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Founder of GitLab battles cancer by founding companies

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Re: Founder of GitLab battles cancer by founding companies

#81

Post by bashkiddie »

pavas wrote: post #43
SoftTalker wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty much a pessimest when it comes to fighting cancer. I think it's just one of the bugs in our genetic code that evolution didn't shake out. I say that not as a biologist or anyone who has done any work in the field. But I've seen people close to me die of cancer and it seems like the treatement is almost worse than the disease. I agree that the standard first attacks are very crude and have broad systemic si…

> I think it's just one of the bugs in our genetic code that evolution didn't shake out. I say that not as a biologist or anyone who has done any work in the field. I'm just curious, do you know what the opinions about this stuff are from people that work in these fields, or that have dedicated their lives to it?

I am guessing: There is an evolutionary "shadow". Genes for getting old and healthy are not selected for, because you get old after having children. Evolution optimizes for the survival of your children.

Might be that cancer hits after creating offspring.

Re: Founder of GitLab battles cancer by founding companies

#82

Post by stuffn »

parsimo2010 wrote: post #46

(slightly sarcastic) So we should give rich people diseases so they are incentivized to fund medical research? Sid seems like a decent person. I'm glad that he's able to push cancer research forward on his own. Hopefully his work will make things better for everyone else with bone cancer. Seems like that is well under way. (and I guess I should recognize that he funded a cancer treatment company years before he knew…

There are so many diseases that can be solved if money isn’t an issue. The problem is even if this wealthy guy cures his own cancer the treatment will never be available to us. We still do not have cheap genetic targeting and immunotherapy. The average person will be bankrupt just from the discovery.

I’m of the opinion most types of cancer can be targeted and cured. There’s just not enough money in it to produce the cure. The entire industry is locked behind a paywall.

Re: Founder of GitLab battles cancer by founding companies

#83

Post by necovek »

101008 wrote: post #67

This is wonderful but I feel bad for all the people who doesnt have the resources to go through the same. For 99.9% of the population, a diagnostic like his means a really different outcome. I know he is trying to fix this with his investments and companies, but sharing this story could be seen as "boasting"... "I went through this and I survived, while your loved ones wouldn't"

While that is just a natural reaction to "unfair" world where not everyone gets the same level of access to the best level of care, I'd also say that it's a reminder that money can't and won't solve all problems people are hit with in their lifetimes (or he'd not be facing cancer diagnosis in the first place).

This story is of someone with resources putting them to good use to save themselves, but also have that benefit others: medical research is expensive and for good reason restricted, and just like lots of open source was driven by individual's need, so lots of good stuff can come out of this. I suggest to see it that way.

Re: Founder of GitLab battles cancer by founding companies

#84

Post by manmal »

allpratik wrote: post #70

Wish the best for Sid! My father was unlucky with his TP53 mutation which resulted in AEL and he passed away suddenly. 100% fit to vanishing away straight in 8 months. It was pretty rough for me especially to see how these doctors (most of them but bot all) are so non-experimental in their attitude. Sid is right, Staying alive is our own job and definitely what he is doing will give him and his loved ones enough hope…

I guess experiments will get a doctor sued.

Re: Founder of GitLab battles cancer by founding companies

#85

Post by girvo »

appstorelottery wrote: post #78
elric wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I commend you for speaking openly about Peyronie's, I imagine that isn't always an easy thing to do (or to deal with). Best of luck, and I hope you manage to make progress with it. Effective treatment wouldn't get as much airtime as effectice cancer treatments, but it would certainly have a positive effect on the lives of millions of men.

You are right on the mark. What triggered me was the slide in Sid's presentation: "Assessing Fibroblast Content of Tumor". Peyronie's is all about Fibroblasts. I actually typed my reply quite a few times, deleting mention of Peyronies and retyping it. It's a shameful condition for me, and I realize that I have to get over this. Peyronie's affects 1% to 20% of men, primarily because it's (if you're anything like me) -…

It’s not quite the same, but I had a frenulectomy done due to severe phimosis leading to pain and bleeding. It was absolutely horrible, and I was shocked at how hush hush we all treat conditions like this.

Thankfully there’s a straightforward surgical treatment for it, and I hope that you’re successful on your quest around Peyronie’s!

Re: Founder of GitLab battles cancer by founding companies

#86

Post by com2kid »

SoftTalker wrote: post #32
dsign wrote: post #29

When it comes to cancer, there is an awful lot of legacy thinking and "way things are done" taking lives. Starting with the so called "standard of care", which makes patient lose precious treatment windows while they wait for a possible miracle from "first-line drugs" from thirty and forty years ago which frankly are not that good. But it's hard to reform because the fraction of people who ever think about cancer as…

I'm pretty much a pessimest when it comes to fighting cancer. I think it's just one of the bugs in our genetic code that evolution didn't shake out. I say that not as a biologist or anyone who has done any work in the field. But I've seen people close to me die of cancer and it seems like the treatement is almost worse than the disease. I agree that the standard first attacks are very crude and have broad systemic si…

I read a theory that we actually evolved cancer to ensure that something kills us.

Mortality is a feature when it comes to species level fitness. Sucks for the individual though.

Re: Founder of GitLab battles cancer by founding companies

#89

Post by gen_1 »

appstorelottery wrote: post #40

This is the most supremely motivating post I've seen in a long time. I know what it is to be diagnosed with cancer, being rushed to surgery - it's amazing how quickly the medical-industrial complex can move once you've got a diagnosis (at least in Australia). I had a short period of contemplating terminally, because cancer claimed the life of most of my family. Thankfully, after surgery it was gone. To see Sid use hi…

Fellow Australian with Peyronie's here. Do you know about Dr C Love? I have just had a PIG surgery with him. It is too early to make a definite statement on the result yet, but things are looking a lot better than before.
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