The Assertive Cancer Patient

Cancer News, Myths, and More

First of all, let me say that I didn't know about the myth that this study has debunked. Blissful ignorance, that's me.

If I had known, I would have been mad, because it falls, yet again, in the "blame the victim" category: The idea that women with certain personality traits are more likely to get breast cancer.

Of course, that assumes that your personality is within your control, and I'm not so sure about that.

Anyway, according to a report from Reuters, some researchers in the 1980s had advanced the idea of a "cancer-prone" personality with such traits as stoicism and difficulty in expressing emotions.

The new study, done in the Netherlands, measured women for 11 personality traits and then followed them for 13 or 14 years to see who got breast cancer.

You will be happy to know that they found no link.

"... women with breast cancer should not worry that their character might have contributed to the development of their disease," the researcher who headed the study was quoted as saying.

OK, I'm going to stop here, because I could go in so many directions with this. Let me note that the study didn't say anything about assertive women having higher rates of breast cancer. Whew!

Read the report:

Study debunks personality link to breast cancer

Tell me what you think: jeanne.sather@gmail.com

One for the Guys
It was a busy week for cancer news. I also saw a report on Reuters about testosterone and prostate cancer risk.

I don't know if this one qualilifies for cancer myth status. Some two dozen studies looked at testosterone levels and prostate cancer risk, and the findings were inconclusive, according to the new report.

See: Testosterone seen unrelated to prostate cancer risk

@ Jeanne Sather 2008.

Life as a House, 2001

When I watched this film, I cried.

Of course I cried. The entire film was designed to make me cry.

I did, however, identify with George’s desire to build his dream house before dying of cancer. I think most of us who have this disease discover that we want to leave a legacy, be it a dream house or a blog.

A couple of things that will annoy real-world cancer patients:

It is clear that George has cancer and is not expected to live more than a few months. But the film never makes it clear WHAT KIND of cancer. And of course we want to know.

We especially want to know because George does not undergo cancer treatment, and he says at one point that his doctors did not offer him treatment. Just some really good pain killers.

What kind of cancer was that?--I can’t help but wonder, and it does spoil the movie for me. Because in the real world, even when the prognosis is not good, doctors pretty much always offer treatment.

Other annoying things: The house that George builds, of course, is on a lot overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Orange County. Kind of unrealistic that he can afford to do this after being fired from his job.

Everyone in the film is beautiful.

As one critic wrote: "No worse than any disease-of-the-week TV movie, and no more moralistic than any Lifetime drama."

Except, and this is a big EXCEPT: the film buys into the cultural myth that all you need to do is get a terminal illness to fix all your family relationships: ex-wife falls in love with you again; estranged, drug-using son ditto … even the neighbors (with one exception) love the new George.

Those of us who are living with cancer know that it’s not that simple.

Read more: The Assertive Cancer Patient Reviews 'Cancer Movies'

@ Jeanne Sather 2008.

More Cancer Myths

A friend e-mailed me this myth:

One cancer myth that I consider outdated but that unfortunately persists is the myth that a person who is very likely or perhaps certainly dying from cancer can't face this reality and that family/friends should "shelter" the person by pretending it's otherwise.

Case in point: A 40-something woman who was about to introduce me to her father, a man who was standing outside the room and would become my patient in a health care setting moments later, explained to me he had liver cancer and then, with a look of doom, whispered that it had metastasized, as if he shouldn't hear this. From what I know about his situation, I trust he did know. But the woman's manner reinforced the myth nonetheless: "We are not to acknowledge these things in front of the people most directly affected by them; it's too much for them to face." 

I think this myth is more a reflection of the difficulties many of us have coming to terms with death in general, than it is about cancer in particular. But is there something about cancer that prompts this reaction moreso than other conditions expected to be terminal?

Certainly there's a place for sensitivity and for optimism and -- heck! -- for denial at times. But we do a disservice to anyone when we decide on their behalf that they aren't capable of dealing with something that's happening in their lives. I'd rather see us all try to be with each other through whatever happens than try to pretend it isn't happening.

I couldn't agree more! Thanks for sending this in.

For more Cancer Myths, go to my earlier post Send Me Your "Cancer Myths", and scroll down to the comments section.

Send Me Your "Cancer Myths"

I just wrote a post about "Christmas in July," and in writing it I realized that celebrating a holiday out of season for the sake of someone who is seriously ill with cancer is part of the cancer mythology of our culture.

I like that term, "cancer mythology," and I want to expand on it.

Amorette posted a comment to my blog the other day that includes another cancer myth.

She wrote:

Mom and I just watched "Christmas with the Kranks" (which, in my opinion, is one of the DUMBEST movies ever made). Even in the comedies, they have to sneak a cancer patient in for poignancy. I hate that. This was a neighbor who had cancer for the "3rd time, and we think this might be it." Of course, the woman is a veritable angel, given how close to heaven we assume she is. Never a harsh word out of her, she's the gentle and kind long-suffering victim. ...

I'm a little tired of being fed off of as a self- esteem-building charity case.

Amorette points to what I'm calling "The Myth of the Noble Cancer Patient"--long-suffering, never complaining ...

I'd like to expand on this idea, so please send me your cancer myths. Add a comment to this post, or send me an e-mail, jeanne.sather@gmail.com, whichever is easier for you.

Thanks.

@ Jeanne Sather 2007.

Surviving the Holidays: Christmas in July?

The family of a woman who died of cancer in October was talking about celebrating Thanksgiving early, so that she could be there.

But she died before they could do more than discuss the idea.

Another blogger, whose 20-year-old daughter died, also in October, also of cancer, just a week before her 21st birthday, asked his daughter if she wanted to celebrate her birthday early.

"No, that's cheating," she said, and her father respected her wishes. I don't know what he did with all the party decorations and gifts he had already bought. Threw them in the trash? Gave then to Goodwill? It's a painful thought.

Celebrating a holiday out of season for the sake of someone who is seriously ill with cancer is part of the cancer mythology of our culture. But I, for one, don't really understand it.

And, for the record, I do not want to celebrate my birthday, Christmas, or any other holiday "early" when I am dying.

@ Jeanne Sather 2007.