Death by Cancer

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PT - 24 Jul 2008 23:49 GMT

I suppose after all these years, I should have thought about this possibly
insensitive question, but here goes.

When we say someone died of cancer, exactly what would be the precise
mechanism. I know that the cancer can infect and then destroy a particular
vital organ, such as the lung or brain, and generally can spread throughout
the body. But let's say someone contracts a cancer in a non-vital or
"replaceable by chemical" organ, say skin, breast, prostate or pancreas.
What actually causes the victim to die?

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No Spam - 25 Jul 2008 00:58 GMT

> I suppose after all these years, I should have thought about this
> possibly insensitive question, but here goes.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> a non-vital or "replaceable by chemical" organ, say skin, breast,
> prostate or pancreas. What actually causes the victim to die?

Other then complications.... and generically, one dies from the lack of
energy that a tumor(s) feed on that would normally be used by the
victim's body to keep alive. Chemo and radiation also subtracts from
one's energy level. I highly suspect that sometimes Drs issue chemo to
very weak patients to hurry along their suffering in very terminal cases.
But, that's only my speculation.

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