Neuroendocrine Cancer Awareness

  • The Mother of all Surgeries

    My plan for this week’s blog was to continue with a surgery theme using the story of a lady who had what was described as the“Mother of all Surgeries” after being late diagnosed with a very rare and advanced appendiceal cancer.  I had a draft in outline before Christmas ready to update and publish early Jan.  However, I’ve been carefully watching the story unfold about the death of respected ESPN anchor Stuart…

  • Scanxiety – I just don’t get it!

    The internet is full of blogs and articles about a subject which is described as 'scanxiety' - the joining of the words 'scan' and 'anxiety'. I also noted some authors using the words 'scanxiety' and 'anxiety' interchangeably which in my opinion is clearly wrong.

    ‘Scanxiety’  - I just don't get it  ......or more accurately I just don't get overly anxious about scans…

  • The Anatomy of NET Cancer

    Zebra-Cartoon-Episode-1

    Sometimes when I’m searching for medical information, I’m presented with a ‘pick-list’ of cancers which tend to be anatomy based and I find it infuriating when I cannot find my own cancer on the list.  Some respectable organisations are just not as up to date as they should be!  One of the key facets of NET Cancer is that it is not tied into a particular part of the human anatomy.   Ignorance of…

  • Dear Doctors - There's no such thing as a 'good' cancer!

    At a follow-up meeting during my diagnostic phase in July 2010, the specialist who was investigating my referral condition was clearly suspicious that I had cancer but as the results of my liver biopsy were not yet in, he was not in a position to declare his findings.  However, following my revelation about flushing during this meeting, he immediately guessed the biopsy would confirm Carcinoid (the most common type of Neuroendocrine…

  • Cancer and Luck

    I've mentioned 'luck' a few times in the past month following some more 'cancerversary' milestones - these tend to make me reflect on my experience. Even though I was metastatic at diagnosis, I think of myself as lucky on the basis that my tumours were found by 'chance' or to be more accurate, found following an innocuous set of circumstances. As we know, Neuroendocrine Cancer (NET Cancer), it can sometimes be …