Can regeneration heal cancer?

[the masked carly]

Hey guys. I know that regerneration In the cosmere basically puts ur body as ones "self." This is how kaladins scar won't heal, as it became a part of his identity. But would cancer be considered to be a part of ones "self," or would the cancer immediately die?

[Treamayne]

47 minutes ago, the masked carly said:

Hey guys. I know that regerneration In the cosmere basically puts ur body as ones "self." This is how kaladins scar won't heal, as it became a part of his identity. But would cancer be considered to be a part of ones "self," or would the cancer immediately die?

Just like Kaladin's scar, it depends on the circumstances and the person's self-perception. WoBs:

Spoiler

Quote

Questioner

Stormlight, I know it heals wounds and stuff like that but can it heal illnesses like colds?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes it can.

Questioner

So if Kaladin suddenly contracted brain cancer...

Brandon Sanderson

It's plausible-- it depends, see what it does is it takes your body and makes it align with your spirit, and partially through the filter of how you view yourself. So if you view yourself as sickly, then you won't.

Salt Lake City Comic-Con 2014 (Sept. 4, 2014)

Non-cancer:

Spoiler

Leinton (paraphrased)

So for Kaladin's depression and Stormlight's healing abilities, does Kaladin remain depressed because of his view of himself, or is it a limitation of Stormlight's abilities to heal, or something else?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Disorders like depression are a part of a person's personality, and thus aren't diseases and cannot be cured. He talked a lot about this, and he talked about how a hyper kid annoys people but that doesn't mean there's something wrong.

Firefight San Diego signing (Jan. 20, 2015)

 

So, for example, a Congential Disease might not be healed because it is a part of the person, but their perception would still play a part. Cancer from Lightweaving microwave radiation? If you think that is a side effect that should happen, then maybe it won't heal. Things like that. . . 

[the masked carly]

4 minutes ago, Treamayne said:

Just like Kaladin's scar, it depends on the circumstances and the person's self-perception. WoBs:

  Hide contents

Non-cancer:

  Hide contents

Leinton (paraphrased)

So for Kaladin's depression and Stormlight's healing abilities, does Kaladin remain depressed because of his view of himself, or is it a limitation of Stormlight's abilities to heal, or something else?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Disorders like depression are a part of a person's personality, and thus aren't diseases and cannot be cured. He talked a lot about this, and he talked about how a hyper kid annoys people but that doesn't mean there's something wrong.

Firefight San Diego signing (Jan. 20, 2015)

 

So, for example, a Congential Disease might not be healed because it is a part of the person, but their perception would still play a part. Cancer from Lightweaving microwave radiation? If you think that is a side effect that should happen, then maybe it won't heal. Things like that. . . 

Makes sense, thanks!

[Dunkum he/him]

17 hours ago, Treamayne said:

So, for example, a Congential Disease might not be healed because it is a part of the person, but their perception would still play a part.

I think we actually see a bit of this with Renarin, where his condition and eyesight are healed when he bonds his spren.

[Treamayne]

41 minutes ago, Dunkum said:

I think we actually see a bit of this with Renarin, where his condition and eyesight are healed when he bonds his spren.

Partially. His eyesight was healed, but (according to Renarin) his Epilepsy just changed forms. We'll probably learn more as we see more from Rlain in SA5. 

Qaothbringer Ch 120:

Spoiler

Renarin was so frightened, he worried he’d wet himself. Not very noble or brave, now was he?

Ah … what will come now? Glys said, voice thrumming through Renarin. What emerges?

One of his fits struck him.

Not the old fits, where he grew weak. He had new ones now, that neither he nor Glys could control. To his eyes, glass grew across the ground. It spread out like crystals, forming lattices, images, meanings and pathways. Stained-glass pictures, panel after panel.

So, that's showing how his perception is affecting how those visions manifest. 

[Dunkum he/him]

3 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Partially. His eyesight was healed, but (according to Renarin) his Epilepsy just changed forms. We'll probably learn more as we see more from Rlain in SA5. 

Qaothbringer Ch 120:

  Hide contents

Renarin was so frightened, he worried he’d wet himself. Not very noble or brave, now was he?

Ah … what will come now? Glys said, voice thrumming through Renarin. What emerges?

One of his fits struck him.

Not the old fits, where he grew weak. He had new ones now, that neither he nor Glys could control. To his eyes, glass grew across the ground. It spread out like crystals, forming lattices, images, meanings and pathways. Stained-glass pictures, panel after panel.

So, that's showing how his perception is affecting how those visions manifest. 

personally, i'd argue it is at least unclear so far whether the vision fits are related to his epilepsy or just how that surge works for his rather unusual case. as you say, we may know a bit more as we see Rlain explore his bond, though even there it isn't guaranteed, since he is a Listener and not a human.

either way, the eyesight healing satisfies my point

[Treamayne]

2 hours ago, Dunkum said:

personally, i'd argue it is at least unclear so far whether the vision fits are related to his epilepsy or just how that surge works for his rather unusual case. as you say, we may know a bit more as we see Rlain explore his bond, though even there it isn't guaranteed, since he is a Listener and not a human.

either way, the eyesight healing satisfies my point

Oh, I agree - just to clarify:

• I was not saying that his epilesy was not healed
• I was saying that Renarin sees what is happening as related to his "fits" (Renarin's Perception) 
  • At least, as of the end of Oathbringer