The fear of cancer

Cancer is a serious disease and there is still a lot we have to learn about it. It is that lack of knowledge, I think, that can cause us to fear the disease as much as most of us do.

I will try to explain the fears I have with cancer. It will be difficult because the feelings and emotions are very deep and complex. The word itself, to me, is frightening. The cause, in many cases, is not known.

Treatment is not always successful and the treatment methods used are quite old, although, they have been refined over the years. And these methods leave behind a trail of destruction killing good cells as they kill the targeted cells nearby.

The disease can strike anyone of any race or background, of any age, in any region. Once it finds a home in someones body, it can move like a freight train knocking out anything that gets in its way. Chewing like the familiar Pacman chompers.

Cancer scares me and while I am more familiar with it now that when I was first

introduced to it in March of this year, I am still ignorant of the disease. I find myself asking questions and wondering if it will continue on its destructive path or pop up somewhere else just to prove its savagery.

Usually, the doctors do not know either and they might not speculate for fear it might be wrong. I can understand that to a point, but as a patient, I would like to have some idea of what to expect. It's my life we are talking about here.

On the brighter side, I didn't know that there were so many survivors. The American Cancer Society says new estimates of cancer survivors in the US has reached almost 14.5.

But take it from me, those numbers are meaningless to current cancer patients. All we know is what we are experiencing now. We are instructed to keep a positive attitude. It's supposed to help increase our chances of survival. That may or may not be true, but it sure makes the roller coaster ride a lot smoother.

Almost everyone in the US will be touched by cancer in one way or another. They may have been diagnosed, or a loved one or long-time friend or any other acquaintance. It is sure to happen and the more we know about cancer, the better off we will all be.

One of the best ways to beat cancer is early detection. The sooner we discover we have cancer, the sooner the medical staff can start the treatment program. "Nip it in the bud," as Barney Fife would say. And he is right. Catching the cancer before it expands its claimed homestead in your body, the better off we would be. Further, it reduces the chances of giving the cancer the opportunity to spread throughout the body. If in doubt, check it out! See your doctor if you have any suspicious lumps or other abnormal conditions. It cannot hurt, it can only help.

Check out the WebMD health check for cancer here. But to be certain, get with your doctor. It could save your life.