“Wonky” Is A Medical Term: Stress & The Immune System

March 3 2023

When last seen, your lung cancer patient was anticipating a visit with Dr. Lungs, hoping to understand what was happening with the colds-after-exercising that had started to happen. Dr. Lungs did not disappoint: “It’s just that the chemo has made your immune system wonky.” He hastened to assure me that “wonky” is a medical term. Then we got into some nitty gritty.

I love Dr. Lungs. He adds a dimension of care to my team that is life-affirming– affirming of the kind of life I want, at least. I wanted, needed, to talk about bicycling in my post-treatment life. In this recent visit, I learned he’s not only an endurance cyclist, he’s also done some research into exercise physiology and the pulmonary system. FTP (Functional Threshold Power)? Bring it. Sweet spot training? Yessiree Bob. That two-mile hill through a local cemetery that rises from a 2% grade to 9% at one point? “I love Cemetery Hill!” he exclaimed.  Never mind that that hill was the culmination of last summer’s training for me– it’s really hard.

It’s that my immune system is now wonky. Unpredictable. Maybe the exercise impacted my immune system so that stuff I was harboring burst forth. “Maybe you were just unlucky,” he said. In other words, like so much of the lung cancer game, it’s a crap shoot.

But training is not a crap shoot, and I received firm instructions about how to proceed. He also offered to repeat my pulmonary function test. My most recent one was in the normal range, but at the low end. “I’d love to see if that’s changed,” he told me. Sure, what’s another medical test– especially one that doesn’t involve radiation?

But he was absolutely unequivocal about one thing: “Stress. Absolutely avoid stress.” I heard Dr. Radiology’s firm voice in my ear:“No stress.”  I nodded.

In the excitement of the training information, I didn’t probe. I know stress has am impact on the immune system. But why? How? What implications does this have for my new normal? For metastases of treated cancer? Or maybe even for cancer prevention? I want, I need to look into this.

I did make one change. I dropped off of a committee in which I once played an important part. It’s brought a surprise sense of relief.

Plus, I reaffirmed my commitment to a meditation practice a while ago and I think that’s important to the No Stress campaign. Why, I don’t know.

I’m also very, very curious about all the nutrition discussions that float across cancer discussion groups. I’ve been told to avoid “the BS” by the dietician at the cancer center. I’ve started to read research about the impacts of certain foods– known as functional foods– on cancer and, while there are definitely some exciting points, there are also some of concern. For example, some foods or supplements that are touted as essentials can actually counteract active chemotherapies.

Meanwhile, I just finished a week completely off the bike. That’s mandated every 4-6 weeks. I’ve enjoyed the break, especially the mental break. I’m wondering if my FTP has changed. Now I’m off to schedule an pulmonary test and a followup with Dr. Lungs.

Thanks for reading. Here’s hoping you are learning about stress in your life. With cake.