Visit brilliant.org/scishow/ to get started learning STEM for free. The first 200 people will get 20% off their annual premium subscription and a 30-day free trial.
Hunk, your'e the best buddy! So much I `ve learned from your channels, it's amasing!! Love your videos and Strength to you! We need you, we love you, keep doing thee goody videros!!!
I had chemo 40 years ago. The oncologists today cringe when I tell them what chemo I had. They say it was, compared with todays chemo, barbaric. But it worked. I’m still here.
@@ramy8700let's not spread dangerous misinformation. If true, your comment should have been phrased differently. "Might have" instead of "probably would have"
If you don't know who Terry Fox is you might want to check him out. He was in his late teens and was put in the kids ward. It drove him to become one of Canada most cherished legends. It's a great story from around the time you beat it. He was determined to help others by fundraising for cancer.
My brother had an ultra-rare (15 cases worldwide) leukemia that had something like a 95% fatality rate within 5 years. That was almost 20 years ago, and he's still with us. He had 39 blood transfusions and a bone marrow transplant, alongside chemo. They didn't expect him to survive, but survive he did, and he's been cancer free ever since.
I'm happy for you both and everyone around you affected by it. And the doctors involved should feel proud, curing cancer takes medicinal problem-solving skill. I am sure they felt like the people in the control room at Houston of Nasa, whenever they successfully complete a milestone objective on a mission, when your brother was declared cancer free.
I'm still amazed Hank has used something so personal and difficult to educate us. He didn’t have to do that. He's been far more open than I'd ever expect anyone to be with total strangers. Thank you, Hank, for continuing to teach us even with all you've been dealing with.
I think that's part of his DNA, he gets interested in something and wants others to understand it to because its cool. And with chemo not only is it cool but also very personal so it dovetails perfectly
@@puckelberry Absolutely. It's still really amazing he's been as open about his personal experience as he has been, though. He's certainly an educator at his core.
It's not really hard for him at all I believe. Intellectual types like Hank often take joy in sharing their near death experiences and how they overcame them because it's so abstract to them. Regardless, Hank is the goat.
A couple others have nailed it as far as I'm concerned. The teaching reflex and caring about people made keeping private my health experiences of the last 8yrs melt away to nothing. The important bit is to show folks that you CAN survive that bastard of a disease and live to tell the tale! I speak, also, of the importance of the screenings and setting aside the fear of a doctor 'finding something'...you WANT the doctor to find something, that's where the cure starts! A couple friends of mine had that fear of 'finding something' and 'going to the doctor/hospital' so equated with dying that it literally killed them while they sat, immovable, on their sofas...NUFF SAID!!
Dad said the worst part about losing all your hair to chemo was the ingrown nose hairs growing back! He’s 16 years cancer free from AML which is a miracle. Seeing everyone’s stories, it’s incredible how cancer touches everyone in some way.
Lol 😂 I swear men always notice the craziest things. I’ll never forget seeing my leukemia patient post bone marrow transplant and chemo he was just coming in for something unrelated and he kept talking about his toe hairs “conspiring in his socks” now🤣. He said they stuck straight up through the socks. The nose hairs is new though that tickles me!
I snorted with laughter about the nose hairs. My BIL got some hair back after a bone marrow transplant that wasn't his colour but his donor's (son) colour. We joke those were some really determined stem cells!
One of the most interesting things about chemo is that you realise how useful nose hairs actually are. Without them, for example, your nose runs constantly.
My chemo for breast cancer was relatively easy-not fun-but not terribly difficult. Now my HER2 cancer is being treated by a new drug that has a high level of success. This is only about 10-15 years old. Women used to die of this Now most thrive. Trust science ❤
my mother lost her best friend to triple-negative breast cancer ~5 years ago ... in these 5 years alone, therapy advanced so much that i sometimes think about what might have been if the cancer like "waited" a bit longer :'( ... but its nice to see this rapid development for every future patient to come!
As someone with a loved one going through breast cancer treatment how much things have improved keeps coming up. Most of the treatment team has been old enough to remember the bad old days. From talking about how much survival rates have gone up to how much more targeted they can be for treatment it's probably the one good thing about something that's still terrible. I mean it's still cancer which sucks but it was a horrific treatment with terrible results and now it's something people beat all the time. I will say though I can also definitely understand why people used to distrust the science and find it still hard. Doctors were basically stumbling around in the dark hoping for the best before they could identify what they were actually treating. Even less than a decade ago testing wasn't what it is today let alone three or four decades ago. If your last experience with someone you love going through cancer treatment was a parent or grandparent when you were young it's going to be hard to trust how much better things really are now.
Hank announced his cancer the same time I received my diagnosis for leukemia. Seeing him deal with it has been inspiring and helped me convince myself of the right attitude to keep while I’m going through my own treatment Edit: thanks so much for all the kind words. I don’t have notifications for RU-vid on so randomly coming back across this has been very touching. I appreciate the warrior type comments, but definitely don’t feel apt. I just feel fatigued after the chemo, others are going through way more than me and are the real warriors.
Yup! Attitude is important! I also used curiosity and learning all I could about my treatment and reactions to same, to sort of distract a bit from the gravity of the situation. That, plus medical staff likes a patient that's engaged in the process. And ALWAYS, no matter how crappy you feel, be nice to the nurses! They are the ones who will be pulling your singed ass out of the fire before the doctor even answers the call. They are all warriors and, without exaggeration, subject to the stresses of the battlefield! Do yourself the favor of making sure that your family doesn't bother the nursing staff with trivial stuff like pillow-fluffing...And if Auntie Esmeralda starts to go 'Karen', have someone escort her out of the building! Your reward will be tangible!
I used to work with leukemia patients in the hospital. That was tough work but I wouldn’t have traded my leukemia patients for anything. My management was the thorn in my side. Honey you do WHATEVER you need to. Just include staying hydrated, away from sickies, moving and close to your love ones in there somewhere fr fr ❤
Last year I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer, seminoma. It was caught very quickly after bloodwork and an ultrasound and I had immediate surgery to remove the offending testicle. All my followups and scans have been clear so I avoided needing radiation and chemotherapy fortunately. I am on a 10 year regime of regular bloodwork and CT Scans to ensure it doesn't recur or spread 🤞
I got MS and got into a long-term observational cohort study with annual checkups done by an elite university, in one of their maximum care hospitals. Also MRI and bloodwork but its in total maybe 6 hours of tests. All the additional data helps inform my treatment.
Hank got diagnosed with cancer, instead of using home remedies and alternative treatments, he went to the hospital, follows proper medical advices and procedures, technically got into remission, and still producing AND hosting amazing scientific contents. Be like Hank.
I wondered why he had the baseball cap on, was hoping that I just made an invalid assumption, but I was shocked when I read your comment. I am very glad to hear he is already in remission.
5 years clean from chemotherapy. Had an extremely rare autoimmune disease (HLH, 300 people a year diagnosed). After 38 rounds of harsh chemo, and a bone marrow transplant (thanks to my little brother and donor) I'm celebrating my 5th "birthday" August 17. You didn't have to put your personal life into a video explaining how it works, yet you did. Thank you, and mad respect for that. I reeaallyy hope everything gets better, and you make a full recovery!! You're the real MVP Hank!!
Happy 5th Birthday 🎉. It’s inspiring to see this comment. I was just diagnosed with secondary HLH from CAEBV. Knowing that there are success stories, gives me hope. Thank you for sharing 👾
@@chemosh666 Thank you, I really hope everything goes really smooth for you!! If caught early it usually does go OK. I was to worried about being a "man" and "didn't need any doctor" that I was very close to dying, and was a few days from it being too late. You got this!! Keep fighting the good fight! We're all in this together!
Hank - three weeks ago my dad was diagnosed with leukemia. Thank you for being so open with your journey as well as educating the world about cancers. You'll never know how grateful I am. ❤
@samanthalee5808 I’m so sorry that you and he are going through this right now. My dad has leukemia (AML) back in 2007 and has been in remission since later that year. I know that deep deep fear and I won’t say it’s an easy journey, but I wanted to give you a good positive story to keep your hope going. Sending love to you, your dad, and your family 💛
I've lost my father to stomach cancer less than two weeks ago. You've been a part of my life since I was 19. Well into my thirties now. All the best to you, Hank!
I work in a cancer hospital, human trials to be exact, and youd be amazed at what breakthroughs we have discovered over the last few years. While most people who wait to be diagnosed have to suffer through aggressive treatments, if caught early, we can even treat some with oral medication only. We have been following your chemotherapy journey and we are all rooting for you!!
In your research, how much time and money is put into the prevention of cancer personally I think you are living off the suffering of other people. Hank stated that one. In five in the UK was successfully treated. Would you get the Covid vaccine if a one in five success rate, so why do you except for cancer? Hank, I hope you are one of the one in five only time will tell
@@Rhino1bam Preventing cancer is way harder than treating it, since there are a million different ways for it to develop and most are just very bad luck. And hank stated that one in five got chemo. not that one in five survived. There are other treatments.
@Rhino1bam preventing is difficult since cancer cells are pretty much our own cells going rogue and mutating uncontrollably ,but ultimately, it falls on lifestyle choices and our diets. We have been studying the effects of artificial sweeteners and the effects it has on our thyroid, anything artificial we put into our bodies will have an adverse reaction. If we cant metabolize it, we probably shouldn't consume it.
My mom begins chemo for breast cancer in about a week, and your clear, insightful, calm discussions are really helping me prepare to support her. Thank you so much. You’re giving us an amazing gift!
my mom has passed the stage of her treatment already and all i have to say is, be calm, it's super scary at the beginning dont get me wrong, but hopefully everything will be ok ❤
Just wanted to say that I saw this comment, and I’m sending you a hug. I hope you’re doing all right. There are so many feelings around this and our own stories, and they can be overwhelming. ❤
Yeah that was my first thought too. I was like 11 when my grandmama took me in her hospital room and took off her wig and explained to me that she was “sick” and would not be getting better and that she loved me and that I would be okay. That was a very weird ride home knowing I wouldn’t get to jump on her bed and eat a bunch of sweets with her at late hours of night. I never saw her again and now I remember her with a tattoo I see every day and anytime I think of her. Rest easy grandmama ❤️
I had a similar issue at the beginning. Tbh I think Hank’s videos are working as a version of desensitisation therapy for me. Seeing cancer information presented in a familiar format with a familiar and friendly face, I am slowly building up the resistance to not be sent over the edge whenever I try to learn about cancer.
@@Laura76393he's through chemo which knocks out the majority of the cancer cells, but the next step is radiation therapy to catch any straggler cells.
My former sister-in-law had ovarian cancer that eventually stopped responding to chemo. She then went with an ImmunoChem therapy targeted to her specific cancer. It worked and she went into remission.
Funny thing about gene testing, I showed I was predisposed to any specific cancer, my was spontaneous cancers. The H. Lymphoma, Thyroid cancers and The Triple Negative Breast Cancer just happened. I wholeheartedly thank every Nurse who works with cancer patients. They were my lighthouse in a dark and confusing storm.
Yup!...Nurses! I can add the nurses who work on the transplant floor to those who will deliver you to safe harbor on a bad night! Nurses'll also be your partner in a game of 'ring and run' at the very door of the devil himself, then half-carry you as you both beat feet for the back gate of Hell...leaving ol' Beelzebub to stomp out the burning bag you left on his porch! Neat thing...since it WAS Hell, we didn't need to take the time to light the bag of pooch poop! The ring and run thing, of course not real, was a visualization that helped me immensely. It formed up in my head when a seemingly delicate little gal helped me to the bathroom for my first pee following a surgery. She got me standing with the lifting belt, then stood up into my right armpit with her left shoulder and 'rag-dolled' my heavily-medicated arse across the room. I will NEVER forget that...the pain was at a solid 12, but I was 'walking' as I was told I had to soon as possible! I spent a lot of quality time with my wonderful nursing teams during the darkest depths of Covid. No Family allowed, no significant other to mention, Docs would pop in and out quickly. I got to know these wonderful people pretty well. I made their jobs as easy as I could, they made my hospital stays as tolerable as possible. All in all...though I won't recommend it...autoimmune liver failure, cancer, chemo, radiation, liver transplant, more cancer, total colectomy with J-Pouch, and a couple other niggling little things was a fairly alright experience! Love, Scott...A happy and well life to you!
My last brush with cancer was treated with retuximab. Not only did it completely kill the cancer, there were absolutely no, repeat, no side effects. Ain't science great?
Cancer-beating Hank saying "some targeted chemotherapies deliver the exact same old chemo drugs right to the tumor - like a lil' side-effect avoiding Uber driver" is glorious! I really appreciate how Hank shared all that knowledge and insight from his very personal experience with us and continues to educate people! Truly one of the best educators out there!
My aunt just had her last chemo treatment for uterine cancer last week 🙌🏻 Hank’s cancer content was so helpful while our family went through this. Here’s to kicking cancer’s ass!
She’s 57, turning 58 in a couple months, which puts her just about within range for when most people who get uterine cancer get diagnosed (from what I was told)
@@abigailchiesa1337 So going by your rationale people in this age group that you have mentioned are doomed and are just waiting for the inevitable cancer diagnosis? How was her general health before the cancer diagnosis? Was the cancer diagnosis abrupt? Like just in the last 2-3 years.
@@manikyum what??? Abigail said that her aunt was within the AVERAGE AGE RANGE for people who get diagnosed with uterine cancer. Aka, most people diagnosed are within that age range. That does not mean everyone who is 57-65 will definitely get uterine cancer... You're drawing a conclusion from a premise that never said anything about it - it's illogical. Here's another example - if I said, "Oh, you're more likely to be lactose intolerant if you're ethnically African than if you're ethnically European," (which is true), that would NOT mean that everyone from Africa is definitely lactose intolerant... it just means that if you surveyed people you'd find lactose intolerance more common in that group. And for a third example... if I said "all dogs are mammals", you wouldn't be correct to reverse it (like you have here) and say "all mammals are dogs". Anyone can get cancer. There's no point dissecting the lifestyle of this lady. Some things make it more likely (and age can be a factor!) but there's always a degree of luck involved.
As a physician (Hematopathologist - I diagnose lymphomas and leukemias) I have to say you did a really good job of explaining all of this. Not an easy task. Good Luck.
"Those who have not trained in chemistry or medicine may not realize how difficult the problem of cancer really is. It is almost (not quite, but almost) as hard as finding some agent that will dissolve away the left ear, say, and leave the right ear unharmed." -William Woglom (1947)
Best advice I can give...do NOT let that fear keep you from going to the dang doctor! I've lost three friends to that very thing...they were afraid of the doctor 'finding something'. You WANT the doctor to find something!...That way you can get the jump on it and win the battle! Don't 'call tomorrow'...call today!...put down your mouse and call to set up screenings! Since you have a family history, the insurance company won't give you much guff, they'll gladly pay a few thousand $ to avoid paying much more later! Call TODAY!! don't even finish reading th.....
Yeah, I lost my mom when I was 11 after four brutal years of chemo about 20 years ago, and I’m still so afraid of cancer. She had zero risk factors for the cancer she got, but I’m always very aggressive about getting tested. We have no idea why she got it, and because of a complex set of health issues I have, chemo would likely kill me, even with the advances. Every time I hear they are making progress, I am so happy, and every time someone says something like “cancer will never be cured because treatment is too profitable” I want to punch them. Do they not know how hard scientists are working on this? And how most of those advances are publicly funded? Ugh, it’s like they want the world to collapse just so they can say “I told you so.” Anyway, sorry for the rant, and I feel you
Like he explains in the video, things have change. If you get a diagnosis today you have better chances than 5, 10, 20.. years ago. Also with the new meds there are less side effects. So it would not be the same experience. And like already said: go through screening, be alert… Because chances are so much better when cancer is detected early. Better to get tested more and get to know it’s nothing, than to delay testing and it turns out to be cancer.
I was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma and I start ABVD on monday. Thank you for this well-timed video (and absolutely everything else you have made about your story, I'm very selfishly grateful)
I’ve taken Imatinib for 14 years for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. I call these my Bonus Years! I’m so glad you covered the newer cancer treatments. They are improving every day!
As a physician I have always loved the science aspect of your show but I'm glad to see your embrace of tackling the science of cancer treatment because so often it's not talked about enough. Best wishes and so glad to see you're responding well. Please keep this science content coming for the next generation of scientists and physicians.
I agree! We often kind of talk about the side effects to the patients but not why they cause those side effects 😅 especially with immunotherapy. Often I find it’s easier to explain it the other way around for those.
' Trusting the science '... whatever that means, is the reason cancer cases exploded. If only it were common knowledge that mRNA reverse tanscribes and causes cancer. I now know of multiple families where literally every member of the family has cancer.
I have stage 4 breast cancer. I've had a variety of drugs to contend with, over 30 years, and some were pretty bad. The tamoxifen destroyed much of my heart but I'm still limping along thanks to a pacemaker. The newer drugs aren't nearly as bad, as side effects go, and I'm grateful for that as I'll probably be taking drugs to combat cancer for the rest of my life. I've been very fortunate my oncologists have been able to manage my cancer, even though they can't cure it.
@lindsaykress36 While everyone responds to treatment differently, doing your research can help you decide which treatments will probably be best for your particular case. Studies have shown that people who take the lead, in deciding on treatments, tend to survive the longest. Go with your gut feelings and don't be afraid to use the placebo effect. If you truly believe a treatment will work, it will work. I used the placebo effect, with supplements, in between various therapeutic interventions, to carry me over until a new treatment was approved for use.
It’s nice to hear that you have such a specialized team of doctors working to mitigate the cancer, enough to where you’re doing relatively good for your age even if a cure isn’t possible. With the recent developments in modern medicine, along with your own experience, I’m hopeful that the life expectancy will only continue to increase allowing you to live an even longer and just as fulfilling life. God bless you and your family ❤
Just want to mention that chemo is not just used to treat cancer, it is also used for autoimmune disease such as SLE. I was on Cytoxan for 6 months for SLE but I'm currently on belimumab. Anyway, sending positive thoughts your way!
Exactly! Traditional chemo drugs and monoclonal antibodies are used for many auto-immune conditions. I have Multiple Sclerosis and I am on a type of Rituximab. It's also used for Rheumatoid Arthritis, but was originally developed for a type of B cell + Lymphoma back in the late 90s. My late husband had Lupus and when his kidneys began to fail they gave him a type of chemotherapy to try and stop the attack. In his case it did not work, but it does for many.
My grandmother has cancer and gets chemotherapy, but they freeze her hair production cells with a sort of freeze cap so she still has her hair! This is in the Netherlands FYI.
I’m so grateful we have Hank. He not only is taking all this in stride, but he’s taking his personal experience and educating us on how it works and the science behind it. We love you Hank. And I’m praying for you and sending all the positive vibes to you and yours. ❤🤟🏽
I have a friend who went through chemo and her "silver lining" was two things (besides the whole "getting to keep living"): First, when her hair started growing back, it was a medium brown and in wavy curls instead of the straight and grey she had been growing for the last decade and change. Second, the treatment-stubborn toenail fungus she had been fighting for a long time went away. So did some of her toenails for a bit, but they grew back in smooth and healthy.
I work as a data analyst in precision medicine, often cancer; sadly my work usually disappears into a black hole because I am a contractor and the companies are secretive about their developments up until approval .. sometimes though, it’s nice to see how the fruits of my type of labor play out in the real world! Thanks Hank, it’s nice to see you on the show again and hope you’re feeling better
Thank you Hank for covering this. As someone who is a RN & NP in the Oncology field it really grinds my Pyxis machine drawers when I hear people tell me tHeyRe hIdiNg tHe cUrE fOr cAnCer. Most of the time it's misinformation, and of course are teachable but some people just are genuinely stupid and take delight in wallowing in ignorance.
I would add that I’ve been exhorted to try copious carrot juice, oxygen, light and coffee enemas. I don’t doubt that alternative and complementary therapies have a place - I think more research should be done regarding cannabinoids and cancer - but coffee enemas?
Being a molecular biologist made going through my cancer treatment both fascinating and occasionally terrifying. I got to talk with my specialists in depth, something I quickly found they enjoyed, sometimes even bringing fellow oncologists to share their chance to explain to a patient her highly aggressive cancer as a fellow scientist. I got directed to relevant research papers between our meetings. One thing I did was to be sure I registered that I wanted to donate tissue samples for research. These were taken during my surgery and are anonymous. Researchers depend on tissue samples to study rare forms of cancer like mine. I had a very rare carcinosarcoma in the uterus. This form arises as a carcinoma mutating to sarcoma to metastasize category 3 (highly metastatic). This begins as a squamous carcinoma (epithelium cell cancer). It mutates into a carcinosarcoma. Usually sarcomas originate in supportive and connective tissues such as bones, muscle, and fat not epithelial cells like carcinomas. Carcinosarcomas grow from a single point of origin; the sarcomatous nature is derived from the originating carcinoma making them metaplastic. But a few utererine cancers are collision tumors with two separate masses, with a different prognosis than the carcinosarcoma. See "Malignant biphasic uterine tumours: carcinosarcomas or metaplastic carcinomas?" J Clin Pathology 2002
Hank, I can't even begin to tell you how much your work has helped my educational / professional career (in just a few weeks I'll finish and be an international accredited critical care flight paramedic). I can whole heartedly attribute this to you. Thank you. I'm truly praying for the best for you.
I gotta admit it's been a while since I watched SciShow and at first I could not believe Hank was ill, guys. But it's real, even people we watch on our screens for years can get targeted by that damn cancer. I'm praying for everybody
There's also Graham from Loading ready run. He went thru Chemo recently and lost his hair. It's still not back, he keeps stressing that he's fine, I still worry tho 😓
Yes, I agree! My high school graduating class was 1982. I found out in the past few months that a number off fellow grads and I all have or had cancer recently (mine in 2016). That blew me away! Was my entire cohort going to get cancer? Maybe not, but it sure seemed like it!
Yup. I tested negative for the most common breast cancer markers. (I didn't ask for the rarest markers.) I tested negative, so my sisters and mom should have been negative, too. But my younger sister had the same kind of breast cancer as I. I had it later, but then Mom had it _after_ me! I do hope my other sister-my older one-dodges the bullet.
I am happy to hear things are going well for you. I know my Sisters 3 year battle with esophageal Cancer was brutal. 2 recurrences even after the scans were all clear. Thank the gods it never spread anywhere else. Sadly the last series was just too much for her to handle and we lost her in April. I was her caregiver and was right there with her throughout ALL of it. She was such a STRONG Warrior and my HERO...and I miss her every day.
Hank, I can't even begin to tell you the admiration I have for you. There's no other creator I know of out there that's this passionate about what they do.
I wish the chemo had worked for my friend. She's been gone two years this summer. Six months from diagnosis to the end. I hope all the love she carried in her heart can touch everyone struggling with this.
I had colon cancer. It was hilarious. After my first round of chemo I had almost no reaction at all. The bummer was I had to carry it around for 4-5 days. During my last setup the infusion room was packed. People started sharing the horrifying side effects of their chemo. Eventually, it came around to me. "Well, after a couple of days this tape really starts to itch." They were not amused.
I had the same lucky experience...I was a little tired after the morning nasty pill and a dose of radiation, so I'd go over to the small downtown airport and talk smart for a while, then take a nap in the lobby with the airport dogs. Following that, I'd wander across to the hangar that 'Learn Build Fly' calls home and putz around on this or that project...maybe just sweep up. After that, watch some RU-vid on the classroom big screen, eat my bag lunch, and take another nap. The early summer of 2019 was most pleasant, really! Then the proverbial excrement made contact with the rotary air-mover and things got serious for a couple-three years! But, that's a tale for another day! Learn Build Fly is a 501C-3 organization that deals with STEM and Mentoring both white and blue-collar careers under the umbrella of constructing home-built airplanes. There is a Facebook presence.
I would watch basic biology by Hank every day. I feel everyone should know more about how human biology works, and Hank makes it way easier to understand. Thank you, and feel better.
I am grateful that you got your diagnosis at this point in time. When my sister got diagnosed she was not so lucky. She had 6 different cancers one after another. She fought bravely for 7 years...
My son had hepatoblastoma and was given a newer experimental mixture of 5 chemotherapy drugs that increased previous chances of survival from approximately 50/50 to 80/20. Including doxorubicin as you mentioned, along with vincristin, 5fu, cisplatin and the other i cant remember and it was absolutely miserable for sure. So many side effects to the body. But hes 8 years in remission now 😊 so im very happy these drugs exist
I resisted getting tested for BRCA1 for several years because I don't have kids, so no one to pass it onto. I resisted, until they told me that having the gene also indicated a greatly increased risk of ovarian cancer. Yep, got that test then and there. I'm very thankful for all the testing that wasn't available in 1980 when Mom had her cancer. My cancer (2004) was triple negative. Mom's current cancer is estrogen receptor positive which means no surgery, no chemo - just endocrine therapy, which is much easier on an elderly woman. There have also been advances in radiation therapy which can greatly reduce the amount of time involved.
My mother is just going through chemo. I was expecting her to be immediately impacted by the chemo, but (luckily) she took the first course very well. Thank you for the video, it really helped me understand why and when I can expect effects on her body and support her. All the best for you Hank ❤
Hank. You don't know me nor many of your other followers. I guarantee we're all overjoyed at how you are doing sir. You've done so much for us and we appreciate you. Thank you very much and good luck having as comfortable a speedy recovery as possible. Much affection.
He’s already completed his chemo I believe and will be or has started radiation.. at least that’s the way I understood it, it’s actually been a minute since he released the video
I so understand what you are going thru, Hank. I was diagnosed with cancer 2 and a half years ago and had to have rounds of Chemo, Immunotherapy and 9 months of steroids. I was so horribly sick. My oncologist said it was very agressive and I may live 5 years if I’m on and off Chemo and Immunotherapy, but I would probably never go into remission.BUT and its a really big but, my oncologist took really good care of me and I’ve been in remission for a year now!!!! I still have to go for CT scans and MRI’s every 3 months to make sure its still gone, but I’m doing so much better now. Yes, it can and sometimes does mess up other things, but they are things that my Dr. can take care of the symptoms with meds. Keep your head up!!
My dear friend, a jump-ship refugee, got his PhD in organic chem& went on to work for various pharmos to develop chemo therapies that don’t make the patient envy the dead & still have a very high success rate. His explanation of what he & his colleagues on the R&D teams do & have done amazes me. When I was born we didn’t know DNA or RNA. When I was barely a teenager, they figured out DNA but didn’t know how it worked. When I retired, we’d figured out how we were just hairless chimps from DNA sequencing. When my wife came down with COVID, she got an infusion based on RNA research that saved her. My dear friend’s chemo stuff uses the patient’s DNA to tune the meds to attack the cancer. The 21st Century is frightening to some folks. I think it’s damn near magical. You keep on keeping on, amigo. We’ll live this magic together
I am so terribly afraid of cancer. I have lost many loved ones to the illness and it’s a huge nervous obsession. I recently had a scare with a bump on my armpit (luckily nothing major) and panicked so much. Watching you has helped me so much to deal with this fear. I appreciate the amount of professionalism you view this topic with even with how much you deal with behind the scenes right now. You’re helping me to be less afraid by becoming more informed. I appreciate all the work you put into what you do.
@@Cognitoman I’m so sorry that had to be stressful af. For me it was breast and skin cancer cause it runs in the family but I got a chest x ray and it came out fine and I’ve been wearing sunscreen and staying out of the sun so I just gotta hope for the best. I’m glad ur tests turned up negative!
Chemo is a weird thing. One of my relatives got diagnosed in May and he's apparently had the cancer for 4 months before that before the actual confirmation. But he doesn't have any symptoms even now, and all his pain / drowsiness is coming from the chemotherapy itself. It's terminal so it's only postponing something that's too far to be killed off, but I still find it out he's willing to take it if it can only buy him a month or two on a 6 month timetable and he's yet to experience symptoms otherwise.
@@terryarmbruster9719 100% not true. You can choose treatment at any stage. It's only once you go INTO hospice that they no longer deliver curative care and are 100% palliative.
@@jliller that's a very different thing for each person. We all have a different definition of worthwhile life. If the symptoms don't leave you below your threshold, they're probably worth it. Your individual definition could be anything from being able to do a particular sport, to being able to interact with your closest family. If the latter, it may be quite possibly worth it. Or maybe they're hoping to survive for a specific event.
@@terryarmbruster9719Actually that isn't the case. There are often patients where we cannot get a cure, but we can extend life or manage symptoms from their cancer. This is called palliative care because it is about managing symptoms. For example, a large rectal mass could cause issues like a bowel obstruction. We could use chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or surgery to reduce or remove this mass to prevent that. Even if someone is going to die from their cancer, we can still help them to die well.
Thanks, Hank! I'm on cetuximab, and it's been wonderful for me compared to carboplatin, taxol, and experimental drugs which had me miserable for either two or one and a half weeks between treatment. When my oncologist said I would be on cetuximab every 2 weeks, I questioned how, when it would mean I'd still feel ill by the next treatment. Luckily, the drug has not affected my quality of life except for an acne-like rash and dry skin (typical for EGFR - targeting treatment). To resolve it, slather lotion throughout the day and top off with aquaphor. Blessings ❤
My dad was on taxol for his first type of treatment and he tolerated that one pretty well, then they tried immunotherapy and that didn’t give the results they’d hoped for, then they tried votrient which is actually an oral med and it worked great for about 8 months, now he’s back on conventional chemo using genzar and taxotere (a sister drug to taxol but supposed to be a bit harsher) he’s only had week one of the new treatment and it really seems to have knocked him down, I so hope it ends up being easier on him that it seems right now, so glad your newest treatment feels more comfortable for you, that means a lot when dealing with these things
My son was diagnosed with a VERY COMMON and VERY TREATABLE form of cancer at 4yo. Unfortunately he still had to do chemo and it f***ed me up watching him go through that. But he is now 6 almost 7, and, despite being 1 kidney short compared to the average kid, he is no different from any other kid in his 1st grade class, all thanks to chemo. Love you and appreciate you Hank. You have left a positive mark on society and I hope you have another 50 to 80 years left in you to leave more marks.
@@kylerhaged3476 sounds like you haven't kept up with current events. He announced that a few weeks ago that he was having his last chemo session and that his cancer was in remission. Aside from having to go in for checkups to make sure his cancer stays dead, he's pretty much beat it at this point.
As much as I’m glad it’s been doing the trick for me, chemo definitely does suck and I can’t wait to be done with treatment. I really do hope in the future cancer treatments evolve to not make patients’ bodies (and minds) feel absolutely horrid. These new methods they’re researching definitely do look hopeful!
Thank you for showing up today. I know it wasn't easy for you. I know it's hard to get out of bed with what you're going through. I'd never ask you to be here for others while you're going through what you are, but thank you none the less. You are bringing a lot to the world, and every second you're in it is a blessing. ❤
Wonderful to see Hank helping everyone understand science. Is Great seeing Hank doing what he loves, and in this case on a very personal scientific topic. Way to go! We love you Hank, and hope for the best!!! His smiling here was pure sunshine!!
It's so delightful that Hank has found something that brings him so much joy that he wants to share this with us despite literally fighting off cancer rn
My mom went through Chemo and its tribulations(needing blood transfusions bc shes anemic, white blood cell count being too low) and unfortunately she never got to finish. As soon as her cancer was diagnosed it was stage IV. She passed away while I held her hand. I understand chemo is an international recognized standard but there must be more to be done bc the “only” way they could have shrunk the cancer enough to do a hysterectomy was chemo but I’m convinced it actually killed her faster. If I could go back I wish I never chose to start her chemo(I made the decisions for her she had a language barrier)
The same thing happened to my mom. She's had ovarian cancer and her chemo caused pancytopenia (low platelets, red, and white blood cells). She was in the ICU for a week and we eventually had to make a decision to let her pass. She passed while I held her hand. If I could go back, I wish we had never had her go through chemo, or waited until she was stronger physically to withstand chemo.
@@pc8786 My mother’s cancer was so ravenous by the time she was diagnosed it was already stage IV. We were able to get around 3-4 sessions of chemo in before the Oncology dept informed us there was nothing left to do. We switched her over to EOL/Hospice care and one night around 2:30AM she was gone. I was holding her hand as well and my godparents and my girlfriend and my cousin and auntie all prayed and held her as she left. I do regret causing her more harm by doing chemo but I absolutely did everything humanly possible to save my mom with the abilities and skills I had. And at the time all the information the doctors gave me pointed at Chemo as the only way to extend her lifespan, but even then I knew the likelihood of her even living another five years was minimal. I’m proud to say I could be there for my mom one final time. But I’ve been through a lot of grief induced depressive episodes where I’ve nearly killed myself over how much I miss my mom. I often also wonder maybe if we waited maybe if we did something different I could’ve saved her. I sincerely hope you aren’t tearing yourself up too much. We’re not doctors, just children trying to save our mothers and we both did everything in our power to help the person who birthed us. I’ve recently found myself in a headspace where I’m at peace with the outcome, I still cry here and there but I no longer look at the situation with dread and misery. But I try to remember the gentle, kind, compassionate woman who I called mom and I always try to live my life in a way she can proud of when she looks down at me. I hope you can reach a similar place🤍🙏🏽
Got diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer the same day you announced you have cancer. Finishing my first week of chemo today. It absolutely sucks, but it sucks less than cancer.
My partner was diagnosed with a brain tumor around the same time you shared your diagnosis and your videos were very helpful with processing everything. His surgery went so well and targeted therapies for his specific type of glioma are looking so promising that the doctors recommended holding off on chemo or radiation until the new one is approved for use.
I gotta shout out to Dr. Quintana and staff at UNM hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You all were kind, understanding, and sincere. The little jokes, concerns, simple conversation you each reached out or shared, were to me, stronger than the chemo, ( thanks to you folks too..). 2019 was a bad year for me, but you all made a scary thing, a good memory.😊😊😊😊
I’m happy you’re still here, I’ve been watching your videos since I was in grade school, and I had such a hard time learning with my undiagnosed ADHD, but when I watched your videos everything made more sense & I found my love for learning again. Now I’m almost 30 watching educational videos for fun all the time ❤
Brain cancer here. I had a first surgery, but then contracted bacterial meningitis which delayed further treatment so it regrew within a couple months. Once the infection cleared I did 12 rounds of oral chemotherapy 1 week on 3 weeks off. This was accompanied by 46 treatments of radiation. Tough road but i got my 10 year clearance in 2018
Hank, your energy and enthusiasm to share all the complex, nerdy and cool sciency things continues to amaze me. I love that this channel exists, even if I can only understand about a third of what y'all are talking about. It's still awesome. Glad you're around and that the chemo treatment has been successful. Onward!
Thank you so much, Hank, for continuing to teach the world. I personally understand how challenging cancer treatment can be so you should remember every day that your effort is astoundingly admirable. Humanity is better because of your voice. I look forward to hearing more about your recovery 💚
Once again, you are teaching me. I went to college as an adult. Almost all of my courses required SciShow. Now, my children have SciShow for their classes. Thank you for everything.
I didn't know you had got sick Hank, I was shocked to find out, but relieved that you are doing so well. You remain an inspiration to me, and now also on another level. The inspiration was academic in the past but now it is personal.
Thank you for making this video! My mom got diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time as you, and your videos/story have really helped reassure my family! Her removal surgery was last Wednesday, and we don't know if she will be needing chemo, and she has been worrying herself sick about it! I am excited to show her this and hopefully reassure her! Your work is really making a difference by making this journey less scary with knowledge, facts and charm! I hope your own journey is going well and that you feel better soon, thank you @SciShow team
I work for a firm that makes the personalized T cell treatment, and the stories of people that have used the therapy with very late stage cancer are so amazing. Hoping personalized treatments of all kinds get better and more accessible in the coming years 😊
What an amazing episode! I'm hungry for this kind of knowledge about how medicine works and how our bodies work. So amazing and meaningful that Hank narrated this one. Hugs for Hank!!!
Cancer treatment is one of those huge developments many of us are getting to watch in real time. Last week I bumped into my neighbour - who has a cancer with a 20% 1year survival rate. She's feeling much better, & her oncologist seems optimistic. When I was in school, breast cancer was a death sentence. The progress has been awesome
And thanks to cancer research, autoimmune diseases have treatments. Methotrexate and Rituxan were created to and still are used to treat blood cancers. However, Rituxan in particular induced my remission and is still going strong. I’ve been off therapy for three years. Thanks Hank!
I can't imagine a RU-vid without seeing you once or twice a day (or hearing, on the microcosmos channel). Sending you the best of vibes, stay strong Hank.
I really hope you make it through bro! both my older brother and younger sister are cancer survivors. and it really means a lot to me that you've been so proactive in education on this subject.!!! (grown ass 40 year old man tearing up as i type this) THANK YOU!!!!
Hank it’s great to see that doing so well; and you’re right chemo sucks so bigly. I had stage 4 neck cancer 22+ years ago and chemo was one of my treatments. I remember the bags of chemo being hung by a nurse completely covered including a face mask and she explained because it was so poisonous… Keep it up! You look and sound great.
Hank, cannot say it enough but we are all so thankful for your continued efforts on education, while dealing with cancer and chemo yourself. You are doing something fee do but i also believe that doing everything you can, as you can, to lead a normal life is good for besting cancer and allowing your body to fight it.
Thank you for sharing this very, very personal SciShow with us all Hank. Also - Great Hat! It matches well with the shirt you chose and still draws our attention to that joy-filled science smile. Glad the majority of your treatment is complete and here is looking at 5 years of full remission ahead!
I watched your crash course videos on school, I didn't know about your cancer, I'm glad to know your ok and thank you for sharing this information it brings hopes up that in my life time we will find better treatments for cancer!
