1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Our go to doc on the show is doctor Laura 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Feiffer from Methan Medical. The Relay for Life is on tomorrow. 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: We're supporting the Cancer Society, doctor Laura. They claim one 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: and three of us will face this at some stage 5 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: in our lives. From your experience, you reckon that number 6 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: really is that high? 7 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 2: Yes, I do, and over a person's lifetime. Actually, particularly 8 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,159 Speaker 2: when we look at men, men are closer probably to 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 2: one and two over their lifetimes. And while they're so 10 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 2: found alarming, it does reflect some important things like we 11 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,599 Speaker 2: are living longer and cancer risk does increase as we age, 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 2: but we're also better at detecting cancers earlier and a 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 2: lot of cancers are very treatable and people do live 14 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 2: long lives after the diagnosis. And so it's not what 15 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 2: we say a terminal illness. It doesn't mean that people 16 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: that are being one and three people will dive cancer. 17 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 2: It means that one in three people will experience some 18 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 2: form of cancer. And we know that cancers come in 19 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 2: all forms from things like that includes data on skin cancers, 20 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,319 Speaker 2: to bowel cancers, wreast cancers, et cetera. So it does 21 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 2: include a large, large range of diagnoses. 22 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: What actually is cancer, So to. 23 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 2: Try and keep things as simple as possible. Cancer is 24 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 2: when a mutation or change happens in a cell, and 25 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: usually our bodies and immune systems can pick up on 26 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 2: these and get rid of those cells that aren't behaving 27 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 2: like they normally would. But something goes wrong. There's a 28 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 2: little glitch in that system, and it means that these 29 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 2: cells start producing more and more of themselves that might 30 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 2: have a glitch, And that's essentially what cancer is. It's 31 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 2: a damaged cell that's repeating thing replicated over and over, 32 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 2: but it's not a normal cell, and usually our body 33 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 2: should clear it, but in this case it doesn't. 34 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: Is there any part of the body that's immune to cancer? 35 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 2: Non? Any place you have a cell in DNA is 36 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 2: able to have cancer? 37 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: Geez? And is there any particular cause. 38 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: So many things to consider in that, and I think 39 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 2: that's really difficult to answer, but I think there's a 40 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: few things think about. Yes, lifestyle certainly, and that we 41 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 2: are ingesting things that aren't real foods. So I certainly 42 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 2: advocate if people are worried about cancer risks to be 43 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 2: looking at removing things in their diet that are artificial 44 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 2: or fake, because that does confuse our bodies. I think 45 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 2: there's some genetic risks and our family history can speak 46 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 2: to that. And there's some environmental exposures, so things like 47 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 2: occupations that have exposure to radiation, so pilots for example, 48 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 2: or to chemicals for example, our farmers. 49 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: True. Yeah, so we've established how common cancer is, yet 50 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: despite that, I can't think of a more scary or 51 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: confronting diagnosis. How do you break the news to people 52 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: that they have cancer. It must be tough. 53 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: It's one of the hardest parts of the job, and 54 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 2: I think people forget that GPS probably diagnose a lot 55 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,519 Speaker 2: more cancers than other specialties because were the front line 56 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 2: and we see people at the very early stages of 57 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 2: their cancer diagnosis. But it's certainly something that we have 58 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 2: to approach very carefully, so we try to do it 59 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 2: in person and in a private place with plenty of time. 60 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 2: I try and use really clear, simple language, and I 61 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: give people time to process because it's often overwhelming, and 62 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 2: the information that we're given as practitioners is that a 63 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 2: patient will probably walk away only retaining about ten percent 64 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 2: of what you've told them. So it's really important to 65 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 2: have a support person present. If it's possible. But most importantly, 66 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: I think we don't want to just deliver a diagnosis. 67 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 2: We immediately want to know what the next step is. 68 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 2: So I will wait to talk to a person once 69 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 2: they have a plan in place, so that I know 70 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 2: that when they leave that they know what the next 71 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 2: step is. 72 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: I imagine that it puts life into perspective pretty quickly. Yeah. 73 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely, and not just for that person, but often it's 74 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: the people supporting them that need the most support. People 75 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 2: take the news very differently, and from my experience, you 76 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 2: sort of there's all sorts of reactions, but there is 77 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 2: the most common reaction I probably see actually people that 78 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 2: say I want to get on with this and I 79 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 2: want to know what I do to help myself, which 80 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: is always really good to see. There's a lot of 81 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 2: resilience often in the space for the person, and actually 82 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 2: the worry comes from the person looking after them. 83 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 1: It's funny you say that we had survivor Paul hands 84 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: In a couple of days back. He's the one cutting 85 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: the ribbon and opening the event for us on set today, 86 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: a real inspiration, and he said the most confronting moment 87 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: for him was when he got the letter in the 88 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: mail from the DHB which confirmed his diagnosis in black 89 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: and white. But then he also said to me, Luke, 90 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: I've had the easy job. It's the people around me 91 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: that have had a lot to process. They're the ones 92 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: who have done it particularly tough. I thought, Wow, that's 93 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 1: quite striking. 94 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I think it's really difficult sometimes for people 95 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 2: to know how to address somebody that they know that 96 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 2: has cancer. They want to inquire, but they don't want 97 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 2: to inquire at the same time. And I think it's 98 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 2: something that you know, it's really important and that lots 99 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 2: of places like the Cancer Society do is really good 100 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 2: at supporting the people in the outer circles who certainly 101 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 2: feel the ripple effects of a diagnosis like cancer. 102 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: So how do we diagnose for cancer? Like what's the 103 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: stuff that we should be asking our doctor for? Like 104 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 1: how do you even know? 105 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I guess early detection is everything. And things 106 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 2: that we do to diagnose cancer is when you see 107 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 2: your doctor, they should take a really thorough history and 108 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: they should examine you, so they put their hands on 109 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 2: you and have a look at some things. Then we 110 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 2: might order some things that we can get in the community, 111 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 2: like blood tests. Sometimes imaging like ultrasound, CT scanned or biopsies, 112 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 2: and we might refer you up to Ashburton Hospital to 113 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 2: do those things or to get them done quicker. But 114 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 2: what's really important is that people don't ignore persistent symptoms. 115 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 2: And what I mean by persistent is a symptom in 116 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 2: the body that doesn't feel right and it hasn't changed 117 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 2: over six weeks, or in fact could even be getting worse. 118 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 2: And I think it's really important too that if you 119 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 2: do see your doctor and you don't feel like things 120 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 2: are improving, but you get back in contact with them, 121 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 2: Because from my seat, if I don't hear from you, 122 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 2: I assume that's because things improved, because we know that 123 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 2: seventy percent of what walks through our doors will improve 124 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 2: with time. But we need to make sure we're hearing 125 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 2: from you. These are good questions that you could ask 126 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 2: the GP. Is if you're worried and you're sitting in 127 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 2: your head thinking I'm worried that I might have cancer, 128 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 2: it's to ask the GP is there something serious that 129 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 2: this couldn't be? Do I need any tests to all 130 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 2: allow things like cancer? Or when should I come back 131 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 2: if this doesn't improve. It's also really important that people 132 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 2: get involved in things like the screening programs that we have. 133 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 2: So we have screening programs and are fully funded in 134 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 2: New Zealand for brucet cancers, mammograms, the vical cancer screening 135 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 2: and also bowl cancer screening which has actually decreased in age. 136 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 2: So bowel cancer screening is starting at age fifty eight 137 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: as of March. 138 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: That's right, that's the one that comes to you in 139 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: the mail. 140 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 2: That's right. That's the pull on a stick type scenario. 141 00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 2: And that's been really, really, really actually successful this program. 142 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: And just a week plug there that I'm running a 143 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 2: men's health night actually in June and method which is 144 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 2: support with the lines as well. Yeah, and we're getting 145 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 2: one of the directors from that bowel cancer screen and 146 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 2: come and just talk to us then. So it's a 147 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: good opportunity for people in the community to come to 148 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 2: that and support our local lines as well. 149 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: Oh, it really is. Do we need to register for that? 150 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 2: No? More information will be coming out in the next 151 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 2: few weeks. 152 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: Oh you tease. Yeah. Right. If I wasn't motivated before sheet, 153 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: I certainly am now to get that step count up 154 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: and support the incredible work of the cancer society and 155 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: conversations like this. Appreciate you'll take doctor Laura, Thanks Loke, And. 156 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really good for people to chat about this. 157 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 2: Know your body, go to screening when you're invited, and 158 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 2: that know that actually more cancers and more treatable than 159 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 2: they ever have been before. So there are lots of 160 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 2: good treatments out there now for these people. And you're 161 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 2: never wasting your doctor's time by asking about something if 162 00:07:58,120 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 2: it worries you