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Why is there no such thing as 'Heart Cancer'?
Mark Twain is quoted as having said
Some time ago, I came across an article which called into question the notion of our longer life expectancy (I saved the article, but that was several computers ago). The author pointed out that the large percentage of deaths caused from childhood diseases and childbirth deaths had a tendency to really distort the overall statistics. He went on to research all the signers of the Declaration Of Independence (all of whom had documented lives), and came up with a mean average age that was in the 80
OMG so i read ur forum, and i always wondered the same thing. so i looked it up. wanna see something super gross??? omg. this is proof enough for me that it does exist.
www.tobaccofreekids.org/abc/lungcancer.htm
www.tobaccofreekids.org/abc/lungcancer.htm
While most tumors arise in a type of cell known as the epithelium, tumors do arise in muscle as well. A particularly aggressive tumor is the cardiac hemangiosarcoma. Although this arises in the endothelium (blood vessels) of the heart and not the myocardium per se, the tumor is inextricably entwined with the heart and is difficult if not impossible to treat surgically.
As for why the rates have skyrocket, I think you will see a significant correlation between life span and some of these conditions.
Namely, the "soft, processed foods, Western, etc. lifestyle" that is bemoaned for contributing to many of these conditions, allows us to live past the food borne or lifestyle related illness that would have killed you off sooner in the past,
Namely, the "soft, processed foods, Western, etc. lifestyle" that is bemoaned for contributing to many of these conditions, allows us to live past the food borne or lifestyle related illness that would have killed you off sooner in the past,
I would also add that the heart is primarily muscle and not soft organ tissue like the kidneys or liver. You don't hear about muscle cancer. Maybe a medical professional can expand on this.
There is such a thing as heart cancer. I had a benign heart tumor (Myxoma) removed from my heart a few years ago.
I was lucky in that it was benign and they caught it in time because it would certainly have killed me. There ARE malignant heart tumors, though...but they are rare.
I was lucky in that it was benign and they caught it in time because it would certainly have killed me. There ARE malignant heart tumors, though...but they are rare.
I would also add...they didn't to autopsies to pinpoint what a person died of...therefore the actual cause (maybe it was cancer or heart attack) was diagnosed by symptoms as something else. I think our methods of detecting and postmortem examinations can account for some of the increase. My great grandfather died in 1961 of an aortic aneurysm which is very specific. He had a brother that died in the 1920s at a much younger age whose death was categorized as just a "heart attack". He most likely died of the more specific aneurysm but in the 1920s they went more by the observable symptoms.
I agree with fwilson regarding this idea of the good old days. Modern medicine, imperfect as it is, has dramtically increased the quality and quantity of life for all people who are advantaged enough to to have access to it.
The reason you don't hear about women in the past getting cancer as much(though my great grandmother's death certificate says stomach cancer, I'd wager it started in her breast) is that so many of them died so young from bacterial illnesses like Tb, childbirth complications, viruses and all those peculiar causes of death that we have to now look up in dictionary under "archaic terms".
The average life expectancy of a woman born in 1900 was 50.7 years.
One poor fellow I found, when I was doing genealogical research, had his cause of death, in the 19th century, listed as "tired". Some of them probably did die of metastisized breast cancer that was labeled something else because nobody knew what caused their death. Heck the state of Virginia didn't even have a division of vital records until 1912.
My aunt died at the age of 30, in 1948, from a heart attack. Her autopsy revealed she had a goiter. Complication of thyroid trouble they didn't treat.
I have been recently found to have a mild thyroid problem. My doctor palpated my neck and has ordered an ultrasound to see what's up and this will just be an annoyance for me, for my aunt it was life threatening. My uncle died,as a young person too, from mitral regurgitation. Today they would have replaced his valve .
Historically, the environment was not pristine, it was an unregulated nightmare. People's waste was running into their drinking water, it was safer to drink alcohol than water. If you think their food was clear read Upton Sinclair.
In urban areas the skies were darkened with soot from wood and coal fires burning.
Mosquito borne illnesses also occured and those unlucky enough to have been caught in yellow fever epidemics here in the United States, would have loved some insecticide.
We are quite fortunate to be alive at this time.
End of diatribe LOL
The reason you don't hear about women in the past getting cancer as much(though my great grandmother's death certificate says stomach cancer, I'd wager it started in her breast) is that so many of them died so young from bacterial illnesses like Tb, childbirth complications, viruses and all those peculiar causes of death that we have to now look up in dictionary under "archaic terms".
The average life expectancy of a woman born in 1900 was 50.7 years.
One poor fellow I found, when I was doing genealogical research, had his cause of death, in the 19th century, listed as "tired". Some of them probably did die of metastisized breast cancer that was labeled something else because nobody knew what caused their death. Heck the state of Virginia didn't even have a division of vital records until 1912.
My aunt died at the age of 30, in 1948, from a heart attack. Her autopsy revealed she had a goiter. Complication of thyroid trouble they didn't treat.
I have been recently found to have a mild thyroid problem. My doctor palpated my neck and has ordered an ultrasound to see what's up and this will just be an annoyance for me, for my aunt it was life threatening. My uncle died,as a young person too, from mitral regurgitation. Today they would have replaced his valve .
Historically, the environment was not pristine, it was an unregulated nightmare. People's waste was running into their drinking water, it was safer to drink alcohol than water. If you think their food was clear read Upton Sinclair.
In urban areas the skies were darkened with soot from wood and coal fires burning.
Mosquito borne illnesses also occured and those unlucky enough to have been caught in yellow fever epidemics here in the United States, would have loved some insecticide.
We are quite fortunate to be alive at this time.
End of diatribe LOL
Heart disease is not a form of cancer. They're quite different, and of totally different etiologies. However, cancer that spreads to the heart is certainly possible.
My step-brother's fiance had cancer that eventually spread to her heart which is why her health rapidly declined and she passed away. She did all the chemo and radiation but decided to go on a homeopathic/natural diet when it spread to her heart. Once it had spread to her heart, they told her there was nothing they could do for her and she didn't live much longer.
So, that is the only time I've heard of heart cancer but it initially started as lymphoma. It is rare though, from what I was told.
So, that is the only time I've heard of heart cancer but it initially started as lymphoma. It is rare though, from what I was told.
I personally believe that the reason there has been such a dramatic rise in cancer and heart disease is the way most people live now. There wasn't such a thing as fast food, processed foods, etc. 100 years ago. I doubt they sprayed their foods with pesticides back then so most everything they consumed was totally natural.
I work in an office with about 350 people and in the past year, have personally known two female co-workers who found out they had breast cancer at age 35. It's supposedly rare to have breast cancer in your 30's yet I have two co-workers who have it. My best friend's sister in law died from it in her early 30's so that makes 3 people I know who have had breast cancer in their 30's.
There is most definitely a cause behind this dramatic increase in cancer and heart disease. With that said, I have never heard the term "heart cancer" but I have heard of malignant tumors that can grow in the heart.
I work in an office with about 350 people and in the past year, have personally known two female co-workers who found out they had breast cancer at age 35. It's supposedly rare to have breast cancer in your 30's yet I have two co-workers who have it. My best friend's sister in law died from it in her early 30's so that makes 3 people I know who have had breast cancer in their 30's.
There is most definitely a cause behind this dramatic increase in cancer and heart disease. With that said, I have never heard the term "heart cancer" but I have heard of malignant tumors that can grow in the heart.
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