Why Is It So Difficult to Develop Drugs for Cancer? (2010)

Re:Why Is It So Difficult to Develop Drugs for Cancer? (2010) by easter6 on Sunday September 13, 2015 @12:36AM (#10210364)

early detection is great, if you're being specifically checked for cancer. the problem is that you can have tumors growing inside you for years, and during that time, the effects of those tumors may lead your doctor to misdiagnose the problem. And by the time those tumors make themselves painfully obvious, you've got Stage 4 cancer which is pretty much a death sentence.

In the US you can order your doctor to arrange a cancer screening for you (scan or blood test), if you are worried you may have cancer. It's your money, after all. In other countries such as Canada, that's not so easily done. You're at the mercy of whatever doctor you've ended up with, and that doctor is not going to do anything for you unless it makes sense to him.

This has basically been my experience, anyhow. Thanks to my doctor's inaction I have maybe 6 months to live.

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Re:Why Is It So Difficult to Develop Drugs for Cancer? (2010) by nextos on Thursday September 17, 2015 @11:55AM (#10234064)

I am extremely sorry to hear :(

Have you thought about trying an immunotherapy? I've seen some impressive outcomes.

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Re:Why Is It So Difficult to Develop Drugs for Cancer? (2010) by easter6 on Wednesday September 30, 2015 @03:02PM (#10306271)

I had to look up what immunotherapy is... not sure if it would do much good in my case, because I don't have much of an immune system at this point. I've already quit chemotherapy.. think I went 6 rounds before 'throwing in the towel'. Seems pointless to postpone what is inevitable, but I can understand how some might want to hang on.. particularly if one is married and with children.

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