"Cancer Marks"

[himmie]

I do not really have an issue with the term but do not use it. Especially when it comes to describing ponies on eBay and such, I know others ARE bothered by the word being used in such a way. I simply refer to marks as being brown age spots/marks that are not removable.

[TWILIGHTCOOKIE]

I find the term "cancer" is offensive or inappropriate to refer to in a toy, don't ask me why.  I use the term " age spots".

[Sapphire-Light]

The big question is why the word was chosen?

[FantasticFirefly]

The big question is why the word was chosen?

I haven't a clue. It's been around for years though. I remember being totally taken aback and puzzled when I first spotted it used, thought it was a typo.

[Sapphire-Light]

The big question is why the word was chosen?

I haven't a clue. It's been around for years though. I remember being totally taken aback and puzzled when I first spotted it used, thought it was a typo.

Oh so is a mistery? it was made in early forums or elsewere??

[diamondshy]

Hmm, I guess I'm like a lot of others so far: it doesn't bother me, but I don't really use the term that often.

To me, words are just words, but this particular term seems to bring up bad emotions for some people and tends to be misleading and panic-causing to new collectors because it's so undescriptive.  If I were talking about it, I'd go to "plastic breakdown" or "age spots" first, mostly because I like to be descriptive and not leave too much room for misunderstanding.

[Tulips]

I call it both cancer and age spots, basically whatever my brain spews out first. I wasn't at all surprised by the term when I first encountered it, cancer is very often used to describe destructive or undesirable non-medical conditions so I figured it was pretty fitting. I find latching onto certain connotations more upsetting than the words themselves (I've graduated art college, where everything has the potential to be phallic) but I respect that certain things can be triggering to others.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone call them Liver Spots instead of Age Spots?

[Whippycorn]

I call them "age spots" because I do find it inappropriate and unnecessary to use a serious medical term. We don't call yellowed ponies "jaundiced" or say faded ponies are "anaemic" do we? 

[Doedeardarling]

I like the term, I find it very fitting. But I try not to cause too much drama, so I often use "age spots" as well.

[Icecrystalline]

I am the third/ bottom option. I don't like the term, but I use it as others understand it as a term.

[Tap Dancer]

I try not to be rude for the sake of it, but I'm also not a PC person. In fact, I roll my eyes at people who are easily offended or those who feel the need to tiptoe around everyone because someone might freak out if the wrong word is said. Anyway, "Cancer" doesn't offend me when describing a pony, but it's still not a word I use. "Age spots" or "discoloration" seems more appropriate to me because that's what it is.

[aintnobuffalo]

I don't find it personally offensive, but I can understand that others may see it that way. It's a scary word, but I've seen it so much in a pony context, it has made the word have two definitions in my head.

[Nappercasper]

I have used cancer, and I do believe it was termed cancer as it does spread in a pony. I brought a gingerbread he had one spot 2 weeks later he had 3...
I will more often refer it to age spot if I'm selling a pony with close up photos.

[izabel89]

I do not like using it, sounds a little offensive.

[QueenStarglow]

The big question is why the word was chosen?

I haven't a clue. It's been around for years though. I remember being totally taken aback and puzzled when I first spotted it used, thought it was a typo.

We first started using the word cancer to describe those permanent and suddenly sprouting brown spots (I don't know who first used it) because there was no known cure for the spots and often the spots spread, much like cancer in living creatures.

I can certainly see why some would be bothered by the term and it even bothers me, but I still use the term. I've lost family and friends (a month ago a dear friend passed and recently another friend was diagnosed). When I say "pony cancer spots" most collectors will know what I mean and when I read "pony cancer spots" in a sale pony's description, I know what the seller means. Of course, familiarity with a term isn't an excuse to keep using it.

I see age spots used to describe cancer often now and I think that if collectors wanted a change, it could be done with diligence. The problem with using age spots to replace the term cancer, is that age spots is an umbrella term for several ponies issues, like regrind.