Cancer smell

On 2/21/2008 Shemay wrote:

 

On 2/21/2008 Moon Masque wrote:

P.S. - I recently read an article regarding the use of dogs in detecting certain types of cancer.  The study is revealing amazing results.  Hopefully in the future it will become another tool for the early detection of cancer.

Blessings,

Moon Masque

 

I am so glad I read your post here.  Before I first found the lump, I began noticing a strange smell at work when I went to the potty.  I saw a drain on the floor and assumed it was that.  Then, I began smelling the odor at home, and since my bathroom is small and I was very close to the sink drain, I put it off on that.  I told very few people about this, but on my 10th visit to my onc., I asked him if anyone had mentioned any odors to him prior to being diagnosed.  He said no, kind of laughed, and said he knew there were some kind of tests going on with dogs.  This really disappointed me since I feel your body tries to tell you things in many different ways, and someone in his profession should be interested in all tests.

 

This is such a fascinating subject. Yes I too smelled "cancer" although at the time I didn't realize what it was. I had never before taken any notice of how my urine smelled but then some months before my becoming ill and being diagnosed I was startled and drawn to "pay attention" to the oddness each time I went to the bathroom. I mentioned it to my husband but he dismissed it as probably just being diet related but somehow my instinct told me differently and so it was a concern. Once my health improved, the strangeness was gone. You can be sure I'll be aware of any change should it happen again. This past week there was a documentary on TV about this very subject. Trials were run in Britain involving a number of dogs that had been trained to detect certain cancers, one being prostate. The accuracy rate was very high. In the 90's if I remember correctly. As I said, fascinating. Shows us we have so much to learn.
Blessings to you too Moon Masque.

On 3/15/2008 Kathy d wrote:

Years ago, a friend's mother had cancer, not sure what kind, but she too said there was an odour. A smell she will never forget.  When my mother's friend got cancer, Mom said the smell was unbearable!  When I got breast cancer, I don't remember any change in my scent, although, after chemo, I didn't get any underarm odour for 2 and a half years!  Small blessings!  I am very curious to know what it smells like.  Can you describe?  The thought of recurrence is always in the back of my mind, this just might be a weapon against this horrible disease.

My Mother is now staying with me because she has Stage 4 Colon Cancer with mets to the Liver. She has been on chemo for approx. 3 months, and she too has a strong odor. I can smell it when I get near her, and I smell it in her room and on her sheets when I was them. I was wondering what this smell is. Is it the cancer? or the Treatment? I don't want to say anything to her as to not hurt her feelings. Any suggestions on how to tolerate this? Thanks.

On 2/12/2008 Windsurfer1 wrote:

My partner (64) is a breast cancer survivor. She had a lumpectomy, radiations and chemo over ten years ago and her annual mammograms have all been negative(she had one two weeks ago).

To make a long story short, while we were intimate recently I smelled cancer near her left breast ( my mom had breast cancer, and I will never forget the smell) She is going to get and ultrasound, probably within the month, but other than that is not taking me seriously. I am very upset about this. Am I over-reacting? I care deeply for my partner and don't want to lose her. Does anyone have any input?

To me, putting it bluntly, it smelled like rotting flesh. I wonder if you'll reply to this; it's been a year since my post. She has just had a hysterectomy. There was a large undifferentiated cancerous mass in her uterous. She may be in real trouble here. We will find out about the staging tomorrow. We are both praying for the best.

I wonder if the smell a year ago is part of this same ugly thing?! Was it a psychic premonition?

I just found this site, while searching for info. on cancer odor. I know this thread is old, but was hoping others had more to add on this topic. Particularly, I'm curious about how long people noticed the odor before the diagnosis.

I have a friend who began emiting a horrible underarm smell shortly after the birth of her daughter.  It was evident that she was clean, but the odor was unbearable. About 3 years later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Once she underwent her mastectomy, the odor disappeared.

It seems that, had she heeded that warning and altered her diet and lifestyle, she may have been able to avoid the cancer. Two years ago, I began having the same odor. It got so bad that I was carrying spare t-shirts around and ducking into public restrooms to wash throughout the day.

After being rebuffed by my PCP, who offered to write me a prescription for an anti-perspirant with high levels of aluminum, I went to a doctor of Chinese medicine. She diagnosed me with Spleen and told me to eat plenty of orange and black foods, avoid sugar, dairy and fried foods.

It took me a year and a half before the odor became manageable, but it's still there and comes out if I get stressed or eat outside of my perimeters.

My question is, should I be concerned after two years? I've been to doctors, but they don't accept my concern. The Chinese "spleen" diagnosis also includes the pancreas. I'm considering getting a CT scan, but am worried about the contrast dye and wonder if I should wait a little longer.

Any thought or stories of your experiences would be very helpful.

The "cancer smell " subject is interesting. I had colon cancer ( to be specific originating in my appendix ) My husband for years nagged me I should get my breath investigated but I felt it must just be stress, or maybe I had not been flossing enough, or maybe I drank too much milk ! and I guess i was always to embarrassed to discuss it with my doctor. Anyway since I had my surgery for the pelvic mass which turned out to be cancer the bad breath dissappeared completely. Just recently it reappeared and I mentioned it to my oncologist, she was pretty dismissal of it. However just this week research scientist in Isreal have come up with a study showing that nano particles in breath odour useful for diagnoising cancer ! so odour is definitely significant.

I dont know if this has anything to do with the cancer smell. But my partner has had mentioned to me before I got diagnosed that I had very bad breath ..especially at night when my mouth is open while I sleep.. 

I got estrogen positive breastcancer diagnosed in february .But he said that before i got diagnosed..

that is strange.

was there anything that you could do to take away the smell, I too know that smell my brother is living with me and has stage 4 rectal cancer.  The smell is unbearable

OH MY GOD!!! THIS POST JUST MADE MY YEAR!!!! I thought I was going crazy. I am not a germaphobe but i noticed a change in my natural body odor. I shower or bathe like 4+ times a day and am constantly changing clothes. I thought it was just me. Wow I feel do much better now.