Cancer and Fluid around the heart.? My mother had 500 cc drained from around her heart yesterday and 100 cc today. The doctor suspects lung cancer (which she will have her left lung drained Monday). Is this associated with a certain stage of the cancer? She was diagnosed with COPD last year and Emphysema this year about 3 months ago.

Answer: I have lung cancer, and have had serious pleural effusion. They drained 6 litres from me, then six weeks later, they drained another 4 litres. I know its not a pleasant experience. This doesn't always mean lung cancer, many times when there is a heart or lung problem, liquid can accumulate. Everyone has some fluid that rotates around the lungs for lubrication. It acts like a pump that keeps the lungs moist. When there is heart or lung disease then the fluids can accumulate. COPD and Emphysema can certainly cause this accumulation. When they did the drain, they would send a sample of the fluid away to test for cancer cells. Hope the sample comes back clean.

Question: Has there been any proof of yeast causing heart disease? This is a Kevin Trudeau claim in his "Natural Cures" books, specifically that Candida yeast is responsible for most incidents of heart disease. The remedy is something called "Candida Cleanse", which he has a financial interest in. My mother is an M.S.N. and she told me that the only patients she's seen with yeast infections of the heart were severely immuno-depressive, ie terminal AIDS patients or stage 4 cancer patients.

Answer: yeast can cause inflammation of the inner coating cells of the heart in very sick immuno supressed people like you have mentioned. that would cause heart failure. it is also possible in intra venous drug abusers, albeit very rare. yeast dose not cause heart attacks. not even a small percentage.

Question: my best friend has heart cancer? :(? she said she was at her last stage, and they wouldn't give her treatments. is this true? why wouldn't they give her treatments at her last stage? this is so sad :( they said she only has 6 more months... shes also only 12 years old <3 im going to miss her dearly but i do not understand why they wont give her treatment? she went to school today though and she was being herself. she didnt feel that sad though and she said she wasnt feeling any pain her dad took her to the doctor andhe told her that

Answer: I'm sorry for both of your pain. This must be a tough time and although I have no ides why she was refused treatment (maybe she's too weak?) I can give you some advice. Imagine how she feels, try to make her last few months as fun and comfortable as possible and treasure your time together.

Question: is colon surgery safe if you have heart attack? i am diagnosed that i have stage 2 colon cancer but i also have heart attack, is it safe to go to the surgery?

Answer: I would risk it. I would rather die on the table under anesthesia with a heart attack (and never feel it) than to go through the agony that Farrah Fawcett had to deal with before she died. Colon cancer is wicked and can easily metastasize to other parts of the body.

Question: How long can someone survive while having stage 4 lung cancer? my gpa is about 80 years old and he found out he had lung cancer back in april of 09. He hasn't had any treatments. He is diabetic and has heart problems and his kidneys are failing. How long would you say he has to live? He means the world to me and I want to send every second I can with him =(

Answer: not knowing anything other when what you have told us...i would guess it was about 6-8 months from the time he was diagnosed. so that would be around september-november. did you ask him or your parents how long the doctor gave him? if not you should cause the doc will usually give the patient a timeframe if the patient asks and it is for sure terminal.

Question: Friend with colon cancer sent home with stomach port with pump? a very dear friend of mine is in stage iv colon cancer. the chemo has stopped and she has been sent home with some type of stomach fluid pump that is connected to a port in her abdomen. her only source of nutrition is ensure drinks and soft foods like jello. i know that her body cannot maintain this. i can't imagine she will last a month like this. what will happen? how will the end come? will her heart just stop due to lack of nutrition? need to know.

Answer: Hopefully your friend is under hospice care? They can guide and explain the next phase of this journey . . many, many cancer patients at the end of life phase will stop eating and barely drink at all . . in fact it is almost cruel to force food or water on a dying patient . . this must be her decision totally. Basically the dying body can no longer process food normally . . and water will end up 'pooling' within the body and cause bloating and discomfort. Your friend may just naturally stop eating because it will make her feel nauseous or bloated . . drinking fluids will cause edema or worse ascites. So she will naturally not crave or desire food . . she may be thirsty and be able to swallow ice chips. When a patient is dying just eating and drinking may become a burden for them . . offer it . .but if they refuse than just support and love her because eventually the body will starve or organs fail from lack of water. It is the cancer that is killing her . . but it is the bodies natural way of dealing with the end of life. This may become very upsetting to you and those who are around her . . but allow her to lead the way . . let her chose whether to stop eating and drinking as this may be the kindest path to the end of her life. I am so, so sorry. Just hold her, love her, and let her go. NCI: End of Life Questions and Answers http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/support/end-of-life-care Advanced Cancer http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Resourcessupport/Advancedcancer

Question: Is this possible at stage 4 lung cancer? He is diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, he does not smoke. The doctor is stopping his treatments/chemo because according to the doctor it's not working & is making his condition worse. Is it possible for the tumor between his lungs and heart to disappear? Like, has this ever happened. A miracle, or though prayers? What are the chances of him living longer? Hes 25 yearsold.

Answer: Patients with stage 4 lung cancer, who are not responding to treatment, have an extremely poor prognosis. Unfortunately, tumors do not "disappear" on their own. There have been rare cases of cancer growth halting despite a lack of treatment, but these are extremely rare.

Question: Is it him or me? My BF's mom in last stages of cancer and I feel our relationship is drifting apart.? We've been together for 2-1/2 years now. His mother has been really sick with cancer and hospitalized for the past 2 & 1/2 months. He spends hours at the hospital everyday. Many times I am there at his side because its the only time I get to spend time with him. Because of this though we don't really have quality time one on one because we are usually always with his family. When we DO get time time alone together I would like to talk or catch up but he just wants to sleep & watch TV- basically just relax which I understand because of his family situation but I still feel so disconnected from him. He doesn't really ask me about my day to day life anymore and although its his mother who has cancer, I feel its really affecting me too. I can't openly discuss how afraid I am to lose her because he has asked me to be strong, which to him basically means no crying and acting like things are going okay. He is a very optimistic person and is always joking around and being goofy even in these times. He says he's accepted his mom's condition but remains hopefull. I am scared and sad but don't feel like I could express these things to him for fear that he may see this as "weak" and not being strong for him like he has asked. I don't really have anyone in my life to whom I could share my feelings with. Although I have always been one with a small, but close, circle of friends, I have lost much contact w/ the majority of my closest friends (moved out of state, recently married and pregnant, etc.). I feel like I'm going nuts without this social interaction. I am tired of trying to talk to my boyfriend (and like the regular man) he cuts me off mid sentence or changes the subject when I"m speaking (not about anything in specific). Although in my mind it probably doesn't happen as frequently as I feel it does, I find it really hurtful to the point that I no longer feel encouraged or comfortable talking about what ever it is I would like to talk about. This has led to many silent car rides, dinner's, etc. He also has his own personal activities like biking, the gym, and golf, and finds time amidst hospital stays, meanwhile I am trying to finish my last yr at UCBerkeley while studying architecture. My major is really time consuming and leaves me little time for extracurricular activities so I have none, especially now that I am taking the summer session, which is super intense. I am new to the school and have had a hard time adjusting so I don't really have any friends there either. I have also had no sexual intercourse with my boyfriend for the past 3 months because due to his mom's conditions, he has gotten even closer to Catholicism and feels it is a sin to have sex b4 marriage so he has asked me to respect his wishes and be celibate for some time. BUT there have been times when he asks me to do OTHER sexual activities (although not intercourse), I feel bad denying him given his high level of stress with his mom right now. I want him to relax so I do it, but then feel used and angry that it is only on his terms and when he wants it. I feel sexually neglected...like what about me? He is not cheating, he is very loyal and devoted partner and his genuine and loving heart is what attracted me to him in the first place, so cheating doesn't even come to mind but I am angry that he has put me in this position. At this point I am starting to feel resentful towards him because he has extracurricular activities, friends, ahem sexual release- and I don't, in other words I feel he has a life besides me! and i do not have that. I need a life besides HIM but feel that I have no friends or time to invest on social groups because of my school situation. Did I bring this upon myself? I also feel bad bringing all my issues up right now knowing that he's trying to cope with his mother's death. Am i just being selfish and should I just keep sucking it up? I know this is long but please help guys and thanks in advance!

Answer: I know you are having a hard time now... but so is your boyfriend. He is in a very difficult stage of his life, losing your parents is probably one of the worst things in the whole world... he needs your support now more than ever... he meets his friends to relax and forget so don't blame him for that. I think you should try to make a few friends at your school or talk to your family about how you feel. Both of you need a shoulder to cry on... be your boyfriend's shoulder to cry on and he will surely be thankful forever... Good luck..

Question: Does anyone know of alternative medicines for stage four lung cancer? My father is a heart tranplant reciepiant. Are there alternative treatments out there he could possibly be a canidate for? Something else besides the traditional chemo that won't affect his current meds?

Answer: I have researched this so much since my grandpa had lung cancer and I would not give up hope! First of all, there is something called "laetrile" which is found in the pits of certain fruits like peaches, you can also get it from almonds. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/laetrile/Patient/page2 Here is a website on it. It is not FDA approved (of course not) so they do not use it in the USA but in other countries they actually give you shots of it, etc. and I've heard it works for cancer, havent' heard any first hand accounts of it working for lung cancer though. Also, there is something called "essiac" and here is a website on it: http://www.essiac-herbal.com/ There is also a dr. named dr. loraine day and her website is : http://www.drday.com/ She had a deadly form of cancer and refused all treatments and she cured herself. Suzanne Somers did the same thing. But if you choose alternative meds you must refrain from taking chemo and radiation in order for them to work. I am not a doctor so I'm not telling you to do this, just giving you the info. When we asked the doctors why some of this stuff worked for suzanne somers, etc, they said "just a miracle", they had no reasoning behind it and they could not explain to us why the medical field would not look into it further. Sorry for ranting, I am really passionate about this, after my grandpa got sick it made me want to be a holistic health practicioner. I feel cancer patients should have an easier way than just "your going to die but we might be able to extend your life with these drugs" when the drugs just weaken your immune system! I think if you have like stage 4 cancer, again this is just my personal opinion, you should not do chemo or radiation, just do a cleanse. If your cancer isn't as bad, then chemo I feel has shown to be effective. Sorry for ranting, I wish you all the luck and I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. My heart goes out to you, I have been there. Blessings!

Question: how can I conquer my fear of cancer returning? Last April I was diagnosed with stage 1b invasive cervical cancer. I underwent a radical hysterectomy with an aortic and pelvic lymph node disection. Great news...All lymph nodes and surrounding tissue were clear of cancer. No radiation or chemotherapy was needed according to my oncologist. My problem now is the paranoia. Last week I felt something in my breast, had a mammogram the next day followed by an ultrasound 2 days ago...once again...all clear...I know that cervical cancer doesn't normally go to the breast.....but it is constantly on my mind...what if it comes back? What if I get Breast cancer? The least little tingle or "feeling" that I have sends me into a panic...well..it's not that bad..but I do have an increased heart rate for a while. Any cervical cancer survivors willing to share the experience would be welcome. hot coco puffs ...I did not have HPV....HPV does account for about 70% of cervical cancer cases...Just thought I'd add that to the question.

Answer: Sister, I had the same operation three years ago, I was frightened to death and alone. Cervical cancer is a result of having HPV, which I am sure you have seen commercials about the vaccine they have to guard against some versions of the virus, too late for us, right? HPV may go away, or it may not, there is no cure for it, and as my doctors have told me "it's just something you're going to have to live with." Not what you WANT to hear, but it's the truth. HPV does not cause cancer anywhere else in your body, it would not cause breast cancer. Radical hysterectomy is called just that because it's not just a removal of the uterus. The lymphnodes help carry "waste" from our blood out of our bodies, that's a breeding ground for bad bacteria. Having those removed minimizes the chances of the cancer returning. I wish I could tell you absolutely that nothing will ever happen again, all you can do is be sure to keep the follow up visits with your oncologist. Having HPV sucks, and I feel like I have the plague the way I get treated by some health prefessionals. I mean, it so common, but I feel like I did something bad that this would happen to me. I know it's not true, but cancer sucks. I have just recently been to my oncologist, and I was having panic attack symptoms for many weeks, and even "tingly" feelings. I thought I had a yeast infection, my docotor didn't see yeast, but suggested I use a yeast cure kit, it wouldn't hurt. Well, it didn't help either. I kept feeling that damn tingle, and I thought it was just my being upset bringing on a yeast infection, or maybe my clothes were too tight. Well, I took the initiative and went and got an AZO UTI test kit, and I had a urinary tract infection. The tingle is the bad bacteria, and it's letting you know that something is wrong. You won't feel cancer, so feeling soemthing is acutally beneficial, because that's how you know that something is wrong. A proper exam by a gynecologist would be able to find a cause for the tingle. Write down all the physical symptoms and anything you want to let the doctor know, that will give them a better idea of what to check for and where. Lumps in the breast can be fibers of muscle in a "knot" or a build-up of calcium, or any other substance that we put in our bodies. I had them several years ago, my doctor told me to stop drinking Diet Coke, and sure enough, the lumps went away. We weren't meant to be consuming so many processed items for food and drink, but I am not eating grass and drinking from a stream either. I would suggest a Milk Thistle supplement, that is a good detox for the liver, and it is not harsh. That will help rid your body of the garbage it's trying to dispose of. Other supplements I suggest are cranberry and acidophilus, they cleanse and protect your immune system. For mood and worries I suggest "Mood Plus SAM-e pharmaceutical grade" supplement. It's not cheap, but it's natural, available in many drug stores and health food places, and it is a natural substance we already have in our bodies. I take about four servings a day, one every few hours, and it really helps keep you relaxed. I hope this helps you.

Question: How can I help my family? My Grandma age 62 is dying from late stages of cancer? I want to help the best I can? My Grandma was sent home from the hospital and the Dr.s say that there is nothing left to do. And that she only has a few weeks left. I want to help her and my Grandpa as much as I can. My heart is breaking because I can see how much in love they still are after all these years and its breaking both of their hearts to let go. I am praying for God to heal her and to give us hope. But more importantly I want her to feel comfortable and not in pain. What advice do you have the I can do to help? I also want to be there for my Mom and aunts and uncles. I am scared to lose her. She will be the first person in my life to pass away. She looks so frail. She is starting to get pressure sores (bed sores) on her heals. We have been putting the medicine on it from the Dr. and trying to keep her propped up. But is there anything else I can do? What would make her feel good? I dont know what to do or say. And I feel so helpless because I want to just make this go away. My grandma has always been such a beautiful, strong and healthy person. It is really hard for me to see her this way. Its also really hard to see my whole family hurting. Any advice is helpful. Thank you.

Answer: Your grandmother is young. It's a shame. I'm sorry, honey. Whether she has round the clock care by a nurse or not, there are some things you can suggest to your family which might help make her more comfortable. Put a pillow crosswise under her calves to keep her heels off of the mattress and another pillow crosswise between the bottom of her feet and the foot board, if you have one to support her feet. Get a prescription from the doctor for a Genesis Alternating pressure - pump and pad system. It constantly changes the surface she is laying on to keep her from getting more pressure sores. (They cost about $ 500 dollars, but are definitely worth it.) They are extremely comfortable. Buy under pads which have an absorbent pad on one side and blue shield on the other. They are like miniaturee sheets you place directly under the patient. You may have to place two under her (between her shoulder blades and knees) They are carried in drug stores. You can get the larger ones in medical supply store. When someone moves her, the slippery blue surface slides so that she does not sustain sheering injury to the tissues of her hip and tailbone. That is probably how the sores started on her heels, from dragging her with her heels on the sheet. Arrange a pillow under the arm that is up so it is not resting heavily on her and is supported. Do not allow anyone to pull her up in bed by pulling with their hands under your grandma's armpits. That is painful. It also causes subluxation of the shoulder joint (the upper arm slides up and down in the socket..) One person on each side of the bed can slide her up by grasping a draw sheet (sheet folded in half placed crosswise on the mattress under her, between her shoulders and knees) with hands close to her shoulder and hip and lifting/pulling on the count of three. Or, if possible, one person positioned at the head of the bed can grasp the drawsheet and pull her up. It really helps if she is in a hospital bed because you can lift the foot end up and lower the head end making it easier for one person to slide her up in bed. Be sure to bend your knees and drive with your legs when moving her. Change the pressure on her skin by changing her position slightly every fortyfive minutes or so. This is where that Genesis I comes in handy. Moving her even slightly relieves pressure on hips, elbows, knees, ankles and tailbone. When she is on her side, place a small soft pillow between her ankle bone and the mattress. Place another small soft pillow between her knee and mattress. Also, when she is on her side be sure to place a pillow between her knees and ankles. When you turn her be sure to turn and prop her as a unit so that you do not torque her spine into an uncomfortable position. Look for a long 45 degree positioning wedge at a medical supply store and position that behind her back (under the draw sheet) with one end close to her shoulder and the other close to her hip. Turn her up on her side, place the wedge sponge behind her and roll her back onto the wedge. Notice that her shoulder and hip line up now? Be sure to pull the arm she is laying on out front. Put your hands under her upper arm and shoulder and pull slightly (rather than pulling on her wrist) so she is not actually on her arm. Don't grasp her by the arm when moving her. If she can eat, puree her food and feed it to her through a Tome 150 cc (catheter) syringe (or the largest you can find) You can order them on the Internet and get them at medical supply stores. A catheter syringe has a funnel on the end. Put the funnel in her mouth. Feed her with her positioned on her side (not upright) to keep her from aspirating. Give her as much as you can get into her. Feed her often. Also, give her fluids this way. Try to get at least 7 filled syringes of food into her four or five times a day. Milkshakes are good. Give her things that taste good. Toward the end (I'm sorry) when she has trouble breathing, bring the head of the bed up so she is sitting almost bolt upright in bed. Fluid accumulates in the lungs and breathing is easier in the upright position. Visualize a clear container a quarter full of fluid. The upper half is where the air is. Her bottom will turn purple because of the blood settling as her circulation is slowing down. Change her bedding frequently. Do not let her sit in a wet bed. Do not rub her skin raw when washing her after she soils herself. Keep a bucket of wash clothes in soapy water then toss them into the washer. Sometimes it is easier to clean her soiled bottom if you use lotion on the rag. Use powder or rub zinc oxide on her bottom. If she is in extreme pain, ask the doctor for morphine patches. Her doctor may be able to help you find some of the articles I mentioned. Be patient with yourselves. Good luck!