Lisa Ray diagnosed with incurable form of cancer

Lisa Ray is suffering from Multiple Myeloma,a rare and incurable cancer of the white blood cells. She revealed the tragic news on her blog,The Yellow Diaries(Lisa Ray)

The 37-year-old actress, who started her career with modeling and first made her debut in Bollywood in 2001 with the film Kasoor has left her friends, colleagues and fans shocked and concerned.The actress who started blogging to give people an insight into her struggle with the disease, first broke the news in a post on 7 September. Here are some excerpts from Lisa's blog…

On September 3, she wrote:
On September 8, she posted:
More excerpts:
My bone marrow started sending me messages a few months ago, she wrote. It was then that the actress decided to undergo a medical examination.

Lisa, who had also been voted as 'The Most Beautiful Woman of the Millenium' is currently in Canada. She was most recently seen in Deepa Mehta's Water, where she played a young widow. Lisa also plays a lesbian in Shamim Sharif's I Can't Think Straight, which is due for release on September 11.The actress is best known for her roles in Deepa Mehta's movie Water and Vikram Bhatt's Kasoor opposite Aftab Shivdasani and also for starring in Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's music video Afreen Afreen.

Lisa, who has attached herself to various causes through her career, now plans to focus the spotlight to Myeloma and cancer awareness.
Ray who was born to a Bengali father and a Polish mother in Canada has managed to keep herself optimistic despite the tragic discovery and has made clear her plans to continue working and fight back the disease.She hopes and believes that she can be cured. In her words:

Lisa Ray is currently being treated by Dr Ahmed Galal at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto

What Is Multiple Myeloma?

It is a cancer of the bone marrow. The marrow's plasma cells (certain white blood cells that prepare proteins called antibodies to fight infections) start behaving abnormally and multiplying rapidly. Bones, immune system, kidneys and red blood cell count are affected.

Symptoms

• Pain in the back, pelvis, ribs and skull
• Presence of abnormal proteins (produced by myeloma cells) in blood or urine
• High level of calcium in blood
• Anemia, unexplained bone fractures, repeated infections such as pneumonia, sinusitis, bladder or kidney infections, skin infections, shingles and weight loss
• Weakness or numbness in legs

Causes

Not known, but researchers have established that almost all people with multiple myeloma have genetic abnormalities in their plasma cells

Why It Is Serious?

When abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow start multiplying and accumulating (instead of dying as normal cells do), production of healthy cells is hit. Myeloma cells circulate in the blood as well, at multiple points (therefore the name, multiple myeloma). Their presence damages bones and tissues. The immune system's ability to fight infections is also impaired

Treatment

Currently, there is no cure. But newer drugs have almost doubled life expectancy

Incidence

The cancer has been classified as a rare disease by the American National Institute of Health because it affects less than 2,00,000 Americans. In India, while its incidence has not been tracked, it is among the least encountered among all types of blood cancers, say doctors.

According to Dr S D Banavali, who heads the Tata Memorial Hospital's medical oncology department, multiple myeloma is not as common as other blood cancers in India. "It is usually seen in patients who are in their 50s or 60s, and rarely in persons under 40.'' Tata Memorial, the premier cancer centre, sees about 100 to 120 new patients every year.

But the big news in this field is that in the past four years, the advent of new drugs has drasti-cally changed life expectancy.

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knoughtyd's Signature:

Very Very sad news

She is a very very pretty lady and imo a good one too Terrible thing to get, especially knowing that there is no cure for it too

God give her strength.

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Safin's Signature:

Have Fun, Take part in debates, Read jokes, Ogle at Celebs; Just follow the Rules!

“There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is having lots to do and not doing it.”

Bad things happening for a Pretty Woman (and heard she s good also )instead of happening to showoff craps

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Kimi's Signature:

she has to stay strong in these testing times....
she is indeed pretty & done well in modelling phase if her life...
Posted via Mobile Device

nice share

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MillaJovich's Signature:

You ought to use what mother nature gave you before father time takes it away. Not much time left. Here I come, Lisa.

Wish you a speedy recovery or painless quick death.

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Yamaraj's Signature:

Lisa ray is a beautiful woman. I hope she has enough strength to fight the evil cells

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Agnel's Signature:

The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds;
and the pessimist fears this is true