DON'T IGNORE THE POSSIBILITY OF CANCER.

Byline: MAXINE FLAM 

OCTOBER may be breast cancer awareness month, but I didn't need the reminder this year. In August, a close member of my family, "Jenny," was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Jenny was taken aback. Her mother and grandmother did not have the disease. There was no history in the family. Her comment was, "How did I get it?"

Jenny's next trip was to the medical oncologist and then to a radiation- therapy center here in the San Fernando Valley. The center is a stand-alone building with a brick exterior and large parking lot. I had been past the place 1,000 times and never noticed it before. Now I'm taking Jenny there Monday through Friday for seven weeks.

On our first day, we are greeted by the receptionist and asked to sit in the waiting area until the nurse called us. Jenny is first interviewed by the nurse and then the doctor. Each one explains the procedure, but no one can describe it better than Jenny.

"I lay on my side on this iron table with no padding. ... My arm is over my head, and my leg is curled under me. The technician has made some black marks on my skin; I was told they are tattoos to line up the radiation each time I come in. This is horrible. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy."

While waiting for Jenny, I had the opportunity to speak to some of the patients. The majority were in their 40s and 50s.

"Sue" was told for two years that the spot on her mammogram was fatty tissue. By the time the doctors diagnosed her, she had to have a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiation. The doctors want to put her on a drug after radiation, but she isn't sure she wants it. One of the possible side effects is liver cancer.

"Lisa" and "Mary" were back for their second time. Both had cancer reappear in the other breast. Mary said that the receptionist told her this year they are seeing more and more women back for a second time.

"Joyce" never had a mammogram and stopped doing self-exams because she never found anything. One night she accidentally discovered a lump in her breast. After two mammograms, two ultrasounds, one MRI and a needle biopsy, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

All the women said, "Why me? I ate right, took vitamins." Except for Sue, no one had breast cancer in their family.

Most of the people I saw at the radiation center were women, but not all. "Bob" had prostate cancer two years ago and had his prostate surgically removed. Recently, the cancer reappeared in the same spot as where the prostate was, a very rare occurrence. Bob can't have another surgery so his only option is radiation therapy.

Another lady I knew had a strong family history of breast cancer. She developed cysts that had to be drained every three months. It was extremely painful to go through this process not to mention very worrisome that she would be diagnosed with breast cancer. With small children to raise, she made the decision to have her breasts removed and reconstructed. For her it was the right decision.

My trips to the radiation-therapy center are sobering and instructive. If there is a moral to this difficult experience, it is that women should do monthly self-exams, have a yearly mammogram and men should have a blood test to check for prostate cancer followed by a medical exam. If cancer is caught early, it is treatable.