From: Dr. D. Kossove <doctordee@telkomsa.net>
Subject: Why do people die
Date: Saturday, August 31, 2002 3:16 PM

You know what I don't understand at all Doreen - what kills people?  What 
makes them actually die?  I've seen so many people on the list and in life 
pass away.  But I don't know why.  What makes their hearts stop?  What makes 
them stop breathing?  I can understand if they have huge tumors in a major 
organ that just makes the organ stop working.  But many don't.  Why do they 
die?  

1. huge tumors in a vital organ that just makes the organ stop working.  [brain, heart, liver, lung, both kidneys]

2. tumor bulk that is so much that the rest of the body starves while the tumor grows... this is often exacerbated by the tumor putting out stuff that makes people not want to eat

3. tumors with high metabolic rates and/or shunts that increase cardiac workload to such an extent that eventually heart failure results 

4. the hypercoagulable state that occurs with cancer encourages pulmonary emboli and strokes

~~~~~~~~~~~

Simply put, it is either vital organ interference, or tumor bulk.
HOWEVER, sometimes it is related to the clotting tendency.

I am open to further discussion of this topic, if anyone has other thoughts.
 