This message was self-deleted by its author

[darkangel218]

This message was self-deleted by its author (darkangel218) on Thu Jan 7, 2016, 10:31 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[MineralMan]

1. With over 7 Billion people on this planet,

coincidences happen. Apply Occam's Razor.

[darkangel218]

2. Your theory could be right.

So can the opposite.

[MineralMan]

7. Well, the thing is that there has been a lot of research

on various forms of cancer. While some may be caused by viruses, there is no evidence of transmissability in situations like you described. Environmental causes, however, could be something both persons had in common. Bottom line is that there's no way for us to tell, and it's pointless to speculate.

[darkangel218]

15. Pointless to speculate.

Not necessarily. If we don't inquire, we will never find the truth.

Albeit, we are not cancer reserchers.

[MineralMan]

21. Yes. Pointless. As you say, we are not cancer

researchers, and the story you related is of people you do not even know, nor have ever seen. Speculation is truly pointless in such instances. Useless, in fact.

Since we are not cancer researchers, the probabilities that we will discover some amazing thing about cancer are minuscule and approach zero by several orders of magnitude.

Idle speculation about something that is perhaps the most heavily researched aspect of medicine seems a waste of time to me.

[Politicalboi]

3. I don't see why it wouldn't be transmissible

Doctors ask about family cancers.

[NoOneMan]

5. Doctors ask to determine genetic risk factors

Though, there are certain cancers that are viral in origin

[darkangel218]

13. Yes, there are.

There is even a theory that most of the cancers are caused by viruses.
They took the stats for commercial pilots who regularly fly on high altitude. Most of them do not develope cancers as their age/sex group normally does. Its believed the radiation they are exposed to on daily basis kills the cancer causing viruses.
They do however have a higher rate of developing melanoma.

[darkangel218]

9. Thats genetical predisposition.

Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, I doubt the lil girl had breast cancer.

However, since cancer cells spread within the patients body and take over tissues and organs, who is to say they couldnt invade another person's organism, if contact was made?

It would be horible if that was the case.

[NickB79]

12. Basic immunology says they couldn't invade

The same reason transplant patients need to take anti-rejection medication is why cancer can't invade another person's body. The immune system would identify it as an invading disease and kill it.

The only way something like that could even remotely happen is if the other person already had a completely destroyed immune system.

[kestrel91316]

19. Relax. That's medically impossible.

[darkangel218]

22. Papilloma virus is very common.

What if there are other types of cancer causing viruses we don't know yet about?

[kestrel91316]

31. I am aware of that. There are many viruses in the animal kingdom that can cause cancer.

But cancer ITSELF is not a transmissible disease. There is a difference in the two concepts, though I can understand how someone without a medical background might not understand it.

My nephew is studying epidemiology and it takes people like him looking at lots and lots of statistics to unearth ANYTHING that causes cancer. In time, they might find more human viruses that cause cancer (we already have HPV and Epstein-Barr virus that cause oral-genital cancer and Burkitt's lymphoma respectively). More could evolve over time. Such is life.

[darkangel218]

33. I have a medical background actually.

I can understand the difference between a virus and the changes and ultimately malignancy it can lead to.
Gah...

[kestrel91316]

38. Most DUers don't, and I never assume they do.

[NickB79]

11. Family cancers are transmitted genetically, though

The OP seems to be asking if cancer could be passed like a cold or other disease, from personal contact.

You don't hear people discussing how a mom and her child both have sickle-cell anemia and asking if sickle-cell could be transmissible like the flu.

[NoOneMan]

4. It could be they were both experiencing the same environmental triggers/causes

[AngryAmish]

18. Nice sharpshootin', Tex.

[elleng]

6. Genetically (and environmentally) transmissible,

timing of occurrence coincidental. IMO.

[MineralMan]

8. Were they identical types of cancer?

Not enough information, really. Adults and children tend to have different types of cancer, so it's likely that there is no causal connection. Get more information.

[darkangel218]

10. Not in this case, no.

I was just making a parallel with previously reported cases.

[MineralMan]

14. Then it's highly unlikely that there was any sort of transmission.

Case solved.

[MineralMan]

23. I am done here with this topic.

I mean, there is a Royal Birth on the horizon. Time to move on to important issues like that one, I think.

[Kali]

24. because he has a functioning brain

[darkangel218]

27. Oh, hi Kali! how are you feeling today?

[darkangel218]

29. I was wondering where you were..

[kestrel91316]

16. IIRC, most cancer is attributable to lifestyle/exposure to toxins/diet.

Transmissible cancer RISK is seen with human papilloma virus and cytomegalovirus (which causes Burkitt's lymphoma in African children). In cats, we have Feline Leukemia Virus, which is responsible for a wide variety of cancers in cats. Cattle and chickens have their own versions of leukemia virus.

But no, it's safe to say that most cancer is in no way contagious. It would help to know the facts in this case, specifically what the exact diagnosis was in each case. And no, "cancer" is not a diagnosis. It is always prefaced by the organ or tissue it originated in.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. Cancer isn't a single disease; it's a type of disease

with many manifestations and many causes. In some cases there is a genetic predisposition; some cancers are caused by environmental conditions; some causes are unknown. Just because two people in the same household get cancer doesn't mean that one "caught" it from the other unless it is established that it is (1) the same kind of cancer, and (2) that environmental or other causes are ruled out, and (3) there is evidence of some kind of vector (e.g., a virus).

[Silent3]

25. I blame aliens

Isn't it always?

[darkangel218]

26. THATS IT!!,

[mzmolly]

28. Environmental

perhaps?

[darkangel218]

30. Could be.

Very high possibility actually.

[Kali]

32. um, don't you have to take some basic biology for nursing school?

or was that just another bullshit story?

[darkangel218]

34. I told you before, your personal attacks only reflect on what kind of person you are.

Have a nice day.

[darkangel218]

35. From NPR

According to the latest data from the Center for Disease Control and the American Cancer Society, more than ten million Americans are living with some form of cancer. And while there are new drugs and treatments constantly being tested, some with good rates of success, cancer is still largely an enigma. Who gets it, and why? Those of us who are cancer-free take quiet solace, perhaps, in the assumption that cancer is not contagious. But is that really true?

Scientists studying cancer in two very different animal species, Tasmanian devils and dogs say they found evidence that some cancer cells are being passed between animals through physical contact, like sex or biting. If they're right, this means the cancer is literally jumping from one animal to the other, much like a parasite. Now, important note, we're talking about animals here, not humans, but it does raise some concerns about how cancer is evolving.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88131574

[MineralMan]

36. Well, I will certainly be cautious around any Tasmanian Devils

I encounter, that's for sure.

[darkangel218]

37. You said you were done with this thread

Lmao!!

[MineralMan]

39. I see. Please proceed.

[darkangel218]

40. Nope, you do.

On ignore.

Between you and Kali I have my hands full.

[MineralMan]

41. OK. But think what you'll miss.

[srican69]

42. If there are free radicals in the blood - theoretically you could transmit a cancer causing agent

but I guess the probability would be really small ...

[darkangel218]

43. Back in the 80s, the reserchers could have sworn

That mad cow disease can not jump species. Look how wrong they were.
Or even more recently, with the H7N9 virus. It turns out it does spread from person to person afterall.

[LeftishBrit]

44. You can't catch cancer, no.

There could be a genetic factor here; or they could both have been exposed to the same environmental factor such as a pollutant. Or both.

[darkangel218]

45. "You cant catch cancer" is what we know at this time.

There is a possibility it might not be completely accurate.
Time shall prove, one way or the other. I posted the OP just as food for thought.