I was saddened to learn this morning of the death of Dana Reeve from lung cancer. Today was a reminder of what it was like to be a doctor, unable to provide a cure for a young person afflicted with cancer Each loss was a personal one, and served as a reminder of how much we needed to accomplish to prevent those tragic deaths.
Dana Reeve's death highlights the fact that not every case of lung cancer is caused by cigarette smoke. We will never know what actually caused this disease to occur in this 44-year-old woman, and her death highlights the need for us to better understand the causes of lung cancer in people who have no known exposures to toxic agents like cigarettes.
We also need to reflect at a moment such as this on the hundreds of thousands of families that are affected every year by the loss of a loved one to cancer. Their lives, their loves, their hopes and their accomplishments are all important, and they too are missed.
Celebrity puts some of us in the public spotlight. The lives and deaths of celebrities are magnified in our consciousness. When tragedy occurs, it makes all of us acutely aware of our own mortality and vulnerability. It also makes us more aware of what we don’t know, and what we need to learn to diminish that tragedy for others.
Ms. Reeve was a noble woman, who through her example and support for her husband during his time of need gave light to the problems and hopes of people with spinal cord injuries. She set an example for all of us as to what can be accomplished through love, devotion, and perseverance. Dana Reeve will always be remembered for showing so many what can be done in times of the greatest need. She was a vital and brave woman.
Lung cancer is viewed by many as a disease that is caused by the person whom it afflicts. That is not appropriate. For many, this is a disease that is the result of an addiction that is as powerful as it can be, that grips their bodies and prevents them from being able to break free.
And it is a disease that in many cases has no known cause.
A 70-year-old man with a history of localized prostate cancer treated with whole-pelvis radiation therapy with a boost to the prostate, in conjunction with androgen deprivation therapy 7 years prior, presented with lower back pain. A bone scan revealed an area of activity in the sacrum. What is the most likely diagnosis?
