Andrea Posted April 8, 2004 Share Posted April 8, 2004 I was always taught in school that if I have a question, others probably have a similar question, so I should not be shy to ask. I used to be REALLY shy and would not be the one to ask. But I became bolder in my later years and I want to know what is going to seem elementary to most, but I bet others wonder too WHAT IS BAC????? I read in so many posts "BAC--adenocarcinoma". I know what adenocarcinoma is, that is my mom's kind of tumor, but I have not come across BAC yet. The only thing I can think of is "Being Against Cancer", which I know is not accurate And in return I will share something I learned yest and did not know. When you start counting months of NED and "survivorship" to hope to get to the 2 year anniversary of no recurrance, you start counting from date of diagnosis, not date of surgery or chemo ending. The oncologist taught me that yest, so my mom is 5 months in Ok, 3 more hours of work till I hit the road Although I did find something new to worry about, my dad has not had a colonoscopy in 6 years and is going to gastro today, so I bet he will need one See, no worries, I always find a way to worry heeheeheheeeheee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadstimeon Posted April 8, 2004 Share Posted April 8, 2004 Hi Andrea, BAC stands for bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma which I do have. It is slow in developing. I have had great success with (see my signature) chemo. BAC does respond well to chemo when the right one is found. Only problems I've had so far is (very tired) fatigue. No side effects to speak of from the chemo except low (twice) platelets in the biginning which was resolved. So I have been very lucky all things considered. Below is a brief summary on BAC. Hope this helps. If I were you I would be on the first thing smoking when it comes to going on vacation. I could never wait to leave. Enjoy your vacation and let it be trouble free. Peace, take care and God Bless. Rich Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is a subtype of adenocarcinoma and represents 2-6% of all lung cancers.It typically arises distal to the terminal bronchioles and spreads along the preexisting alveolar septa without causing significant amounts of lung destruction.This is known as a lepidic growth pattern. Histologically, the tumors are well-differentiated, with a peg-like cellular growth along alveolar walls.The cells secrete mucin and surfactant apoprotein.This can lead to bronchorrhea which is an excessive discharge of mucus from the air passages of the lungs.Although bronchioloalveolar carcinoma usually spreads through the airways, it may also metastasize by lymphatic and hematogenous routes.Due to this growth pattern, the metastatic and local invasive potential of this tumor is unpredictable.Consequently, histological findings are not useful in predicting survival.Unlike other adenocarcinomas, bronchioloalveolar carcinoma often develops multifocally.Patients with extensive consolidation or multifocal disease have a poor prognosis.The lepidic growth pattern may result in lesions of heterogeneous radiologic opacity.In a few cases the tumor resembles lobar pneumonia, and this pattern also has a poor prognosis. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma can manifest as a single peripheral nodule or mass usually in the upper lung.Most commonly, this nodule is well-circumscribed.This form of tumorhas a better prognosis for surgical resection.However, because of the multifocal nature of this disease, patients should be carefully evaluated for other disease before considering surgical resection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted April 8, 2004 Author Share Posted April 8, 2004 Thank you Rich Now I get it! There are subtypes of adenocarcinoma. I knew that, I was just testing you Heehee. So when I read "highly undifferentiated", that is how it is different from BAC which is "differentiated". I sometimes feel like I am in a movie when the oncologist talks and uses big words I am all ready to leave. I am at work in my suit, yet carrying my vacation backpack instead of my regular purse (in NY they are pocketbooks, in CA they are purses. Again, who knew ) Slowly waiting for the clock to go by, tick, tick, tick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Karen C. Posted April 8, 2004 Share Posted April 8, 2004 Andrea, I read all your posts and think to myself "gee, sure glad she's not my boss" haha. I am a legal secretary. Have been for 20 years. Have been in-house in a big power company for almost four years, but before that worked for a big law firm for 16 years. BIG law firm. You are so Type A about everything I am sure you are a great lawyer and also drive your staff nuts! haha! Actually, I'm sure your assistants love you, because you seem so open about everything. It's so hard to work with someone who is high strung or emotional but you're never sure WHY. Have a great weekend, and RELAX. God Bless, Karen C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted April 8, 2004 Author Share Posted April 8, 2004 Karen, I was laughing when I read your post and showed it to my secretary. I am so atypical in all senses of the word If you like to dish out advice, tell someone to calm down, fix their clothing if it looks crooked, care more about personal life than work, like to laugh and be silly, then we'd be a match If you prefer to be like my husband and keep work and personal life seperate, it would be hard. I do my work, I work hard, I am reliable, I have a pet peeve for people who are late, etc, but because I am not a partner, I don't have any final say and I don't get high strung about it b/c it is just work, not life or death. Instead I am high strung b/c my mom just called and my dad is getting a colonoscopy AND endoscopy That SCARES me. I will be in the rush of preparing a huge motion and meeting deadlines, yet I always have my cell phone next to me and if I see it is my mom or a dr office, I pick up and talk while working, even if I am in with my boss. That is why I don't leave this job. Most places won't let you do that. My boss on the other hand, her husband has been in a coma for over a year. She takes it out on us and she will be b--chy to us and snap and become unglued to the point that she has lost staff over it. Yet she cried when my mom got diagnosed and found us the best doctors. It is rare for her to talk about her sadness unless it is late at night and no one is around. I on the other hand just whine about how nervous and stressed I am and make jokes about it, but never ever snapped or got cranky at work about work. I only snap when someone does something stupid unwork related :) Like putting off a pap for 6 months now due to busy schedule. I snapped and yelled at a co-worker for that. People need to realize cancer is the devil and yearly exams are good for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Karen C. Posted April 8, 2004 Share Posted April 8, 2004 You are too funny! I think it's important to care about the people you work with. Good for you. I think it's wrong to bottle personal things up and then snap. Bad for your boss. I'm a great secretary but I'm always late. OK, give me a break - we live an hour from work, and I am SUPPOSED to be here at 8 am. After 20 years of being at work at 9 am, now it's 8 am. The good news is that NO ONE is here at 8 am. OK, one or two, including one boss. The other boss is here at 9:15, after she has coffee at Starbucks with some wacky older lady judge she hangs out with there. So we sorta cover for each other. I'm always here by 8:30 . . . Other than that we'd probably get along just fine! and you are right. Cancer IS the devil. Well, the devil is evil and evil is giving in to temptation or things that are wrong . . . but cancer is just plain devil on its own. anyway, I read stuff you say about being a lawyer or office stuff and get big chuckles so I wanted you to know that, but please keep the stories coming! have a great weekend Andrea! Karen C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Karen C Posted April 8, 2004 Share Posted April 8, 2004 P.S. your Dad will be fine - stop worrying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted April 8, 2004 Share Posted April 8, 2004 Undifferentiated means the cell does resemble a normal cell at ALL. Undifferentiated cancer cells are more aggressive than differentiated. Differentiated cancer cells look more like normal cells, but not exactly like them http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art ... ekey=20476 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MO_Sugar Posted April 8, 2004 Share Posted April 8, 2004 Andrea, I am going to get me a big stick and come SMACK you for worrying so much girl! Concern is one thing but wasting YOUR life with worry is NOT GOOD!!! I know we all tend to worry and in these cases maybe more than we need to BUT you have to be able to put it in the back of your mind at some point and have a life! I truly think I have gotten as far as I have because I DON'T worry much about what is going to happen. I can't change things, I can't stop it, I just do what needs to be done and get on with life! I am not preaching (I don't think, well, lol, maybe I am) I am just trying to get you to see that there is very little that constant worry can accomplish so don't waste time on it. Go play tickle foot with that new husband of yours! God Bless you sweetie and I hope you have a wonderful vacation. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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