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Hi, I have been having issues with stomach pains for over a year know. Had a colonscopy. Endoscopy. Capsule endosocpy ultrasounds ct scans. Only thing found was gastritis. My dad had pa creation cancer in 2015 and my pain is on a daily basis with fatigue. I am really scared that something was missed but I feel like my doctor is not listening to my co concerns I have 2 small kids and I fear it might be cancer but feel like I am not been taken seriously.

Hiya, just writing in terms of getting referred to a clinic. I seen a few posts regarding urgent referrals and non urgent. Would nipples pulling inwards, and aches/pains (no lump) be in the lesser urgent category? Also if you go to your GP and they don’t feel a lump are you still able to request to be referred? Are they able to deny you is what I mean I guess or can you push to be? I only ask this because I know my GP would be inclined to brush it off as nothing and quite frankly I’d trust the nurses here a lot more than in my loca practice. Thanks.

Hello all, I am Aayushee, I am currently living in cork to support my sister on her cancer journey. We are originally from India. I have a doubt, my sister was admitted in mercy university hospital cork for 26 days as she developed an infection in surgical site post surgery, we haven’t received any discharge/ treatment summary containing the details of her treatment during that duration. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy and we would need the same details when she is done with her treatment as this would be helpful in taking it back to India for second opinions from doctors. How can I get these? We had reached out to FOI for scan reports and have received them, but I am still not clear about these treatment summary details.

Hi, I had a mammogram last Tuesday, was called back in less than a week later, had another mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. I've got an appointment with consultant in 11 more days to "discuss where we go from here". 11 more days is a long time wondering and waiting. It sounds to me like the doctors know something, could this be the case ? And they are just waiting for the biopsy to confirm? I was told to bring someone with me on the 15th when they called with the appointment. Every day feels like forever while I'm waiting. Is it normal practice to be told to bring someone with you?

Hi,I just had lumpactomy done on Tuesday and yesterday I realized that I have some sort of a rash on my chest till under my bra line. It is not particularly itchy only where the bra's non cotton part touches it. Should I be worried? Thanks in advance

Hi, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in Aug 23. I had lumpectomy and my onco test was low so no chemo. I started tamoxifen and was referred for radiation, the breast are nurse said there is a 12 week window where you should start after surgery but the hospital have said I could be waiting another 4 weeks for the mapping then another 4/6 weeks to start, so I am getting worried now. Any advice would be appreciated.

Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer October 13th 2023 is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Metastatic breast cancer is when breast cancer cells have spread to another part of your body. This is also described as advanced breast cancer, secondary breast cancer or stage 4 breast cancer. With long term treatment many people with metastatic breast cancer will have a good quality of life while continuing treatment for many years. Even though your cancer cannot be cured treatments may be offered to prevent the cancer from worsening. Living with a long-term disease and treatment can be challenging at times. Each person will have different needs and challenges. It is important for people to be aware of how their cancer is impacting them and seek support when needed. It can be helpful to spend a little extra time looking after yourself. Eating well and trying to maintain a healthy weight can help you feel better. When you feel able, a balanced diet including a variety of food to provide nutrients is best. A balanced diet can improve your energy and strength, can help you tolerate the dose of some drugs given, and can help people cope better with the side effects of treatment. Our Diet and Cancer book offers more helpful information: Understanding Series (cancer.ie). Exercise offers many physical benefits such as increased energy levels and improved fitness. Regular light exercise can also help manage side effects of cancer treatment such as fatigue, pain, nausea, anxiety and stress. As the impact of metastatic breast cancer can be different for each person, the types of exercise and the frequency may differ. Chat to your team about what may be best suited for you. A metastatic breast cancer diagnosis can impact us emotionally. Some find that talking with family and friends about their emotions can be helpful. Others may find that talking with someone such as a health professional or a trained counsellor may help. You can speak with one of the cancer nurses on our Support Line at any stage. We can also refer you to our counselling service if you would like to speak with a counsellor. If you would like to speak to a cancer nurse or to get advice or support you can call our Support Line on 1800 200 700, Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm.

We here at the Irish Cancer Society would encourage everyone to talk to their Doctor, Dentist or Pharmacist about any unexplained concern they may have noticed in their mouth or surrounding area. A symptom may be a sore, ulcer or lump in their mouth. It could be a sore throat or a neck lump. Another symptom to be aware of is red or white patches in your mouth, or if you have an unexplained pain in your mouth. If any of these symptoms are there for longer than 3 weeks, we would advise you to get them checked out. Of course, many of these symptoms can be explained and cancer of the mouth is not common. However, we want to make everyone aware of symptoms and to encourage anyone who has noticed a ‘change’ in their mouth to get it checked out. Picking up a cancer in the mouth or the surrounding area early will make a significant difference to the success of the treatment and the person’s quality of life after treatment. Those who have a medical card or have paid enough PRSI contributions are entitled to a free dental examination each year. Unfortunately, if you have neither there will be a charge to see your dentist. If you would like to speak to a cancer nurse about any changes you have noticed or any other concerns, you may have you can phone us on 1800 200 700. We are here Mon-Fri 9-5pm and would very much like to support you through your worries. I do hope we will hear from you. Kind regards Cancer Nurse    

Hi! I hope you might be able to help :) BACKGROUND My Dad is 67, and has been receiving treatment for Small Cell Lung Cancer for 4.5 years. Most recent was radium for a small spot in his head. Besides that his scans have been coming back clear. He has been deteriorating over the last year (severe muscle loss) and the decline has accelerated in the last 2 months where he has lost complete use of one leg, and second leg is not far behind. We hoped that the spot in his head was the cause but there has only been a decline since treatment. Our Oncologist suspects an auto-immune issue but we don't know for sure. He has spent 7 weeks in hospital and now is being moved to pallative care in the hopes he can rebuild muscle there. QUESTION I have heard about LEMS and I was hoping that this could be explored as a potential cause of my Dad's muscle loss. What would be the best way to broach this with the hospital team? Might you be aware of any teams or patients in Ireland that have had experience with LEMS? Many thanks, Andrea

Blood Cancer Awareness Day Blood cancers represent almost one in ten cancer cases, with more than 2,000 people across Ireland diagnosed every year. Where does blood cancer start? Inside the centre of our bones, we have a spongy material called bone marrow. Bone marrow makes stem cells, and these stem cells make all our different blood cells. If this process goes wrong, it can cause abnormal blood cells to grow. This may then cause a blood cancer. The different Blood cells include: Red blood cells – carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our bodies. White blood cells - fight infection. Platelets – help our blood clot when we get injured. Plasma - plasma cells make antibodies, to help fight infection and are a type of white blood cell. When one of these blood cells become abnormal it can cause a blood cancer - Leukaemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma, and/or MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome). Common Blood Cancer Symptoms Blood Cancer symptoms can vary depending on the type of blood cancer and some people may not have any symptoms. Common blood cancer symptoms include: Persistent Tiredness – may be caused due to not enough red blood cells (anaemia). Looking Pale – due to not enough red blood cells (anaemia). Shortness of breath - may be due to not enough red blood cells. Fever or chills/ frequent infections – may be due to not enough white blood cells to fight infections. Unexplained bruising, bleeding, or rash – this may be due to not enough platelets. Swollen, painless lump in the neck, armpits, or groin - possible cause is a build-up of abnormal cells in lymph glands. Coughing or chest pain - possible cause is a buildup of abnormal blood cells in your spleen. Loss of appetite or feeling sick - possible cause is a buildup of abnormal blood cells in your spleen that presses on your stomach. Night sweats - causes remain unknown. Back, Bone and/or Joint Pain/ Fractures - possible cause is pressure on the spine, or nerve problems causing weakness or numbness in your legs - possible cause increased number of abnormal cells in the bone marrow. If you have symptoms that cannot be explained and are persistent, you should make an appointment with your GP - it is unlikely to be anything serious but it is important to get checked out.   For more details, advice and or support call our Support Line on 1800 200 700.   See our booklets Understanding Multiple Myeloma, Understanding Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, Understanding Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Understanding Myelodysplastic syndrome and many more.