A Family full of cancer.

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steinback146
steinback146 Member Posts: 11
edited October 2018 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

My sister Anne was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29. A double mastectomy and chemotherapy saved her. She is now 55. Her cancer was estrogen dependent. My mother was diagnosed at the age of 58. She is now about to turn 80. She also went through the same treatment as my sister. Her cancer was progesterone dependent. Now my sister Sally, the light of so many people's lives, has been diagnosed with Triple Negatve breast cancer. I hope that the brutal but life saving treatments that saved my mom and sister Anne can save Sally. I am the only member of my family that hasn't been personally attacked by this vicious fucking disease. It took my dad in 1994. I do take it personally as I sit here crying for my sister hoping it never strikes my daughter or wife or son. I am sure I will see it again. Fuck it

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  • april485
    april485 Member Posts: 3,257
    edited September 2015

    Dear Steinback,

    I understand your deep frustration and anger at a disease that has affected your life so harshly and in such large numbers. I pray that it never strikes any of your immediate family as well and I hope your sister's treatment also kicks this vicious and unrelenting disease to the curb. Hugs! We are here for you and we get it.

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited September 2015

    Steinback, I'm so sorry. I know how you feel. Cancer took my Dad when I was six and my mom when I was 18. I was an only child.....now it's my turn. I'm sure my kids are next in line. "Fuck it". I agree, 1000%. Nobody seems in any big hurry to eradicate this disease. Wiping out entire families isn't enough of an issue I guess.

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  • steinback146
    steinback146 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2015

    Thank you

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  • Sunshinesprite
    Sunshinesprite Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2015

    I too am so sorry that your family is under this continuous onslaught from this hateful adversary. I can definitely relate. I have two children, both boys. My first son was diagnosed with ALL Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at age 3. He is here and 21 today. My younger son was diagnosed with ERMS Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma at age 6. He is here and 11 today. A month before his last scan (November 2014), I was diagnosed with Stage III, Grade 3 IDC. A few months later, and well into treatments for the breast cancer, I was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. I had a Radical Mastectomy on April 28th (my younger son's birthday) and a Lobectomy on June 10. All I can say is stay strong. Thank God your family are fighters. :) May God bless you all.


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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited September 2015

    Sunshine, your post brought tears to my eyes. I am so sorry that you and your sons had to go through that. I hope you all remain cancer free. The one saving grace through all of this is that my kids have been healthy to this point. I can't imagine what you went through having your children diagnosed. There can be nothing harder to have to deal with. Everything else pales in comparison. Much love to you and your boys.

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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited September 2015

    I can relate. Dad had lymphoma, brother had melanoma, mom had breast cancer and so do sister and I. Mom and dad both passed away. Mom didn't die from breast cancer though and brother and sister and I are doing k. Brother is 20 years out, I'm 4 and sister is 3. Don't know anyone not affected by this horrific disease.

    Triple negative BC is a scary DX but keep n mind there has been a lot of progress in treatments. I pray she will b k.

    You would think with all the resources thrown at BC we would b closer to some kind of cure.

    Diane


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  • steinback146
    steinback146 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2015

    Thank you. You are freaking awesome! Amazing how your family is kicking so much ass. All my love to you all.

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  • steinback146
    steinback146 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2015

    So true leggo. What a cathartic experience this is I haven't cried like this in ages. Not a sad cry but a cry of wonderment at the strength of spirit and the humanity seen in these pages. My wife always says if there is one thing that lays open the heart and shows how trivial the suffieties of so much of everyday life are it is cancer. My best to you all

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  • steinback146
    steinback146 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2015

    If our corrupt government spent half of what they spend on death from above on healing cancer would be obliterated toot sweet. But cutting, radiating and poison is a huge business. But how can I complain? My mom and sisters are alive.

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  • lola0415
    lola0415 Member Posts: 15
    edited September 2015

    My mother died of lung cancer at the age of 56. My Dad had lymphoma in 2008 and thank goodness he hasn't had a reoccurrence. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. My dads wife was diagnosed with lung cancer in February. So far my sister is healthy. I pray that we are done with this awful diseas

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  • steinback146
    steinback146 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2015

    Rock on Lola! I am thinking about starting a Shark Cartilage and Laetrile regiment prophylactically to try to get in front of this shit.

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  • MariaTeresaG
    MariaTeresaG Member Posts: 38
    edited September 2015

    Hello Everyone:

    Reading your stories makes my heart swell with emotions.

    My dad passed at 61 due to complications from multiple sclerosis. Having that disease in our family created concerns of it being hereditary for my younger sister and me.

    My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimers. Alzheimers is another disease that creates a sense of unease for future health.

    There wasn't a history of cancer in the family. In 2003 my sister was diagnosed with inoperable neuroendocrine cancer. We were devastated by the diagnosis and prognosis. Cathy was treated with various types of chemotherapy for 10 years. She passed in January 2013. Two years after Cathy was diagnosed, I was diagnosed with renal cancer. I had a partial nephrectomy only. I am a 10 year survivor. Yay!

    In December 2014 my husband was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophogeal junction. He was never a smoker. He had stopped drinking alcohol 27 years ago. He didn't experience indigestion. Tom was first treated with chemo and radiation. Then in April he had an esophagectomy (80% taken) with stomach pull up. 20% of his stomach was removed. Recovery was difficult.

    The day after Tom completed radiation I found a lump in my breast. It was ILC. I chose to have a lumpectomy. Due to having to care for Tom post surgery, I put my surgery off as long as doctors would allow. Unfortunately, 4/5 lymph nodes were cancerous. I've completed chemotherapy and will begin radiation this week.

    My husband is in remission and I hope to very soon.

    God's blessings to all.

    MariaTeresaG

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  • steinback146
    steinback146 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2015

    Holy crap! You are an amazingly strong individual. My sister just had a PET scan yesterday and the waiting is the worst part some time. Please be clean!

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited October 2015

    I am very sorry to hear your family's story. You didn't mention if you had genetic testing.  Myself, my 80 year old mom, and my sister were all diagnosed with breast cancer within 3 years.  My sister is just finishing chemo and ready for rads.  My dad died of pancreatic cancer 15 years ago. 

    We are in the middle of genetic testing.  My sister has Chek2 1100 delc gene mutation.  My mom and I were just tested for it.  It increases your risk for a nice long list of all kinds of cancers.

    If you haven't done so, I would highly recommend that you and family members be tested.


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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2016

    Here's another pile of shit to add to my plate. One week after my mother-in-law passed away very unexpectedly from an infection, my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. As if that wasn't hard enough on family, now this. Yes, he was a smoker for decades but people who have never smoked get LC too!! I am blessed to be over 7 years in remission from breast cancer, but this latest challenge for my dear hubby doesn't seem real. Now I understand what the pulmonology nurse said when she said cancer runs quite often in families! We're living it. I am the only sibling in my immediate family to get cancer and I am also the youngest. I pray that my daughter never has to face BC. I do have "second degree" relatives, aunts, cousins that have had BC, and two cousins diagnosed in their 30's. I know what you're feeling. Am saying a prayer for your sister to do well.

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  • miranda2060
    miranda2060 Member Posts: 281
    edited April 2018

    I'm replying on a very old thread here, just to say that all three of the girls in my family (three sisters) have had breast cancer -- I am the latest. One sister had a very aggressive bc that killed her in the year 2000, at age 42. Another sister was successfully treated and is still with us (with other issues, unrelated to cancer).

    We are also Ashkenazi Jewish. I had genetic testing for all known markers, and ALL were negative. This means either that we are an especially unlucky family, or that there are genetic links that have not yet been identified.


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