Annual Physical Check up and Cancer..A question everyone should consider... - Cancer Message Board

John_33 · 07-25-2006, 06:57 PM

I have a question which really causes me immense fear....

We all know that one should get a check up every year....but what are the chances of developing cancer or any other disease shortly after receiving a clean bill of health from your physician?

My worst case scenario is...You go to the doctor...Get the blood tests and physical...you are told that you are physically fit...and a few weeks later you get cancer...what is the possibility of this happening?

I had my physical 6 months ago...What are the chances that I could have developed a disease in that time frame?

Then shouldnt we be getting a check up every month then?

mikosha · 07-25-2006, 07:04 PM

Some cancers can develop for a few days.Ex, some kind of leucocyte cancers.Doesn't matter.You can check yourself every month.Just relax, live your life.
mikosha

DJW · 07-25-2006, 07:35 PM

It's funny that you should mention this...

I went for my annual check up last Fall and was given a clean bill of health. However, during that check up I showed my doctor a painful boil I had on my upper thigh. She prescribed antibiotics and the boil went away. But - because my insurance only paid for an annual pap-smear no less than 365 days apart from the last one - I had to reschedule my pap and come back in to see her a month after my annual check up. It was then that she noticed that my lymph nodes near the boil area were still swollen. That's when she decided to scan them with ultra sound and a CT and eventually have one biopsied months later.

The biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma. This is a fairly slow growing cancer - but almost any cancer can turn aggressive at some point...

I will have surgery to remove the cancer before my next annual check up..

shnswms · 07-25-2006, 09:08 PM

Let me give you some advice. You can't spend every day of your life worrying about what ifs. All you can do is live your life and take things as they come. You can be proactive and get your yearly physicals and the appropriate tests done once you reach certain ages like colonscopies, prostate exams, mammograms, etc. I read a recent study that said stress was thought to bring on cancer in some cases. I used to have a terrible terrible fear of cancer just like you. I made up every possible symptom in my mind and was sure I had every type of cancer at different periods of my life. You know what I ended up with? A lot of medical bills. All the tests clear. And I'm still here today. I had to learn to control my anxiety. Your mind can do horrible things to your body. Good luck and go have some fun!

DJW · 07-25-2006, 09:50 PM

shnswms,
I completely agree with your post!

And even now - after my diagnosis - I can't worry about future cancers!
I just will not allow it! Stress is indeed the cause of many illness and too much is concentrated in the news these days on blame and behavior and lifestyles and diet...etc... It's no wonder the people of this country are so sick! We are condtioned to be stressed out about everything!

I'm learning that ignorance is bliss and the more you know - the more you stress and the more you stress - the more you are likely to get ill.
We all have cancer cells in our bodies - our bodies are designed to kill them and they do! If you get cancer - just "know" that you'll get rid of it and believe it. then relax.