The big questions - "Who", "Why", "How" and of course, "Chicken or beef"

I suppose when one gets told the news that one has cancer (after which one can refer to oneself as "one"), many questions start to inundate the brain. From friends, family and your own self.

It's often not the questions that matter, nor the answers. Sometimes what matters is that you think of them and the way you think of these conundrums. (How's that for being philosophical?)

Let's have a look at some of the questions I've had to face...

"But isn't it that old people are supposed to get cancer?" - Firstly, that's slightly agist. Secondly, no. Unfortunately cancer can affect anyone at any age. The kind of cancer one may get may differ in different age groups (statistically speaking). No one is innately immune (if you've done 'Cancer and immunology' at university the pun was totally intended!).

"How do people get cancer?" - You're not going to like the answer - it's multifactorial and it depends. As a medical student I used to answer many questions with these words and, although it worked heavily in my favour (how can it not?), it doesn't help in practice, I'm afraid. Some cancers have a strong genetic link, others are associated with exposure to certain chemicals, viruses, and other factors. In most cases it's almost impossible to pinpoint the exact cause, but we can postulate as to what increases the risk. An example is the BRCA mutations associated with breast and ovarian cancer.

Be careful, though. Theories need to be rigorously put to the test before being accepted by the scientific community and one can generally trust these. Reading a post shared by your third cousin once removed about how cancer is associated with the orbit of Jupiter and how you can cure it by listening to "Rocket man", not so much...Or maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think I'll be using my iPod (people still have iPods, right?) instead of the chemo...

"Why do people get cancer?" - Ah, the inevitable existential-crisis-inducing question. Who knows. I suppose it depends on who you ask. It's rather tempting, and perhaps emotionally and psychologically fulfilling to believe that it happened for a reason. This can also be detrimental, for one can easily believe it is punishment for a previous dastardly deed (Remember that time at Billy's house? With the fireworks? Boom.) My personal opinion/view: I don't think it happened for a reason. I think it just happened, as it could happen to anyone. I do, however, believe that one can attribute meaning to it, if you choose. This is, in part, why I've decided to write this blog.

"Chicken or beef?" - I fly up from Pietermaritzburg regularly to get my chemo in Johannesburg (it's easier as a very large part of my support structure is situated in Gauteng). This naturally means that I get asked this question fairly often. There's no real contest here. I always go with beef. I'm too worried about the possibility of salmonella in the chicken. 

On that raw note (enter sarcastic laugh here.), until next time!

#Cancer