Is anyone else watching Ken Burn's latest doc on Cancer, the Emperor of All Maladies or read the book?
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Buttonstc (
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April 1st, 2015
from iPhone
Your thoughts and opinions?
( I know that not all PBS stations air programs simultaneously so perhaps it’s not showing in your area currently.)
Part 3 (the final one) airs tomorrow night. But it will also be repeated on Sunday in its entirety for those interested.
The author of the book is an M. D., Siddartha Mukherjee and it’s a fascinating recounting of the history of cancer treatment and new advances right up until the present time and the new advances in Oncogene targeted therapies.
I was stunned by the incredible barbarism of past treatments, many of which we’re totally unproven for years and yet still insisted upon.
I now have a much better understanding of the position taken by some patients who refuse chemotherapy on the grounds of how much damage it does for so little gain. (He doesn’t discuss that in the book or the doc, but those were just my thoughts as I watched.)
I’d be interested in others’ perspectives on the subject at large.
I first heard of this book from an Imus interview with the author and watching this doc has renewed my interest in reading the book. It’s on my To-Do list.
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10 Answers
I haven’t seen the doc yet and I have not read the book, either. I would definitely be interested in the documentary. Not sure if I have time to read the book.
I saw something recently on a news show (60 MInutes, maybe?) where they said recent developments show better results with a low dose of chemo over a long time rather than a high dose of chemo over a short period. The low dose over a long period helped prevent the cancer cells from metastasizing better than the high dose.
Yes, back in the years of the theory “the more the better” when really high doses of chemo were the standard protocol, it was a toss-up as to which did more damage; the cancer or the chemo.
It was brutal and some of the side effects (such as neurological impairment, aphasia, etc) didn’t cease when the chemo did. Some of those were permanent. There are a few patients who spoke of it in their interview.
One woman in particular who refused a repeat of the high dose chemo when her cancer recurred, simply hoping to be able to die with dignity, was in the first trial of one of the targeted Oncogene treatments (Herceptin or Gleevek) and could visibly see her tumor shrinking. 20 years later she’s still alive and cancer free. Hers was a particularly compelling account.
I want to see it but have been too distracted this week by upcoming travel. Have heard it’s excellent. May see if I can find it streaming when I come back.
I am also looking forward to seeing it. I’m waiting to watch it in a block.
I was treated with Chemo and radiation almost 20 years ago, and my friend is going through chemo now for a similar cancer. The difference in treatment is astonishing. By comparison, I was bludgeoned almost into incapacity by treatment. And by comparison to my aunt who had chemo in the 70s I was treated like a fragile flower.
I am delighted with the advances in treatment.
@canidmajor
I’m glad you lived to tell the tale :)
And if you’ve got some spare time this coming Sunday, they will be repeating all three episodes in a block.
I just heard of this K.B. new doc. a few days ago. Where is it available right now?
Is it available online? I love his works and documentaries in general, especially history.
It’s currently airing on PBS. On Sunday they’ll re-run all three parts. Check your local PBS station website to see if can be watched online. I’m guessing most likely not immediately.
But since it’s PBS, you don’t need a cable package and it’s available with the rest of your local TV stations.
I just finished the doc…fascinating! I want to read the book at some point, but I’m a bit “canceled out” at the moment, having just seen that.
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