Young Writers Society

I had an idea for a dark comedy comic/novel (it doesn't have a plot yet, but I have a few character ideas), and the main character is a 14 year old kid who finds out that he has cancer in the first issue/chapter.

I have quite a few questions about the subject such as: how does a person (especially one the main character's age) get diagnosed; when someone will need chemotherapy and what are the side effects; and what kind of cancer can kill a person within a year or two (despite the patient having a 60% or so chance to live)?

My mom has breast cancer, so hopefully I can help with the side effects of chemo. She started chemo about a month after her diagnosis, and it was administered every two weeks. The sessions could range from two to three hours to about seven or eight. Halfway through, they changed her meds to something stronger.

As for the side effects, it ranges from person to person. Most commonly, after chemo for two to three days a person will feel like they have the flu. (there is a lot of throwing up) After the third session, most start to lose their hair, but it falls out in patches, and after a while, most patients choose to shave their heads and the rest falls out on it's own. Cancer patients can also loose other body hair, on their legs, under their arms, even eyebrows and lashes. But only some people loose every bit of hair. Chemo makes nails stronger, and therefor almost impossible to cut. Sometimes, using metal utensils leaves a patient with a metal residue taste in their mouth, and many patients opt for plastic cultery. Chemo basically leaves one exausted, and I know that my mom took daily naps.

Hopefully this can help! Feel free to PM me with any more questions you have regarding cancer. I don't have much of a problem talking about it.

Well, there are loads of different types of cancer, each having potential to kill you. I'd suggest looking at the american Cancer.gov website. I've found it useful.

So. Your questions.
Diagnosis: for say bone cancer, it begins with joint pain
breast cancer - lumps in breast. But before the lump stage, diagnosis is rare but possible with advanced tech. People with mutation in brca gene have higher risk of getting cancer (~80%), especially if they're European originated Jews in america(called ashkenazi jew or something?)
I've read that statistically Prostate cancer is overdiagnosed about 10% of cases, at least in initial screening.
If leukemia of some sort, blood count is done. Common symptoms include fatigue/very easily exhausted and shortage of breath after activity.
For brain tumor - it begins with headaches of increasing intensity.

Chemo: depends on size of tumor, wheter it has spread or not. If it hasn't spread, they'll incise the tumor. There isn't a particular timeframe for this.

Any cancer that hasn't been removed entirely or has spread to diff parts of the body (called metastasis) has a higher potential to kill you.

PM me if you need specific info. I'll tell you what I can.

P.S. All the stats are from research papers I've read.

For brain tumor - it begins with headaches of increasing intensity.

I've heard one story from a friend's dad relating to brain tumours. One of his patients suddenly couldn't do math. Could before, wasn't able to for months. They ran some tests (because she was working on a dissertation and needed to be able to do it, considering it was due in a few weeks), found brain cancer, and she died in... a couple months? Yeah.

Symptoms can be pretty varied, depending on the type.

While everyone here has given you good information, I think this is a topic you need to research extensively, and thoroughly, on your own--especially if you're going to write a dark comedy about it. Cancer is a sensitive subject for me people--myself being one of those--and so surface research gleaned from YWS is not going to be enough.

It is, however, a place to get started.

My grandma had an advanced stage brain tumor. They didn't know what was wrong for a while--she'd been having some other problems; I was too young then to note what they were--but they eventually discovered the tumor. By then, it was really too advanced for a chance of recovery. They did chemo to extend life and quality of life, and they anticipated about six-months to a year. But, because of what cancer and the treatment did to her immune system, she died of pneumonia about a month after diagnosis. If I'm correct in my facts--I'm reasonably sure, but not certain--other diseases kill cancer patients more often than the actual cancer. It's why some families have to significantly renovate their homes, etc., to make sure that everything remains clean and germ free to minimize the chance of infection.

What Rach and Rosey said are so true.
Especially:

While everyone here has given you
good information, I think this is a topic
you need to research extensively, and
thoroughly, on your own--especially if
you're going to write a dark comedy
about it. Cancer is a sensitive subject for me people--myself being one of those--
and so surface research gleaned from
YWS is not going to be enough.

However, if you do decide on what cancer you're focusing on, PM me and I'll let you know where you can start, like specific diagnoses, what happens during progression of cancer, or the science of how it occurs etc.
But. Research. That is quite important.