Fashion

[KonaKat]

Lisa Mason posted this message on Facebook this evening (October 1), which has important info:

Friends. A confession. Gino almost died on August 14th. I got him to the hospital just in time. It seems that My Beloved has something known as DPD deficiency. A "silent" genetic mutation found in approximately 26 million Americans. Harmless unless the person is diagnosed with cancer and is given the chemotherapy drugs 5FU or Xeloda. Although the drug manufacturers disclose it, oncologists are not required to disclose the FDA Black Box warning. In essence, if a person is DPD ...deficient, his/her body cannot eliminate the chemotherapy. It just stays in the body and burns it from the inside out. Often times, it is fatal. I am beginning a grass roots campaign called "Rare, but there." Please, please if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with breast cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, esophageal cancer, head and neck cancer or ovarian cancer, I BEG you .... Google search "DPD deficiency and 5FU" or "DPD deficiency and Xeloda." I also beg you to share or post this everywhere you can. If you are on QVC's or HSN's chat rooms, please post. If you are on a cancer forum, please post! I shutter to think of the lives lost needlessly because patients/caregivers didn't know about DPD deficiency. If you want to join me on this campaign, I welcome it. God bless you! Please share this!!!!

[Bird mama]

Jean, thanks for sharing. I'm gonna write this down.

[Sunnycorle]

Thanks for posting for LIsa and all of us.  Bless her and her family. 

[LTT1]

@KonaKat  Thank you for this information... I shared it on my FB timeline for all to see...

[ladyroxanne]

prayers for lisa and gino.  thank you for posting this info too.  good to know.

[Newgate]

Wrote it all down and will pass on to friends and family!

Thank you!

[Chrystaltree2]

Google yourselves silly but it won't help anyone at all unless they've had the required genetic testing done and they know  they know that they have this deficiency.  Even then it only applies if they have a specific form of cancer and are receiving a specific form of chemo.  I know Lisa was terrifed and she means well but information like this only serves to scare people who are already scared enough.  I'm not a fan of scare mongering..... 

[Mama Mia]

Lisa mentioned all these things and also twenty six million Americans have this deficiancy (sp). People get genetic testing all  the time now. She knows what she is talking about.

mm

[Chrystaltree2]

---

@Mama Mia wrote:

Lisa mentioned all these things and also twenty six million Americans have this deficiancy (sp). People get genetic testing all  the time now. She knows what she is talking about.

mm

---

...why?  Because it's covered in the Shopping Channel Host handbook?  This is a prime example of a little (a very little) knowledge being a dangerous thing. 

[Lipstickdiva]

---

@chrystaltree wrote:

Google yourselves silly but it won't help anyone at all unless they've had the required genetic testing done and they know  they know that they have this deficiency.  Even then it only applies if they have a specific form of cancer and are receiving a specific form of chemo.  I know Lisa was terrifed and she means well but information like this only serves to scare people who are already scared enough.  I'm not a fan of scare mongering..... 

---

Did you even bother to read what she posted?  She specifically listed the types of cancer and the forms of chemo that could possibly have this affect. 

Obviously anyone diagnosed would know what type of cancer they are diagnosed with and if you have to have chemo, you should be asking what type of chemo you are receiving.  You can then bring up this mutation and get the genetic testing for it.

I think her post was pretty specific and there was no fear mongering going on.  Burying ones head in the sand, being uneducated to your disease and treatment and solely relying on your doctor for all your information is what is foolish.  Everyone needs to be their own advocate for their health.  There is nothing wrong with opening up a dialogue with your doctor.