Tuesday, March 7, 2006

What Killed Dana Reeve?

Two things about Dana Reeve's death.  First, it seems the media is assuming that lung cancer killed her. But it may have been the chemotherapy. Depending on what she was taking, her heart may have been compromised or all her organs may have shut down at once. We forget that chemo is almost as bad as the cancer.

Secondly, this whole thing about her being a non-smoker with none of the risk factors for lung cancer just means they weren't looking in the right place.  For the umpteenth time let me remind everyone that SV40, the monkey virus that causes a virulent lung cancer has continued to contaminate batches of polio vaccine since the first shots were given back in the fifties. If she has been immunized against polio, and the chances of that are probably close to 100 percent, she was at risk for lung cancer from the SV40. She was also at risk for brain cancer and kidney cancer.

Okay a couple of more things: Don't forget RADON, the odorless gas that seeps into houses.  And causes  lung cancer.

This morning on TV a lung doc was talking about the possibility that estrogen may play a part in lung cancer among non smoking women under fifty. Does that mean more worries for women taking birth control pills?  

I'd say yes.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remembered when you blogged about this. Let me ask you.....how does one know if they received a bad batch of polio vaccine? Do we wait until we get lung cancer?  How do I know if I received it?  Anne

Anonymous said...

Most of the bad batches were sent to major metro areas. There are those who think it is still contaminating the current vaccine.  I was surprised by that.  The virus can be sexuallly transmitted too.  SV40 shows up in the cancer tumors. I'm sure a blood test would pick it up, like hepatitis, HIV, or herpes, but they're only checking tumors that I know of.    Mrs. L

Anonymous said...

Just another example of closing the barn door after horse gets out. By the time any of the drug companies or the CDC gets around to actually publicizing risks, you can bet someone has slipped some legislation though the cracks to prevent lawsuits or compensation.