Thanks for this! My mother was diagnosed with Stage IV Type-A lung cancer a little over a month ago. She started chemotherapy a couple of weeks ago, so this information is very relevant to me and definitely simplifies the concept enough for me to adequately understand it.
I'm sorry to hear about your mother, I hope she responds well to the treatments and gets rid of that nasty cancer. I also want to say that your response to the video is exactly what my goal was for this channel. Helping people understand things even just a little bit better so they're less uncomfortable and little more confident in how things work. Knowledge is power. I hope your mother beats her cancer. Excelsior!
My old school friend didn't survive the blood cancer despite hard battle....he was just 17....10 years of togetherness...may God give his soul eternal peace.
I remember in the h3 podcast in where totalbiscuit (may the emperor bless his soul) said that chemo was basically about hoping that you kill the cancer faster than you kill the patient. Those words have stuck with me for a long time.
Our doctor also told us that the chemo drugs, in addition to directly destroying cancer cells as you mentioned, "mark" them in some way for radiation to target and destroy them. Interesting stuff!
Do you still learn about the cell cycle in high school? That’s extremely relevant to how chemotherapy works. Certain chemo drugs target different parts of the cell cycle. So, in a way, you do kinda learn some of the basics.
You never fail to amaze me with your videos, keep up the good work! Also please consider using a gray backdrop since white can feel like too much sometimes
My buddy friend who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in year of 2020. I am so worried and nervous about my best buddy friend because my grandfather passed away from esophagus cancer on October 30,2018.
Jesus the older I get the better a gun looks I can’t imagine going through chemotherapy it’s aweful my moms best friend of 15 years our neighbor just passed and this is really hitting home 😢
P.S Lysosomes are organelles which contain cell digesting enzymes.If cell is not working well,they burst and digest the cell.Therefore the Cell commits suicide....
2:49 - Thank you for explaining this. Also, not mentioned here, it's not just vomiting that can occur. It's unfair that I went into this without any warning that chemo can also cause GI tract issues down on the other end. Although, I think the most common side effect I get is tired. I was told a few months ago at the local cancer center than by 2025, most chemo will be oral.
I was told when I was in middle school things were going to be flying out all ends until I got adjusted or if i ever got adjusted by doctors and the people that were going to stab me when I was at the clinic. I had an I think an LGL leukemia. You might've had something else. I thought they left out a lot, that's why I mentioned the radiation part. I didn't notice they left out the GI stuff. Did they add all the emotional stuff that sometimes happens too?
@@jakeg3126 I think maybe different types of chemo do different things(?). The emotional stuff is probably due to the illness and feeling sick or being afraid than the actual chemo itself. Sorry to hear you had to deal with it so young! That would be awful. I hope you feel better now.
@@maxcovfefe Thanks, I didn't think of age. I'm sorry you, or anyone has to go through that. I would assume different drugs to different things, but I think i know what you mean by I'm guessing side effects and what each poison(drug) does what effect. It's like concentration camp bad for some people, you probably saw them, but people hives all over the body, any symptoms/rashes are worse on someone else. I have to say though I was lucky I cancer and went through chemo when I was young, because as a kid I was somewhat clueless to how dangerous it was, what was going on, and the like 100+ things that could or might happen. Also, it was pre- everyone googles everything just to see stuff that can/probably will happen. Good being clueless.
@@jakeg3126 LOL, you reminded me of the Google lesson I learned very early in my diagnosis. (It's not that Google is wrong; it's that Google is too right, and I was wrong. They thought my cancer had moved to my liver, so I looked it up and got all sorts of scared only to find out it wasn't in my liver; it had spread to my lungs instead. I unnecessarily put myself through that crap TWICE!) Now I let the docs tell me what's up BEFORE Googling anything. YES, I think age is a huge factor. I feel so badly for cancer kids. It sucks as an adult, but at least I under5stand all the poking and prodding. As a kid, I think it woulda been scarier, but the way you put it actually made me feel better even as a grownup. Not thinking about the risks is what got me through a lot of it. Being clueless for the win!
@@maxcovfefe yea, No one was really complaining it was watching the small tv, for your chair, maybe a movie, but mainly play with the brand-new PlayStation 2 that some people didn't even have at home. Not the old crabby ladies bitching and moaning about everything, and everyone being impatient. I'm 32 and I know I'm a worse patient.
I've been on chemo for nearly 2 years, but it's not like yours. Mine is a more gentle kind, I think because it hasn't been "hell" so far, thank goodness! Nevertheless, I know I'm fortunate, and I'm aware that others may be on way more toxic types of chemo than me. I hope it's helping you the way mine has helped me! I wish you all the best!!!
I have heard from one woman who knew a female cancer patient in chemotherapy, particularly intereinteresting thing she said was that the woman carried a bottle of frozen water with her and as the water melted during her chemo she drank it and this is how she saved her hair from falling of. Is there any science in this?
Cooling will cause the blood vessels to narrow, which results in less chemotherapy reaching the hair follicle save her hair from falling out however medical professionals use a specific cooling device that sits on your scalp specifically targeting your hair follicles during chemotherapy. Just drinking ice cold water alone will do very little to nothing as the water you drank goes directly to your stomach and digestive system not the scalp thus it wouldn't have any noticeable impact in preventing the chemo drug from specifically reaching the follicles in your scalp.
Questions for Science It is grueling! But I got through the first year and have a small summer break now :) I think my brain tripled in size 😂 So thoughtful of you to check in!!!! Hope you are well!
My son is now facing eye cancer in hospital now providing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, please some of know how I can cured or any trick for make him immune system fight for side effects let know 😢😢
So here's the question for you, if you were diagnosed with a quick growing cancer would you get chemotherapy? I looked into this 6 years ago after my father was diagnosed and shortly thereafter died from pancreatic cancer. Most of the information I found pointed to chemo not being a good idea for cancer since the statistics for a "successful" treatment ended shortly after chemo and there was a high mortality rate several years later. I read that even if the cancer is gone and then comes back that chemo was considered successful. I understand there are many many variables here, but I guess I'm just looking for your personal opinion on cancer if you were diagnosed
It always depends on the type of cancer and the type of chemo. There are lots of different kinds of chemotherapeutic drugs. The one I take is daily (3 weeks on, 1 week off to recover lost t-cells and white blood cells, blood work is done to confirm cell counts, then repeat), and my chemo is 100% oral. Local pharmacies don't carry it, so my oncologist orders it shipped from a specialty oncology pharmacy from out of state, and it comes right to my house. The rumor at our local cancer center is "most chemo will be oral by 2025." Each year more new research adds to the mounting number of cures they're finding for cancers if caught early enough. My own cancer IS CURABLE, but not for me - if only I'd been less stubborn and just had it checked out sooner. (Cancer doesn't hurt. If it hurts, you might've waited too long, which is another factor in your question! I put up with really minor, easily ignored pain in my side for over a year before having it checked.) Mine was stage 4 when they found it, and it's slow-growing (Grade 2). I feel fine BECAUSE OF my chemotherapy; it hasn't made me sick, but it shrank my tumors FAST! (Within weeks me and my oncologist could no longer feel my main tumor just with our hands like it kinda was before! Within months, the scans show such TINY tumors that you need a medical degree just to see them!) It's been almost 2 years on the chemo, and I still feel mostly healthy, and I still have hair! Toward the 3rd week of each round I get kinda tired, but that's mainly the most common side effect I've encountered. I don't share this to get sympathy! Like I said, I feel great! But I share it as word to the wise for people like me who might be too stubborn to actually get checked out. That and DON'T freak out if you ever hear the C-word. HEAR out all the options BEFORE you let your imagination run wild! Chances are fairly good that you may hear about recent developments for that disease. That said, ultimately I hop[e you don't have to deal with it at all anymore. Sounds like you've already endured enough cancer in your lifetime. Sorry about your dad!!
@@maxcovfefe this is actually great news to hear and an encouraging story! The great news being the new medical approach and research towards cancer of course. Thank you for sharing, have you considered promoting your story on a bigger platform? Many people especially here in the US with the healthcare system we have will not go to the doctor unless it's severe, me included. Hearing this type of a story definitely inspires others to take better care of themselves and simply get things checked out. I'm sorry to hear you've got cancer, I truly hope your quality of life continues being great for as many years as possible.
@@joelmcgee2280 Thanks! I'm glad if it helps you feel more hopeful about the advancements they've made and will keep making. I considered filming the diagnostic process, but Covid, so it didn't seem like the right time because they were limiting appointments, guests, and general exposure at the cancer center. Covid has created a lot of change in oncology, but they're still managing to keep most of us healthy.
The drugs don't recognize DNA damage, they cause it. I think you may be asking, how do the drugs recognize the specific DNA in a cancer cell, and not just any regular cell. Well it's important to note that mitosis plays a huge role in drug induced DNA damaged. When cells aren't in mitosis, the DNA is tightly wound around proteins called histones, much like a spool of yarn. When DNA is wrapped up like this its difficult for the drugs to interact with it. When cells enter into mitosis, the DNA unwinds, also like unwinding a spool of yarn. The unwound DNA is easier for the chemo drugs to access, and so they do. Hope this helps
Speaking strictly on mitotic inhibitors (not sure about other chemo drugs), the enzymes that are inhibited are present, because again, the cells are in mitosis. Theoretically, if you treat a cell with a mitotic inhibitor drug that will inhibit mitotic enzymes and the cell is NOT in mitosis, the cell would be unaffected, because the enzymes aren't present and can't be inhibited. Remember, cancer cells are higher in probability of being in mitosis, and therefore are more likely to be targeted. Think of it like this: You have two garbage shoots in which you throw out scrap metal. On any other day, you throw the scrap metal down the shoot and it goes into the garbage. The metal is going through the shoot without any different effect. Then one day, you line the shoot with magnets. Now when you throw the scrap metal down the shoot, it's attracted to the magnets and stays in the shoot. This is because the conditions of the shoot permitted the scrap metal to behave differently. It's the same with mitotic inhibitors. Mitotic inhibitors passed through a cell with no mitotic enzymes simply pass through without effecting anything or being effected. Now you have a cell in mitosis with the enzymes present (think of the magnets in the shoot), now the mitotic drugs are going to interact with the enzymes because they're present. Hope this helps!
Wait I'm perplexed so if the cancer drug is slowing or stopping the cell cycle to prompt apoptosis why would the cell even care if it's a tumor suppressor gene that's busted and that was the gene responsible for telling the cell to undergo apoptosis would the cell not just kind of float around in a suspended state with no working genes to tell it to die or alternatively couldn't it just not care and keep cranking out janky DNA it seems like this type of process could be more damaging to cells that have functioning apoptosis pathways rather than cancer cells
Chemo patient here... Good question! The answer is YES, my hair and fingernails/toenails, for example, are still growing even after being on chemo for 2 years.
No, not that I know of. My cancer is Stage 4, and I've been on chemotherapy for 2 years. That's not gonna change unless it quits working, and if/when that happens my oncology crew has more ideas. Also, certain kinds of breast cancer can be managed for years, even decades for some people. It just depends what kind and how aggressive it is. I wish you all the best! Take care.
Working on it. Sorry to be delaying all the old videos. At any one instant I'm writing, recording, or editing 2-3 videos a week. Thank you, It'll be out
Never heard of it. I'll look into it, I can't promise I'll get to it soon or even the next few months as I'm way backed up editing old content and producing new as well. Thanks for the suggestion
I've done quite a lot of reading since my diagnosis, and I have yet to read any credible source claiming that there's any kind of diet or exercise that will prevent or cure cancer with any measurable efficacy. Be careful what you advise. I think diet and exercise have a HUGE part in prevention and recovery, but these aren't foolproof, and they alone aren't enough to take out cancer.
@@maxcovfefe All the studies which exist have proven that it simply does not work. Chemo actually causes cancer. It doesn't cure it. Chemo cannot distinguish between healthy cells and cancer cells. The rate at which it destroys healthy cells is the same rate at which it could target any cancer cell. If you're on it, you'll only get weaker and weaker, until eventually meeting your maker. I do not wish that for you. It would be great, if at the very least, you researched the true history of cancer "treatment". Also while you're at it, look up the history of AIDS. There is a documentary called House of Numbers. You will learn a lot. AIDS and cancer "treatment" are strongly connected. Watch House of Numbers. You will be stunned to learn the truth.
@@maxcovfefe My father was a medical scientist, and I myself have in-depth knowledge on this subject matter. In fact, more than you do. I am aware of what is being taught, as well as what happens in the real world. But it's not in my best interest whether you watch the film or not. It might only have been in yours. I cannot beg you, nor will I attempt to convince you. Take care, and be safe.
@@mikep11218 I deleted my other comments in this conversation. After what I told you, you ignored everything I said and replied to me with this HOAX stuff?? Are you even a human being? I'm beyond insulted. Anyway, I reported that RU-vid video for disinformation (at least one good thing came of this), and I don't think I want to continue any conversation with you or anyone who'd treat me with such disdain without provocation. I was just trying to be nice.
As far as I know, chemotherapy isn't a cure by itself. It may be part of a cure, but mostly it's just a treatment to keep cancer patients alive. The chemotherapy I'm on is fairly gentle, it's oral, and I still have hair even after taking it for almost 2 yrs.
