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"I
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These words can be devastating to anyone. But they’re unfortunately what thousands of people have to tell friends and loved ones every day. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. Approximately one in two American men, and one in three American women, will have cancer at some point in their life. And it can come at any age. Although more than 60 percent of all cancers occur in people over 65. Here, we share the stories of three Greater New Haven residents who have had to speak these three words, and deal with the wide range of emotions that comes along with them: shock, anger, confusion, hope, fear and uncertainty. |
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We offer, here, a snapshot in time: When interviewed in February, two were undergoing treatment at Saint Raphael’s Father Michael J. McGivney Center for Cancer Care, a state-of-the-art facility offering the most comprehensive and sophisticated services available. The third, with cancer in remission, comes back regularly for checkups. But they all stand firmly behind health experts’ beliefs that the sooner a cancer is found, and the sooner treatments begin, the better a patient’s chances of survival. And they want to share what they’ve learned with others. Cancer is not a death sentence, they say. It’s a new inspiration for life. Alison Jensen Undergoing treatment for lung cancer Alison Jensen, 78, isn’t interested in hearing lung cancer statistics or survival rates. “What’s the point?” the Old Saybrook resident asks simply. “Everybody is different. So why should I scare myself? I’m determined to beat this, and that’s that. And hopefully, that’s what will happen.” It’s too soon for doctors to tell what daily radiation treatments, and weekly rounds of chemotherapy, will do to shrink the tumor in Jensen’s left lung. She was diagnosed in January with Stage III lung cancer (Stage IV is the most severe.) after she spit up blood-spotted phlegm from a “heavy cold that just wouldn’t go away.” But as nervous as Jensen was about the diagnosis, she wasn’t surprised. A smoker most of her life, she knew down deep, she says, that she was at real risk of one day developing the disease. “I always wondered whether smoking would come back to haunt me. And it did,” adds Jensen. “Now, I try to encourage as many people as possible to quit. Please. Looking back, it’s just not worth it.” Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. More than 164,100 new cases will be diagnosed this year, according to the American Cancer Society, and about 156,900 people will die from it. In fact, more women now die each year from lung cancer than from breast cancer — an unfortunately little-known fact, doctors say. Smoking is by far the leading risk factor; it’s blamed for more than 80 percent of lung cancer cases. And the longer a person smokes, the greater the risk. This risk carries over to nonsmokers who regularly breathe in second-hand smoke, as well. Other risk factors include long-term inhalation of asbestos (use of which is now strictly controlled); lung scarring from certain types of pneumonia; and age. Since most people with early lung cancer do not have any symptoms, only about 15 percent of lung cancers are found in the early stages — although new testing procedures are showing great success at finding lung cancer in its earliest stages. Still, it’s usually not until the disease has progressed that people, like Jensen, have any outward signs that cancer is lurking. Detectable symptoms can include a cough that doesn’t go away; chest pain often made worse by deep breathing; hoarseness; bloody or rust-colored spit or phlegm; shortness of breath; fever without a known reason; recurring respiratory infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia; and wheezing. These symptoms can also be caused by other conditions. But you should report any of them to your doctor. If cancer is found, quick treatment is necessary. Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, either alone or in combination, are the usual treatment options. And Jensen’s first round includes both radiation and chemotherapy. She’s lucky, she says, that so far she hasn’t had most of the common — and often debilitating — side effects that come with these therapies, such as severe nausea, hair loss, diarrhea and vomiting. She has lost her appetite, however. But following doctors’ orders, she makes extra efforts to eat a balanced diet each day. And many nights, she finds herself crawling into bed right after dinner. But she’s thankful, she says, that at least for now, surgery isn’t necessary. Although she’s realistic about the uncertainty the future holds. “Am I going to die in a year? No way,” she asserts. “And I forbid it,” adds her husband Oliver. “But at some point there will be a moment of truth, where maybe I won’t be able to be so certain about things. Until then, though, I’m going to be cheerful — or at least in a healthy state of denial.” You should know: Sophisticated, new CT scan tests have been shown to detect lung cancers when they are small enough to be easily treated, but too small to be detected by routine x-rays. Such tests, now available at the Hospital of Saint Raphael, have been shown to dramatically increase odds of survival. Carol Jones Fighting the recurrence of breast cancer Carol Jones is only 33. But she doesn’t know how long she’ll survive. It’s a sad, terrifying and unbelievable admission for Jones, who has been a top-notch athletic competitor all her life. But over this opponent, she has no control — although she’s determined to do whatever she can to gain the edge. Jones has Stage IV breast cancer, the most serious form, that’s spread to her bones, lungs and liver. It’s a recurrence of the disease, which was first diagnosed in 1996 after she found a lump on her left breast. At that time, she under went a successful lumpectomy to remove a cancerous tumor, followed by six months of chemotherapy. And for the next two years, she thought she was home free. Her follow-up cancer tests were clean and life was going the way she wanted: She was living on her own; dating; enjoying friends; and working full-time as a Hamden Hall gym teacher and coach of the school’s field hockey and lacrosse teams. But then she hurt her leg last summer. It was a mild stress fracture, doctors said, but the break wouldn’t heal. She started coughing a lot, and her left arm started aching. And she knew something was wrong. The cancer had come back. Tests confirmed it. “The hardest part right now is seeing friends having babies, getting married, and not knowing whether I’ll ever be able to do that,” says Jones, a Canada native who moved to Greater New Haven right before she was diagnosed. “I want to get on with my life. I want to live. So I’m doing everything I can to make that happen.” Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women (lung cancer is first), and this year is expected to cause more than 41,200 deaths, says the American Cancer Society. More than 184,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed this year. And many women, like Jones, will undergo radiation and chemotherapy. Other treatment options include surgery and hormone therapy. While many risk factors for breast cancer cannot be controlled — such as age, gender, race, genetics and family history — many related lifestyle choices can. These include not smoking; drinking little, if any, alcohol; eating a high-fiber, low-fat diet; exercising regularly; and having frank, informed discussions with your doctor before choosing estrogen replacement therapy to treat menopause symptoms. Health experts can’t stress enough the importance of preventive screenings like mammograms. Women over 40 should have a mammogram once each year, and women 20 to 39 should have a clinical breast exam performed by their gynecologist or physician every three years, says the American Cancer Society. All women should perform a breast self-examination every month, about one week after their period ends, with any breast changes reported to your doctor right away. Jones also believes that “pushing doctors for answers” and “seeking second opinions” should also be on a woman’s breast health checklist. She discovered the lump in her breast more than a year before she was diagnosed. But her doctor at that time pooh-poohed her fears about breast cancer, saying she was too young to be at risk. “Statistics say most women with breast cancer are over 40. But here I am now. I just hope that I can take the knowledge that I have, and my will to really, really live, and take it to where I want to be. And maybe save other young women from being in this same spot, too.” You should know: Recent Internet rumors suggest underarm antiperspirants and underwire bras hamper lymph circulation and increase the risk of breast cancer. There is no evidence to support this, assert cancer experts. Joseph Azoti Celebrating prostate cancer remission It’s hard for Orange resident Joseph Azoti, 64, to talk about his prostate cancer without crying. After undergoing a successful seed implant radiation treatment, the disease has been in remission for more than a year. But the fear, trauma, worry and, finally, jubilation that came during the experience are still fresh in his mind. “People have a hard time believing this. But in some ways, prostate cancer was the best thing to ever happen to me,” says Azoti, a photography professor at Quinnipiac College in Hamden. “It was a wonderful slap in the face because it changed the way I look at myself and my life. And for that, I’m grateful.” Before being diagnosed in November 1997, Azoti says he saw his life as the “glass half-empty.” He always needed to learn more, do more and accomplish more. He read two newspapers a day; tightly packed his workdays; volunteered on weekends for the Connecticut Food Bank and other agencies; and made sure not to miss any “important” television shows or movies. “I was your typical Type A personality, and I got extre-mely nervous when I felt like I was missing out on anything,” says Azoti. “But then I found out I had cancer. And I suddenly realized I could die and miss everything.” According to the American Cancer Society, more than 180,000 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. About 31,900 men will die from it. Although men of any age can get prostate cancer, it’s most often found in those over 50. It’s twice as common among African-American men as it is among whites. But the good news is that, when treated early, survival rates are good: Eighty-nine percent of men with prostate cancer live at least five years after diagnosis, and 63 percent survive at least 10 years. The key to these success rates, however, is early detection and treatment. And that means getting regular preventive screenings. Health experts recommend yearly prostate exams for men over 40, including a rectal exam to check for any abnormalities in the prostate and a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test. Symptoms of prostate cancer can include pain while urinating (although this can also be from far less serious problems); blood in the urine; an enlarged prostate; or chronic pain in the lower back, pelvis, spine, hips, upper thigh or ribs. Unfortunately, by the time these warning signs occur, the cancer may be advanced. The up side is that high-tech treatment options are available. Azoti chose brachytherapy, a minimally invasive method of implanting radioactive seeds directly into the prostate. Other treatments include three-dimensional radiation therapy, where multiple beams are precisely positioned to attack the shape and size of the tumor; surgery; traditional radiation therapy; hormone therapy; and chemotherapy. Like many prostate cancer patients, Azoti monitors for recurrences by undergoing regular PSA blood tests. But on the whole, his life now is much less scheduled — and much happier. “Pardon the cliché, but the glass is now half full. And I’m happy that way, because I’m alive.” He now skips the newspaper most mornings and meditates instead. He works less and volunteers more. He watches what he eats (lots of fruits, vegetables and fiber and little red meat), exercises and makes time for just doing nothing. “There’s a lot to be said about just living and taking in the world around you. We all can slow down if we try. And the reality is that there is so much to see and do — so much to enjoy — if we just stop and not get too crazy. Life is a gift.” You should know: New studies indicate that men who eat three or more daily vegetable servings have a 48% lower risk of developing prostate cancer. Accompanying story: How can I learn more about cancer? Try the American Cancer Society at (800) ACS-2345 or www.cancer.org; the National Cancer Institute at (800) 4-CANCER or www.nci.nih.gov; the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship at (888) 650-9127 or www.cansearch.org; or the American Institute for Cancer Research at (800) 843-8114 or www.aicr.org. Accompanying story: What is cancer? Cancer is not one disease, but a group of diseases that cause cells to change and grow out of control. Most types of cancer cells form a lump or mass called a tumor. These cells can also break away and travel to other parts of the body, where they continue to grow. This spreading process is called metastasis. Another term for a cancerous tumor, or cancer cells that spread, is malignant. It’s important to remember, however, that not all tumors are cancerous. A tumor that is not cancerous is called benign. Benign tumors do not grow or spread the way cancer does, and they are usually not life-threatening. Some forms of cancer, such as blood cancers like leukemia, do not form any tumors, but affect normal cell development. Source: American Cancer Society Accompanying story: Be proactive with cancer prevention Health experts estimate that as many as 60 percent of cancer cases in the U.S. can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends these general guidelines:
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