Last week we lost one of the country’s top patient advocates to lung cancer. Dana Reeve was only 44 years old, and according to the media reports, she wasn’t a smoker.
While we haven’t seen clear data on the subject, there are anecdotal reports of a rise in lung cancer in nonsmoking women. We’re beginning to see evidence of genetic susceptibility to lung cancer in this group. According to a study conducted in France, as reported in Pubmed, “the epidemiology of the disease in women is different, with tobacco smoking explaining only 70% of the incidence. Other risk factors such as higher expression of the gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) receptor, hormonal factors, radon and passive smoking may also play a role.”
While smoking is still, without a doubt, the number one cause of lung cancer, there clearly are other risk factors for lung cancer, including the following:
Radon - Radon is considered to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. today. Radon gas can come up through the soil under a home or building and enter through gaps and cracks in the foundation or insulation, as well as through pipes, drains, walls or other openings. Radon causes between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States -- 12 percent of all lung cancer deaths are linked to radon.
Secondhand Smoke - Many of the chemicals in tobacco smoke also affect the nonsmoker inhaling the smoke, making "secondhand smoking" another important cause of lung cancer. It is responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths annually.
Industrial Exposures - Another leading cause of lung cancer is on-the-job exposure to cancer-causing substances or carcinogens. Asbestos is a well-known, work-related substance that can cause lung cancer, but there are many others, including uranium, arsenic, and certain petroleum products.
Particulate Pollution - A recent study published in the Journal of American Medical Association suggests that particulate matter pollution can cause lung cancer.
How can you prevent lung cancer?
First, if you smoke, quit. The more time and quantity you smoke, the greater your risk of developing lung cancer. But if you stop smoking, the risk of lung cancer decreases each year as normal cells replace abnormal cells. After ten years, the risk drops to a level that is one-third to one-half of the risk for people who continue to smoke. In addition, quitting smoking greatly reduces the risk of developing other smoking-related diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Visit our Freedom From Smoking Online program or call one of our lung health experts at the Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA to help you quit.
If you are a nonsmoker, know your rights to a smoke-free environment at work and in public places. Make your home smoke-free. Test your home for radon. If you are exposed to dusts and fumes at work, ask questions about how you are being protected.
How is lung cancer detected?
There have been reports in recent years of new approaches to detect and diagnose lung cancer. While they have attracted much attention, few of them have been fully studied for effectiveness and accuracy. The hottest technology in diagnosis has been low-dose CAT scans. Also known as spiral CT, there is no question that this technology detects early lung cancer. It also detects benign material more frequently, so it’s not clear whether, as a screening device, it does more good than harm. Right now the effectiveness of the spiral CT scan is being studied through a federal lung cancer research program, so we should know pretty soon if this is an effective tool.
Other areas of promise include blood tests for lung cancer indicators and tests to detect lung cancer in sputum cells, at the moment neither of these is recommended for clinical use. We’re also looking at new medicines that do seem to prolong life, and we’re seeing some promise in experimentation with immunotherapy.
What next?
We’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to lung cancer research. Despite the fact that Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women, lung cancer-specific research has not received funding equal to its effects on those diagnosed with it and on our society as a whole. Attitudes need to change. Smokers are the victims. The tobacco industry has addicted millions of people through their powerful, deceptive advertising. The federal government needs to allocate more money for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.
The diagnosis -If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer you need to get the facts. Our Lung Cancer Profiler is a tool that can help you learn about treatment options for your specific diagnosis. The Lung Cancer Profiler will not only help you in your quest for information, it should also serve as a tool for discussing an appropriate plan with your doctor.
While we haven’t seen clear data on the subject, there are anecdotal reports of a rise in lung cancer in nonsmoking women. We’re beginning to see evidence of genetic susceptibility to lung cancer in this group. According to a study conducted in France, as reported in Pubmed, “the epidemiology of the disease in women is different, with tobacco smoking explaining only 70% of the incidence. Other risk factors such as higher expression of the gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) receptor, hormonal factors, radon and passive smoking may also play a role.”
While smoking is still, without a doubt, the number one cause of lung cancer, there clearly are other risk factors for lung cancer, including the following:
Radon - Radon is considered to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. today. Radon gas can come up through the soil under a home or building and enter through gaps and cracks in the foundation or insulation, as well as through pipes, drains, walls or other openings. Radon causes between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States -- 12 percent of all lung cancer deaths are linked to radon.
Secondhand Smoke - Many of the chemicals in tobacco smoke also affect the nonsmoker inhaling the smoke, making "secondhand smoking" another important cause of lung cancer. It is responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths annually.
Industrial Exposures - Another leading cause of lung cancer is on-the-job exposure to cancer-causing substances or carcinogens. Asbestos is a well-known, work-related substance that can cause lung cancer, but there are many others, including uranium, arsenic, and certain petroleum products.
Particulate Pollution - A recent study published in the Journal of American Medical Association suggests that particulate matter pollution can cause lung cancer.
How can you prevent lung cancer?
First, if you smoke, quit. The more time and quantity you smoke, the greater your risk of developing lung cancer. But if you stop smoking, the risk of lung cancer decreases each year as normal cells replace abnormal cells. After ten years, the risk drops to a level that is one-third to one-half of the risk for people who continue to smoke. In addition, quitting smoking greatly reduces the risk of developing other smoking-related diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Visit our Freedom From Smoking Online program or call one of our lung health experts at the Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA to help you quit.
If you are a nonsmoker, know your rights to a smoke-free environment at work and in public places. Make your home smoke-free. Test your home for radon. If you are exposed to dusts and fumes at work, ask questions about how you are being protected.
How is lung cancer detected?
There have been reports in recent years of new approaches to detect and diagnose lung cancer. While they have attracted much attention, few of them have been fully studied for effectiveness and accuracy. The hottest technology in diagnosis has been low-dose CAT scans. Also known as spiral CT, there is no question that this technology detects early lung cancer. It also detects benign material more frequently, so it’s not clear whether, as a screening device, it does more good than harm. Right now the effectiveness of the spiral CT scan is being studied through a federal lung cancer research program, so we should know pretty soon if this is an effective tool.
Other areas of promise include blood tests for lung cancer indicators and tests to detect lung cancer in sputum cells, at the moment neither of these is recommended for clinical use. We’re also looking at new medicines that do seem to prolong life, and we’re seeing some promise in experimentation with immunotherapy.
What next?
We’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to lung cancer research. Despite the fact that Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women, lung cancer-specific research has not received funding equal to its effects on those diagnosed with it and on our society as a whole. Attitudes need to change. Smokers are the victims. The tobacco industry has addicted millions of people through their powerful, deceptive advertising. The federal government needs to allocate more money for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.
The diagnosis -If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer you need to get the facts. Our Lung Cancer Profiler is a tool that can help you learn about treatment options for your specific diagnosis. The Lung Cancer Profiler will not only help you in your quest for information, it should also serve as a tool for discussing an appropriate plan with your doctor.
RSS Feed (xml)
No comments:
Post a Comment