Maryanne Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 I don't know if you noticed but we seem to have a few new young people on this site that have stage IV and are non smokers. We have Dart (young Skywalker) who is almost 27 Mike husband of Kim who is 33 Cait newly married whose husband is 34. I can't imagine what is going on... I am just wondering if this disease could be genetic... I am just baffled that these young ones are diagnoised at stage IV. I hope this is not going to be some kind of new epidemic. Then there are the people that smoke like chimmeys their whole life who never get this disease. My husband found out his biological father died of LC, and he had stopped smoking over 40 years. I just think there is more to this disease than smoking. Anyway, I feel for these young ones, as they have their whole life ahead of them. It is so unfair to get this being so young. Of course, it is not fair at any age, but that is just too young. It's my kids ages.. They should be out there having fun, enjoying life to its fullest, instead of being scared and having to go through all this bullsh--. Just sounding off, but this concerns me. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Maryanne, The "young ones" are not a new phenomenon. I was 34 on diagnosis (and married for six months), Hebbie was 33 (and engaged) and I believe BeckyG was 31 or 32 (with a young child and bright future)- we were all diagnosed at Stage IIIa. BartZiggy (our beloved Greg) was 34 and Stage IV on diagnosis. Justakid (Beth) just turned 40, TAnn (Teri) is another young one. There have been others, but I cannot remember them all... I know there was someone from Hawaii and Joyce from Colorado. There's Terri from Pennsylvania, Wendy was under 40 on diagnosis... As for non-smokers, Don's Lucie is a non-smoker as is Rich (Dadstimeon). It's really not a new phenomenon on the board, but thanks for noticing. Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melaniem Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Maryanne, I was dx III-b on my 37th birthday last year. My onc says the new thinking is just that some people are predisposed to certain things and then you add in risk factors like smoking and I guess you up your odds. It's the only way I can make it make sense why some people smoke their whole lives and never get it. Although i always told myself i'd never get lung cancer cuz i didn't smoke very much. I guess it's not the amount like i thought. I read in the paper the avg. age for lc to present is 66. There is proof on these boards that that age is way off. Melanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBeth Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 At the risk of starting a debate, I believe that genetics plays a very big part in the development of lung cancer. There is a family study being done here at U of Cincinnati. My husband was adopted and did not meet his paternal family until 4 months prior to his diagnosis. His biological father and 3 uncles were all deceased before the age of 53. Three had lung cancer and one passed away while being treated for throat cancer. There may be many factors for who is at risk, but I do believe that genetics has a role as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 I agree with Becky that this is NOT anything new! There are a LOT of young people with lung cancer, and many many of them are non-smokers. I have known MANY over the years and one was 25 and she is still here today and doing well at the age of 31. I would like to add that "Those Young Ones" you are referring to, are reading this board as well, and I hope we don't scare them or make them feel we are being insensitive by makeing statements of them being Young Ones and having Stage IV!!!! And as SBeth said regarding Genetics, I have been told by Onc. Doc's and Pulm Doc's this is a fact in the play of lung cancer. It is ONE of MANY Contributing Factors to lung cancer. I might also add that David P was Dx.d at the age of 19 around 28 years ago. So to all our Young Wonderful Memebers, please keep in mind this is BEATABLE and there are many many many Stage IV YOUNG SURVIVOR'S running around in this world. Best to All, Connie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggiesmom Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 It is a terrible fact that too many young people are popping up with this disease, which is considered an "older persons" disease. I was diagnosed at 48, which my dr. felt was very, very young to have SCLC. He also felt I had tremendously bad luck. I too believe some people are genetically predisposed to developing lung cancer. It saddens me when I see these very young people having to deal with this. Life is not fair. Joanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted June 2, 2005 Author Share Posted June 2, 2005 You are so right Connie B. There certainly are many people on this site who are young and are survivors. I guess this is fairly new to me. I have only been here since Jan. and just didn't realize how many young people on here have this disease and are doing just fine. I certainly did not mean to give them any kind of false hope. I really do not want to offend or scare any of them. Being young is on their side and definetely curable. I told them that in their postings and mean it. I guess I just became somewhat emotional reading the posts last night. I apologise for my actions if I offended anyone. So to all you young ones. Do not discourage as when your read the profiles you will see there are so many here who are also young and are NED. (No evidence of Disease) I was just wondering more about genetics than anything else. It just baffles me. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAnn Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Maryanne, You are right, more and more of us never-smoked "young ones" are being diagnosed every day. And because we "never smoked" and are "young" we are almost ALWAYS diagnosed at a late stage (IIIB for me). Our symptoms are dismissed as stress, a cold, an infection and we are told to go home, get some rest and we will be fine. I was even offered an anti-depressant. I had to practically demand that something else be done, I knew something wasn't right. As for what causes it, it must be a combination of things, I know I didn't inherit it, I'm the first one in my whole family line to be diagnosed with lung cancer. Environment plays a huge part, I am sure, and I truly believe that some of us are just going to get it. They are now finding that the cancer in young never smokers responds differently to treatment than smokers, which means to me that we have something in our dna that must be an open link for cancer. We are more suseptible for some reason and our bodies can't fight off the cancer. The first question I asked my oncologist is "Is this hereditary?" I was concerned for my son. He said, "no, absolutely not, there is no study that links lung cancer in families. Well our board has proved that wrong. What if his "make-up" is like mine. Couldn't he then "inherit" my "mutant gene" or whatever it is that made me become a cancer victim??? Sorry that I've gone on and on, thank you all for letting me "think out loud". Thanks Maryanne for this thread. TAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Dear TAnn and All, I have to disagree to some degree regarding hereditary. You don't have to have Lung Cancer in your family to get lung cancer, but just having cancer gives us the gene issue. A lot of families have a long line of cancers in there family histories. I have a dear friend how is a 6 years lung cancer survivor and she is one of hundreds that are in a Study at Mayo Clinic regarding Lung Cancer being hereditary. As first she was not sure she wanted to do this, or have her kids do this, but they have been in this study now for a little over a year. This study will continue to go on for 8 years. From my understanding of lung cancer or any kind of cancer for that matter is, Several things TOGETHER are contributing factors in getting lung cancer. It is NOT just one thing that causes it, but several things combined. The air we breath isn't always the best and then add that to clean fluids, and car exhaust, etc. etc. etc. The list goes on. Hence the fact, that if it was JUST smoking related then we would know exactly what causes lung cancer and that would solve that problem. (Kinda wish that was the case)! So, they are doing Gene studies on cancers and they are doing them on ALL cancers lung cancer included. Some of these studies are not posted is all, but it doesn't mean they aren't working on these issues and concerns behind closed doors. And I guess when it comes to asking our doc's, well, I guess each one of them has a different opinion as well. Some say, this causes it, and some say that causes it, and then we're right back to sqaure one with what is the cause of cancer, or Lung Cancer??? The mystery just keeps going and going and going. Hope they figure it out one day soon! Best wishes, Connie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted June 2, 2005 Author Share Posted June 2, 2005 We all know that we need early detection. For that to happen we need funding. If more and more non-smokers and ex-smokers get LC, we need this to be an awareness that maybe will wake the public up to that is is not just smokers, that it could happen to anyone. Then, hopefully, more government funding will go towards LC studies. I feel that when we get routine physicals, chest X-rays should be routine. Now I know that Chest X-rays do not always show tumors, but sometimes it does. How many people have found it fairly early because they had a chest X-ray be it with a physical (we asked for one, no reason at the time), pre-admission testing, or maybe an accident where they needed a chest Xray. I hope in the future, chest X-rays are manadory when getting physicals. It certainly found my husbands fairly early and saved his life. I just wish they could have routine CT's but we know that will not happen unless they bring the cost down tremendously. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen335 Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 BeckyG has/had lc, missed that post. All doctors are PRACTICING and aren't sure what causes what. It's all a guessing game. A lot of doctor's are like the Dr. House on the TV Show, House. Otherwise we would already have a cure for so many diseases. Trial and error guessing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Karen, As long as you have been here, I'm surprised to read that you "missed" BeckyG. That would be CurtisG's beloved and Katie's mom! BeckyG, the picture of the smiling mommy and the little blonde angel... As for genetics, not in my family. Prostate cancer on my father's side, but NO cancer in any females - except me. Environment? My brother grew up with me, thank God he's not walking in these shoes, too. Of course, he has that prostate issue to worry about! No lung cancer, no other cancers in younger people (just in those over 80 where it's really "normal"). I'm just lucky - and that's NOT sarcasm, I really DO think I'm lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen335 Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Becky, You are right, for some reason, I was thinking BeckyCW. Sorry, my senior moment was kicking in too soon. Duh!!!! lol. I have asked also and no LC in my family either. My dad had enphaseyma (sp?), mom diabetes, brother, nothing... It has to be the environment, chemicals in our food and on our food . Thanks Becky, Your my special life saver, I sure feel stupid, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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