"Just wanted to tell you that the last CT scan showed that the metastases have shrunk!
L."
That is all.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
A Chronicle Wherein Lila ("My Girl") Contests With The Cancer...
...And I try to help...
...Or at least not get in the way...
Hopeful Cites/Sites/Signs
- ACC Clinical Trials
- Cannabidiol--For Aggressive Cancers
- DCA (dichloro-acetate)
- Granulocytes -- LIFT
- Granulocytes, At Work--Vid
- Granulocytes, Trials -- LIFT
- Granulocytes--CaTV Story
- Granulocytes--Text #2
- Granulocytes--vid
- Kanzius Machine #1
- Kanzius Machine #2
- Kanzius Machine #3
- Stage 4 ACC: Surgical Outcomes
- THC
- THC #2
Blog Archive
My Enemy's Enemies
- Adrenocortical Carcinoma
- American Institute of Cancer Research
- American Society of Clinical Oncologists
- ATAC Reserarch Fund
- Dreambook: Fight Adrenal Cancer
- Granulocytes
- Kanzius/RF Treatment
- NIH -- Clinical Trials Hotline
- Support Adrenal Cancer Research (Buy a Bean)
- The Cancer Blog (defunct): Re, Lysodren
- The Rare Cancer Alliance
- The SETH Group
- TheUrologyChannel: Adrenal Cancer Forum
- Trovax
- WebMD: Diet/Food Choice Matters
The Adversary
Stage 4 Adrenal carcinoma:
Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare tumor afflicting only one or two persons per one million population. It usually occurs in adults, and the median age at diagnosis is 44 years. Although potentially curable at early stages, only 30% of these malignancies are confined to the adrenal gland at the time of diagnosis. Because these tumors tend to be found years after they began growing, they have the opportunity to invade nearby organs, spread to distant organs (metastasize) and cause numerous changes in the body because of the excess hormones they produce.
Characteristics of Adrenal Cortical Cancer
Typically an aggressive cancer.
Most (~60%) are found because excess hormone production causes symptoms which prompt patients to seek medical attention. (Not Lila's.)
Most (60-80%) actually secrete high amounts of one or more adrenal hormones. (Not Lila's.)
Many will present with pain in the abdomen and flank (nearly all that don't present with symptoms of hormone excess will seek medical attention because of pain).
Spread to distant organs (metastasis) occurs most commonly to the abdominal cavity, lungs, liver, and bone.
(Note: Lila's tumor didn't present with ANY typical symptoms. It was discovered almost by accident, when it had already metastasized. The incidence of this kind of cancer is obscenely rare: only one in one-to-three million CANCERS. Forgive my saying, "Shit, man. Ha. That sucks.")
Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare tumor afflicting only one or two persons per one million population. It usually occurs in adults, and the median age at diagnosis is 44 years. Although potentially curable at early stages, only 30% of these malignancies are confined to the adrenal gland at the time of diagnosis. Because these tumors tend to be found years after they began growing, they have the opportunity to invade nearby organs, spread to distant organs (metastasize) and cause numerous changes in the body because of the excess hormones they produce.
Characteristics of Adrenal Cortical Cancer
Typically an aggressive cancer.
Most (~60%) are found because excess hormone production causes symptoms which prompt patients to seek medical attention. (Not Lila's.)
Most (60-80%) actually secrete high amounts of one or more adrenal hormones. (Not Lila's.)
Many will present with pain in the abdomen and flank (nearly all that don't present with symptoms of hormone excess will seek medical attention because of pain).
Spread to distant organs (metastasis) occurs most commonly to the abdominal cavity, lungs, liver, and bone.
(Note: Lila's tumor didn't present with ANY typical symptoms. It was discovered almost by accident, when it had already metastasized. The incidence of this kind of cancer is obscenely rare: only one in one-to-three million CANCERS. Forgive my saying, "Shit, man. Ha. That sucks.")
About Me
- Woody (Tokin Librul/Rogue Scholar/ Helluvafella!)
- "He's an old blind bear....alone in the winter woods...with only the smell of his breath for comfort. Too mean to die, too lost to care. But show some caution....he's still the Bear."
My Other Blogs
Credits:
The "Chinchilla" image is by KDAVIES, and has been used without permission.
