How Did I Get Lung Cancer?

By Samantha Mixon

3 min read

Having lung cancer is hard. Any cancer is tough but I'm here to talk about my experience, not the experience of others. My blogs lately have made me sound bitter and unappreciated. My house has always had to be perfectly clean. I'm terrified of bugs and so afraid if food is left out they will automatically come.

Remembering my childhood home

The house I grew up in had an addition on it. I moved into that addition when I was younger and lived in it until my parents divorced.

I constantly complained about the smell. It smelt like mold or mildew. And bugs so easily got in and out of there although they weren't in the rest of the house. It's like they loved my room. Wanting to stay in that room regardless of the smell was due to the back door I could sneak in and out of. Never, in a million years, did I think this small decision in my adolescence could be the reason my whole life changed. It's the small ripple effects that can produce a tsunami.

I moved from that house at 15 into a house with my mom and sister. We went through some hard times and I stayed in the room again for a few years. My father passed away on March 27, 2021, leaving my sister his house and some other things. Unfortunately, he owed more on it than it would be worth to fix up. So we sold it in a quick all-cash offer sale. We knew it needed a new roof and I knew that room I stayed in had to come down.

Returning to that home years later

My sister and I had an estate sale and everything else was gutted. Of course, we took our precious memories and it absolutely killed me to see it gutted. But, I wanted to see what had been done since the sale approximately a year ago. Luckily the garage door opener still worked and I was able to get in. At first, I absolutely lost it. Everything that was him was gone. The carpet was gone, walls primed, floor down to the slab. No furniture.

I felt like such a part of my youth had been stripped away. My hero and protector was now gone and I don't think that's something I will ever get over.

We walked into the living room which led to my old bedroom. There was a yellow tape preventing entry and it read "Do not enter. Black mold". Of course, I wanted to see what my old room looked like.

Our environments have the potential to shape us

On my mother's side of the family, we have a genetic predisposition for uncontrolled tumor growth. Most of my mother's side of the family has tumors somewhere and are mostly benign unless they are exposed to a carcinogen. Then, they can become malignant.

I opened the door and was in awe of what I saw. All of the walls were stripped and there was mold on every single wall in the massive room.

I did my research on black mold. Apparently, there is no direct link between black mold to lung cancer. However, black mold causes scarring of the lung. If the lung gets damaged enough, cancer may develop. I've always wondered and may never know why I got sick. That's why I'm donating my body to MD Anderson for research when I pass. It may help save Karley or my nieces one day. And it could help future generations of children having to lose their parents so early.

But, that is only one theory I have about how I got this cancer. Others have been my high school, living near the airport, and secondhand smoke. Any of these could have contributed to my illness, but just remember, when you're breathing anything in, you are not invincible.

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Richard Faust Community Admin
Hi <inline-mention username="Samantha Mixon" user-id="2364510"/>. So sorry you had this level of exposure to black mold. It can be nasty on multiple levels that I may go into more later, but first I want to share part of what I wrote under the posting of this article over on the Facebook page in regards to the lack of established connection between mold and ling cancer: "I'm familiar with the various pronouncements about no specific link being found between mold and lung cancer. This may be the case, but I wish when this was discussed they would acknowledge the extreme difficulty of trying to quantify to establish such a connection. There are certain lung conditions that are tied to mold, but that is largely due to the fact that it is the overwhelmingly predominant cause and even then it is difficult to get mold verified (my mother-in-law has a severe lung condition, which has her on oxygen 24/7, "thought" to be from black mold). When it comes to lung cancer there are a myriad of potential causes that have greater frequency. Plus, mold exposure in some form is literally everywhere (heck, aspergillus simply exists in dirt). It is simply extremely difficult to do a study on a link between mold and cancer and control for other variables, plus designate a type and quantity of exposure. Again, not saying mold is a cause, I just wish the limitations on studying it were acknowledged in statements about a lack of finding causation. Best, Richard (LungCancer.net Team)"
1. Samantha Mixon Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Richard Faust" user-id="2363697"/> I see your point. But since we don’t get much funding for Lung Cancer anyways, I would rather find a cure. Yes they found no direct link between black mold and Lung Cancer however black mold can cause scarring in the lungs which can lead to Lung Cancer. So despite finding a direct cause, It’s more of an indirect link. But it’s not totally proven. I also grew up in the area of South Atlanta where the cancer rate was 1000 times higher than the national average. It’s just part of my quest To find out what happened. If you did see the amount of mold in my bedroom you would be very shocked. That’s the only reason it was brought up. 
2. Richard Faust Community Admin
 Hi <inline-mention username="Samantha Mixon" user-id="2364510"/>. I think you are right about spending the money on cures - in fact, for all the reasons I mentioned as to why it is difficult to research a link between the mold and cancer. Any money can be much better spent on finding additional biomarkers, directed treatments, etc... If I thought establishing that link with mold would help with treatment, It might change that, but for now we know the black mold is bad, causes lung conditions, and should be eliminated when possible. Best, Richard (LungCancer.net Team)