What do you think about chemotherapy? (and cancer?)?

[Mommyof2]

Do you think it really can treat cancer? I heard that doctors can't even detect cancer unless it multiplies to billions of cells.
Chemotherapy is just a poison in my opinion. They use people as guinea pigs: If its successful then awesome! If you die, too bad so sad on to the next patient-lets suck some money out!
What is your opinion on it, and whY??
My father died from lung cancer in 2001, and since then I have been trying to understand it. No, I have not personally had cancer, but it was close enough to watch him die at home because he went from 200lbs down to 80lbs and looked like an 10yr old kid in a matter of 8 months. If your body or immune system cannot handle it, you die sooner than you would from the cancer.
And of course doctors show concern for your health and welfare--they're making $$$$ off of you so they have to do that. Just one shot used to cost $6700 !

[midnightmoon62]

I am a cancer patient and have had chemo.

And yeah, chemo sucks, really really really really bad. But I am still alive and in remission.

And yes, its true, we cannot detect a single cancer cell. That is part of the problem in curing cancer. We cant say for sure if you are cured or not. Thats why we say, in remission.

Yes, cancer is expensive. Do you know why its expensive? You said 6000 for one shot? Do you know how much it cost to make that shot even available to you at any cost? It went through years, like 10-20 years, of testing and trials costing probably billions of dollars before it was made avaialbe to you. 6000 is fairly cheep in comparison to that. To put it on a level you understand, that would be kinda like getting your home for 10 bucks. Buying a brand new car for a dollar.

And yes, we are guinea pigs. I actually signed up to be a guinea pig. All of my treatment protocols have been clinical trials. I figure, if I make it, it can help someone else receive a treatment that may help them better. And if I dont, then I help the doctors and fda realize that the protocol isnt all that great. I am helping the people of the future. And it will be that way for every cancer patient until the problems such as being able to detect the single cancer cell or understanding exactly how it is cancer happens.

And yes, its true, many people die sooner because of the chemo. But note the word 'sooner'. Without treatment, you are guarunteed to die. Now many people do choose quality over quanity and refuse treatment. That is an choice every person can make. However, the person is still going to die, and the end is still going to be just as debilitating and horrifying.

Yes, it is very very easy to be bitter about. I am dealing with a lot of personal bitterness myself over it right now. And its HARD. Very hard. I would almost consider your dad lucky. He isnt suffering anymore. I am only 24, and short of a lot of things changing.... I will live, but I am stuck sitting on my couch not really able to go out and do things. I cant work. i am in the hospital every time I turn around. And I am broke, so its not like I can go do the things people do when they have no responsibilities. I dont have the money to live at the beach or go on a cross country drive or go to vegas or any of that crap. I am stuck on my couch with this computer that was given to me as a gift. And all things being the same, this is the rest of my life. No finishing school, no job, no kids... just boredom day after day after day on this couch. Would you rather that for your dad? I wouldnt. I mean, yeah, great, Im alive. But for what? Is it really better?

[Upbeat]

Yes, chemotherapy is poison. But the cancer cells can't overcome the poisoning, while the healthy cells can usually recover.
My opinion is that cancer kills. The therapy to treat cancer is awful, and may not stop it, but at least it's a chance.

[lo_mcg]

Have you had cancer? I suspect not.

Chemotherapy is far from perfect, but we know - because it has been rigourously tested and proven in double-blind clinical trials - that it saves many lives and prolongs many, many more.

I don't know who 'they' are, but during my treatment for cancer I never encountered a medical professional who was not concerned for my welfare and health - doctors hate cancer.

Your suggestion that it is just some money making scam is absurd. I live in the UK, which means I didn't pay a penny for my cancer treatment - the state pays for our health care, including our chemotherapy, and it costs the government billions. No doctor profits from an individual's treatment - they're salaried, they get the same salary whether I have chemotherapy or not.

Yes, chemotherapy is poison, but it's poison that kills cancer cells.

Nobody used me as a guinea pig; I chose to go ahead with chemo having researched the subject and having found out from honest doctors by what percentage it would improve my survival chances. It isn't appropriate or recommended for every cancer patient.

I think you should perhaps do a bit of research yourself.

Edit**
1) yes people die despite chemotherapy; nobody claims it as a cure-all. It is the cancer that kills them when chemo fails. Yes, some people die as a result of chemo; I knew someone with the same cancer as me who developed another cancer beacause of it, but that is very, very rare and there's no pretence about it - we all sign a consent form that acknowledges that before chemo begins. It's not part of an uncaring doctors' conspiracy

2) you clearly didn't read my answer properly; in the UK doctors are salaried and the state pays for our treatment. Not one doctor made one extra penny because I had cancer treatment - they made exactly what they would have made had I never had cancer, and exactly what they would have made had 100 extra people been diagnosed with cancer on the same day I was.