Sunday, December 28, 2008

What does the media say about the link between smoking and lung cancer

What does the media say about the link between smoking and lung cancer?
What are the medias opinions about smoking being linked with lung cancer?
Media & Journalism - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Direct connection, from the 'health media'. No connection, from the 'cigarette media'. (unless you are able to read the tiny print that has the surgeon general's warning.)
2 :
Smoking causes cancer, as well as hypertension, coronary artery disease, COPD, and many other problems.
3 :
Honestly, its better you consult a specialist. I really want to help but I don't think I can give better answers than specialist do. As for the media, heck they can't answer better than my dogs. good luck Love is omnipresence, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
4 :
Definite connection.



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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

How long does a person smokes before she gets heart disease/lung cancer

How long does a person smokes before she gets heart disease/lung cancer?
I've smoked like for like 15 times only. Am i prone to lung cancer/heart disease already? Female, 17.
Other - Health - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
it takes alot of time. years for some others months. you shouldnt smoke i have a uncle who died from smoking and left my aunt pregnant with 2 sons. think about smoking is a 1 way to a early start to your coffin. but hey its your decision on whats good and bad for your health. smoking+lung+heart= short life and early death or cancer....




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Saturday, December 20, 2008

What is the next step after a lung cancer diagnosis

What is the next step after a lung cancer diagnosis?
My future mother-in law has been diagnosed with lung cancer. She has only been sick a few months. I don't know if it is small cell or non-small cell though. Within two days of being hospitalized they had to place her on a vent and they have drained over a quart of fluid from her paracardium. She is breathing on her own but the tumor has blocked her airway and the tube is physically holding it open. She has now been intebated for about a month. She has also been given one treatment of chemo. I have been told that it is stage IV by a family member but I know that doctors do not categorize small cell lung cancer this way. My question is what is the next step? Because I am not "officially" a part of this family (the wedding is next spring) doctors and nurses will not tell me details. Other family members do not want to know the bad news and don't ask. I am trying to console her husband as well as my fiance. And they do not understand what is going on. Please help me help them.
Cancer - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
In general, each hospital has a medical social worker, especially on the oncology wards. It is often possible for families to meet as a unit or individually with the social worker. You might ask family members if they would be interested in meeting with the social worker to discuss your mother in laws situation. This is not to find out medical information, but to sort out your feelings and how to handle the situation. If family members agree than you could ask the social worker to meet with the family and discuss this issue. Since you are not a family member than your place is one of being supportive. Do not try to advise about something in which you have so little knowledge. You can however talk to the social worker about your own feelings of powerlessness and what you can do to be the most helpful. If you cannot find a medical social worker, there is an online free service, non-profit organization who can help you during this process. Contact Cancer Care. They have social workers who can sort this out and guide you during this journey: Cancer Care http://www.cancercare.org/
2 :
Lung carcinoma is a malignant lung tumor usually categorized as small cell or non–small cell. Cigarette smoking is the major risk factor for most types. Symptoms include cough, chest discomfort, and, less commonly, hemoptysis, but many patients are asymptomatic and some present with metastatic disease. Diagnosis is suspected by chest x-ray or CT scan and confirmed by biopsy. Treatment is with surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. Despite advances in treatment, the prognosis is poor, and attention is focused on early detection and prevention. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC, also called "oat cell carcinoma") is the less common form of lung cancer. It tends to start in the larger breathing tubes and grows rapidly becoming quite large. The oncogene most commonly involved is L-myc. The "oat" cell contains dense neurosecretory granules which give this an endocrine/paraneoplastic syndrome association. It is initially more sensitive to chemotherapy, but ultimately carries a worse prognosis and is often metastatic at presentation. This type of lung cancer is strongly associated with smoking. Small cell lung cancer is classified as limited stage if it is confined to one half of the chest and within the scope of a single radiotherapy field. Otherwise it is extensive stage (cancer has spread outside the chest). Please note that I am not a medical professional. Please see the web pages for more details on Lung carcinoma.
3 :
If the cancer is stage 4 it has to be somewhere else in the body as well. My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 non small cell lung cancer because they found a brain tumor. All cancers can be stage 4 but they have to metasticize to another place in the body. She may have to have surgery to remove the tumor from her lung if the chemo does nothing for it. She can also have radiation treatments but she has to be strong enough to have the chemo. I will pray for your future mother in law and hope that she has successful treatments.
4 :
HON, SORRY TO SAY SHE'S ON HER DEATHBED AND YOUR FUTURE FATHER IN LAW SHOULD HAVE THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO ASK THE DOCTOR POINT BLANK WHAT THE PROGNOSIS IS.........




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Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Can your baby get lung cancer from second hand smoke

Can your baby get lung cancer from second hand smoke?
I know someone who said that they had lung cancer because her mom was exposed to second hand smoke while she was pregnant with her. I believe her but is it possible?
Cancer - 11 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
It's possible, but it's very rare. When you're pregnant stay away from smoke at all costs, but it won't cause your baby to have lung cancer.
2 :
Yes anyone is capable of getting second hand cancer, even babies=(
3 :
Not in the womb. I mean they arent even breathing so how could it get in there? It's still kinda possible though. I guess you could get cancer anywhere from second hand smoke, even in the womb?
4 :
Yes, it is very possible. Second hand smoke is worse than first hand smoke.
5 :
I for you to get cancer, I think you need to be exposed to it for a very long time non-stop/years. It's rare but it can happen.
6 :
Well a baby still in the womb can become addicted to cigarettes and thus has more probabilities of smoking later on in life thus more probabilities of develloping lung cancer. Lung cancer during pregnancy is rare all though the number have increased in recent years. Please get checked for lung cancer because having lung cancer when carying a child is considered a high risk pregnancy. Yes in extreme cases the baby could devellop cancer often found in infant but cancer is much rarer among the young ! Toxins from a mother can be given top the feotus/child/baby.
7 :
I wouldn't say impossible but, this person would have a time trying to prove it. The possibility is there the probability is not, it's a catch 22 situation.
8 :
She's full of it! There are many things beside smoking that cause lung cancer ... nobody seems to want to admit that . It would take years and years of constant exposure to second hand smoke to get cancer . Most smokers who die from smoking related illnesses don't ever get lung cancer. Tobacco smoke is not good for anyone but this ignorant paranoia about it is ridiculous.
9 :
Yes it is more than possible. Actually the smoke emitted from the cigars or cigarettes possesses many more activated chemicals, most of which are carcinogens (around 160 more - I can't recall the exact figure), than the actual smoker lets in, thus leading to lung cancer. This works because the smoker is inhaling smoke directly from the source, where as the smoke is let into the air many more chemicals are activated. For that reason, second-hand smoking ranks as one of the leading causes of lung cancer. Now in the case you presented where the mum was exposed to second-hand smoke while pregnant, the mum would have to have been constantly exposed to the smoke. However, being exposed a few random times to the smoke causes no effective harm. In terms of pregnancy, what the mum is exposed to the baby is as well. If the mum is constantly inhaling these chemicals and carcinogens it definitely isn't good for the baby. The baby she is carrying actually has a higher chance of getting harmed by the smoke than the mum since his/her lungs are much younger and much less developed. The development of the lungs is crucial and the smoke can definitely cause the baby to carry lung cancer since s/he was constantly exposed to a heavy amount of carcinogens. Inhaling the smoke can not only cause cancer but do much everlasting harm. The very, very harmful chemicals interferes in the development of the baby at a crucial stage and that can result in the baby being a midget, can result in retardation, asthma, constant wheezing and other everlasting effects.
10 :
I think your friend is laying blame to something that is very convenient to blame for cancer. That doesn't discount the disburbing account of having cancer, but sometimes it's more comfortable when you can blame something for it. It sounds kinda far-fetched to me. Many lung cancers had required years and even decades of smoking by the primary people to get infected. So she says her mom was exposed to second hand smoke, and it transferred to the genetic DNA of the fetus. I think it's quite a huge stretch. There's all kinds of chemicals we use daily, bathroom and kitchen cleansers that seemingly would cause genetic manipulation much easier than when a fetus is infected when mom smells some 2nd hand smoke. Even 2nd had smoke will take some time to cause any dangerous effects. It's not impossible, but it's not probably, which means the odds are against it. However, there is a case of asbestos poisoning of an older middle aged woman, but her only ONLY point of contact was when as a child, she washed her father's shirt from a single day's work in a nearby asbestos mine. So from a single day's exposure, it took 40 years to make a change in the woman's physical body to make her sick. It took long time, but it also only required a single contact. How long was the mother exposed to the smoke? Are we talking about working in an office where people smoked and she was employed for months and months? Then it's more possible that there might have been an effect carried over. Usually the results to babies are asthma, but i"ve never heard of receiving lung cancer because your mother breathed 2nd hand smoke.
11 :
Half of us wouldn't even be here if smoking killed babies like the no smoking campaigns would have you believe.




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Friday, December 12, 2008

How should I construct a short love story about a girl or guy with lung cancer

How should I construct a short love story about a girl or guy with lung cancer?
I don't know what to do. Like I want one of them have lung cancer and they only have 1 year to live. Theyll fall in love and near the end itll be tragic. The other person doesnt know until half a year later. Idk what else to include in it, like what would the main conflict be? Anything I could do to help this? List your ideas please [;
Homework Help - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
What if the two meet durring chemo treatments because they both have cancer and then one of them goes into remission and the other one dies.
2 :
Okay... so first a girl and a guy are team members of a project maybe, or somehow forced together. When the guy finds out he has lung cancer, the girl would want to try and make the end of his life happy. The guy gets really touched and falls in love with her, then dies. How's that? Then the girl would maybe find another man who's like her first love, maybe a brother who is sympathetic? Anyways, I think the best love it expressed during a hard time. Good luck on your story!!




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Monday, December 8, 2008

What to do for my grandma who is dying from lung cancer

What to do for my grandma who is dying from lung cancer?
Today, my grandma found out her lung cancer was winning and she is too weak to get chemotherapy anymore. She was told she is going to die, and I want to get/make her something to cheer her up or make her feel more comfortable. I am young and I have just lost my grandpa early November 2007 from Alzheimers, so I want to make sure I get to do something nice for my grandma. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Cancer - 12 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I would suggest something simple that will brighten her day. Have you ever seen one of those No-sew fleece blankets? You can buy material with a pattern that is special for her. It will keep her warm and you will always have the blanket. I lost my wife to cancer Jan. 2008 and she always made the blankets and gave them as gifts. So now everyone she knew makes them and passes on the tradition and thinks of her when they do so. I have the one she made for me and it will always be here with me. God never said life would be easy, but he did promise it would be rewarding. Good luck and God bless....
2 :
Just spend time with her. When my dad was dying with pancreatic cancer, he just enjoyed having some one sit with him. When he was in good spirits he'd talk and when he was tired I'd talk or we'd just sit. He loved pictures of his cows and dogs and things around the farm that he could not get out to see and he liked hearing about them. We'd also read the Bible, the newspaper, short stories, devotionals, letters from friends and family. Also she might enjoy it if you rub nice smelling lotions on her.
3 :
Spent time with her. Sit by her. Talk to her. Help her with meals and housekeeping. That's all she needs now.
4 :
Sorry to hear about her pending death. I would try to spend as much with her as possible. Visit her if you live in the same town as her. Help her with housecleaning and cook for her. Maybe watch a few movies that will make her smile or laugh. Maybe buy her something to occupy her time like a magazine or a puzzle to put together. I lost my last grandparent about a year ago. If or when you become a grandparent pass the kindness onto your grand kids.
5 :
Reading this made me sad. Im vary sorry. May god be with her. Im not sure.
6 :
Take time to visit as often as you are able. Make her cards for days you can't visit. Think about what she enjoyed doing when well, if she was a reader, maybe you could read aloud to her, if she enjoyed the garden, maybe you could bring her flowers or a pot plant or just tell her how her garden is changing with the seasons. If she is well enough, get her to tell you stories of her life and realy listen, maybe even record them so you can pass them on to your grandchildren. Make sure she knows how important she has been to you.
7 :
Invite her to accept Christ into her heart.. This is the most important decision she can make. Then let her know how much you love her and ask her what she would like from you. God Bless you.
8 :
The nicest thing you can do for her is tell her how much you love her and thank her for being such a wonderful grandparent, in words. Tell her you are so sorry she has this lung cancer and that they can't treat it anymore. Talk with her about the fun times you shared with her (so she knows you remember them and appreciate those experiences). I agree with the blanket idea from the other poster.
9 :
I just lost my grandpa Sept. 2nd to Lung Cancer... It was very hard, and he had known about it for a while and didnt tell anyone until it got really bad and they were giving him days to live. What I did while he was still with it enough to know whats going on, and who I was, I wrote him a letter, and it was about all the good times we had while I was growing up. I put in there how much I loved him, and just basically told him that it was okay if he needed to let go (they say sometimes once your loved one hears that its okay, they know they can let go), and that I would think about him everyday. He read it about 10 times, and we had him creamated so I sent the letter with him to be creamated. My only suggestion, if she is close, make sure that you are with her everyday, even if its just for 20 mins. When my grandpa was given days (he lasted a week) I was with him everyday, I wanted to make sure that I saw him in case he passed away. I even though I saw him everyday, I wished I could have been there more. One thing we did, when he was starting to get really bad and sleeping all day and not eating anything (which is perfectly normal the last few days) we got him some very comfy clothes... nice PJ's and soft tee shirts... that way he would be comfy and stay warm. And I sat by his side just holding his hand and talking to him. They say that hearing is the last sense to go, so just because he doesnt respond... he still hears you. Im very sorry to hear of your grandma.
10 :
Be there for her and love her.
11 :
I am very sorry to hear about your grandmother. This cancer disease has really taken a toll on everyone out there. It has touched everyone in some way. The only thing I could possibly suggest would be to spend as much time possible with your grandmother from here til the end. Memories are probably the most valuable gift god could give us. Talk to her, and talk about the good old days. Let her know and feel the love you have for her and hug her and kiss her. There is no easy way for any of us to endure this situation. But there is a bright side to her end. She will be going home to a much happier place where God will give her everlasting life. There will be no more pain and suffering!!!! My heart is with you every step of the way. May God Bless You and Your Family!!!!! With Love!
12 :
The only thing that I can think of is you going a visiting her everyday. Or, you can make her a collage of pictures of her and you. I'm really sorry that she is dieing. If I found out that my grandma was dieing I would be in tears for weeks. I will think of her in my prays.




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Thursday, December 4, 2008

How long to live or whats the survival rate of lung cancer

How long to live or whats the survival rate of lung cancer?
lung cancer has spread-ed not to the brain but the bones actually, how long to live or whats the survival rate if i go through chemo?
Cancer - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
In most cases, statistics refer to the 5-year survival rate. The 5-year rate of survival is the percentage of people who are alive 5 years after a lung cancer diagnosis, whether they have few or no signs or symptoms of lung cancer, are free of disease, or are receiving treatment for lung cancer
2 :
Lance Armstrong had cancer in those places and he recovered to win the Tour De France cycle race a number of times.Never give up,miracles do happen---best of luck
3 :
Statistically not brilliant but who knows if you may be one of the lucky ones. Talk to your oncologist, contact support groups for more info. www.cancerbackup.org.uk Aims to give a lot of helpful factual information and also has a phone help line. Whatever you decide may you be given the strength to cope with your situation.
4 :
It is not possible to predict what will happen with an individual . .there are too many factors to consider including age of patient, overall health, response to treatment, the talent of the oncology team . . but treatment will at least give a chance for survival and possible remission. It is up to each individual to decide whether to take that chance for survival or not.
5 :
About 10 years depending on how strong you are .
6 :
Everyone is different, it depends on your age and your current state of health. My dad had lung cancer and lung removed and at that time we thought it had not spread and he lead a normal life, went abroad etc for 3 years until he had stomach pains - he died 6 weeks later with stomach cancer age 76 - we still don't know if it was connected.



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Monday, December 1, 2008

What is the chance of me getting Lung Cancer if I only smoke 1 or 2 cigarettes a week

What is the chance of me getting Lung Cancer if I only smoke 1 or 2 cigarettes a week?
I only smoke like 1 cigarette a weekend and maybe 1 over the weekdays occasionally. What are the chances of me getting lung cancer?
Other - Health - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
People get lung cancer without EVER smoking a fag, you increase your chances significantly!
2 :
oh my god, your going to die. just stop. you will die in 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 wait for it... 1 RIP!!
3 :
Smoking causes lung cancer! May I ask WHY do you smoke? Have you even concern quitting smoking COMPLETELY? It helps you enjoy your life even more if you quit smoking successfully!!!
4 :
probably not any higher than most peoples chances since we have to breathe all that smoke in our air anyway
5 :
There is a very little chance. It takes a lot of cigarettes to significantly increase your chances of getting lung cancer. Don't listen to the people on here, it's completely your choice.




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Friday, November 28, 2008

What are the effects of large quantitys of morphine on lung cancer patients

What are the effects of large quantitys of morphine on lung cancer patients?
I've heard morphine overdosing can kill you, but what about large doses of morphine taken regularly (and sometimes excessively) over a long period of time - to ease the agonizingly sharp breathing pains that lung cancer patients have? Also, are there any other (safe and similarly effective) drugs that can be used as an alternative for morphine?
Cancer - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
First of all, overdosing of any medication can kill you including tylenol. As far as morphine there is a controversy on that. Morphine or any opiate in large doses suppressing breathing. In the case of lung cancer patients, it's a good pain medication. The controversy is that morphine also extends life by about a few minutes. Not much but it's to prove that it doesn't kill a person when given in normal doses. .Another drug that has similar effect would be Dilaudid, which is called hydromorphone. That's the closest thing to Morphine.




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Monday, November 24, 2008

What is the right kind of food for an advanced lung cancer patient

What is the right kind of food for an advanced lung cancer patient?
My father is in the final stages of lung cancer and is having sever direaha, I was wondering if there was a website out there that would give us some ideas on the right kinds of food to feed him so that he is more comfortable?
Cancer - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
This is probably too obvious, but have you asked his doctor for some medication? If your Dad is in the final stages but still has an appetite, I'd want him to be eating his favorite things. But diarrhea can be controlled by meds. I'm very sorry for you and your Dad and wish you peace.
2 :
try to add some probiotics to whatever you can get him to eat or drink.....it will help with the diarrhea and hopefully that will provide some level of comfort for him.....vitamin enriched smoothies are a good source of nutrition, All in One makes an excellent powder vitamin that can easily be mixed in liquids.
3 :
Sorry about your father. You should talk to the Dr. or nurse about his diet. I would guess anything would be ok as long as it is not over seasoned. Soups, stews etc...
4 :
Talk to the doc first, but I would try some anti diareah meds. At the end of my life I would be wanting to eat all the things I loved, and would take any med that would allow me to do so. Also, it may seem odd, but is he getting enough fluids? Sometimes not having enough will cause diareah. And, adding more fiber. Get like the powdered fiber you can add to foods or drinks. Ofcourse, speak to the doc first.
5 :
check out this site below it should give you a good idea of what to feed your father to help him feel at ease and good luck



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Thursday, November 20, 2008

Can you get lung cancer from one of your famliy members that smokes and you dont

Can you get lung cancer from one of your famliy members that smokes and you dont?
My dad smokes since he was 18 years old. Can I get lung cancer from him even if i dont smoke?
Cancer - 35 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
yes. that's called secondhand smoke
2 :
second hand smoke is worse than actually smoking.. or so i've heard
3 :
no the british have long know that secondhand smoke is annoying not deadly
4 :
i think only if it runs in your family
5 :
Yes u could second hand smoke cancer
6 :
Yes, it's called Secondhand smoke, and it's just as dangerous as smoking yourself.
7 :
Yes. From second hand smoke.
8 :
yes, like what the first person said
9 :
if he smokes a lot yeah, its bad for you
10 :
Either directly from his genes if he has that predisposition or indirectly as in second hand smoke.
11 :
yeah if you are always around them sencond hand smoke it's it's more dangerous for you then them that smoke
12 :
you can get lung cancer from passive smoking. by the way, lung cancer does not only occur in smokers. I know a friend...who is a health freak... being diagnosed with lung cancer.
13 :
you sure can second hand smoke is the worst you might as well be a smoker
14 :
second hand smoke is worse than actually smoking
15 :
Yes, it is reported that second hand smoke is just as bad if not worse for your lungs
16 :
possibly.. bc they have a filter in their ciggarette.. and the smoke that comes out of it that WE smell.. it's not filtered.. and it hurts us more than them.. so yea, it's possible.. unfortunately. =(
17 :
yes, its called second hand smoke...it is worse than actually smoking yourself...(not saying that you should go out and start smoking b/c you live w/ somebody who smokes)...but instead try and get that person to stop
18 :
Yes, passive smokers can contract cancer, even if they do not smoke. It has been shown that many people that were non smokers, but worked in smoke-filled environments like clubs and pubs, contracted cancer by inhaling the smoke from other people's cigarettes.
19 :
Definitely. Its second hand smoke and its deadly.
20 :
yup thats the part that really sucks about smoking.....not only are you damaging your lungs but all the lungs around you too
21 :
If u are around his fumes often, yes u can get get it, take it from me, I just got through cancer treatments.
22 :
ABSOLUTELY!!! ...2nd hand smoke causes more lung cancer than smoking it yourself. I have several patients that have lung cancer, and its not a pretty thing! get him to quit or at least go outside....thats a terrible thing to do to your child!
23 :
Yes, you can. If you're constantly around people/areas that have lots of smoke in them, and you consistently breathe all the bad air in, the tar and chemicals in the smoke will give you something called second-hand smoking. This means that because of the people around you that were smoking so much, your lungs were badly damaged cause of it. If i were you, i'd encourage your dad to stop smoking.. it's really bad for him, but im sure you know that already.. hope i helped :)
24 :
Well, if you hang around him alot when hes smoking and breathe in all that smoke, then yeah, it may affect you. Although im not really sure if it can give you lung cancer, secondhand smoke is very dangerous since your breathing in PURE smoke, when in the other hand the one thats actually smoking is not.
25 :
I lived at MD Anderson Cancer Hospital with my Mother for 3 months and every person that I met that had lung cancer never smoked and were not around smokers. I met two that got the cancer after they quit smoking and their family members did not have any lung problems. No. I don't smoke. I did witness this first hand. This is government propaganda. Why do you think they want to fund children's health care on cigarette tax? Do you really believe that they would fund health care on Americans ill health. If funded on a cigarette tax they are promoting smoking. Use the brain that God gave you, if a smoker breathes in the smoke then exhales it he/she is also breathing in second hand smoke, so if they have less chance (according to others on this site) of getting lung cancer than someone who doesn't smoke, how does that promote lung cancer in non-smokers? that was made up by non-smokers who don't like the smell. Always remember that someone out there in this world won't like something that you do and will try to take it from you because they don't like it, use it , or need it, but you might. And this applies to everything in life not just smoking.
26 :
non smokers have the greater possibility of getting lung cancers than smokers
27 :
40% of lung cancer occurs in non-smokers and former smokers.
28 :
yes its called passive smoking a few people here in england have died from passive smoking .altho they never smoked in their life
29 :
Passive smoking is more dangerous and this is the reason for the govt. to ban smoking in the public.
30 :
You can get lung cancer from second hand smoke, ut you can also get lun cancer regardless. My Uncle died from lung cancer, he never smoked and wasn't around anyone that smoked....
31 :
As many have stated already, this is populary known as second hand smoke. What makes it so deadly is that most people think they must be the smoker. Not true. If you are around smokers when they smoke or are in a smoky room you imbibe some of the nicotine and other junk into your lungs when you inhale. This is why many cities outlaw smoking in restraunts now. The best thing you can do is leave the room the minute someone lights up and demand to eat in the non-smoking sections of restraunts. Your dad can always go outside and smoke. Below in the sources section is a Washington Post site for a video report put out by the U.S. Surgeon General on second hand smoke.
32 :
Yes, unfortunately, Dana Reeve, Christopher Reevs wife recently died of lung cancer and never smoked a day of her life. Even though he's your dad you can make the choice to not be around him when he smokes.
33 :
Yes you can get cancer from that...but it doesn't have to be from smoking. Anyone can get cancer and they may not ever have been exposed to second hand smoke or smoked a cigarette ever in their lives.
34 :
Secondhand smoke can increase your risk for lung cancer, yes, but as long as you stay away from his cigarette smoke your risk will not be elevated.
35 :
Absolutely. Second hand smoke has taken many lives, unfortunately.




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Sunday, November 16, 2008

My mother has lung cancer and her tumor marker came back with a count of 80. How high can it go

My mother has lung cancer and her tumor marker came back with a count of 80. How high can it go?
She was diagnosed over 3 years ago with lung cancer. She did not want chemo or radiation. She drinks colloidal silver and swears by it. I tried to find a site with a tumor marker scale but could not.
Cancer - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/medicaldepartments/cancercenter/tumormarker/index.html
2 :
I am sorry to hear about your mother. If you want to help her, Google "Johanna Budwig". This woman was nominated for the Nobel Prize several times for her methods of treating *and curing* cancer. She wasn't a new age crackpot, she was a medical scientist. Her methods got rid of mine (stage 4 Melanoma) and they sure beat surgery and Chemo.




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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Why are some people so insensitive to people with lung cancer

Why are some people so insensitive to people with lung cancer?
I have a friend who drank alcohol and smoked for years. You really couldn't find a nicer person. When he got lung cancer, somebody said he got what he deserved. Nobody deserves lung cancer even if they made bad choices. he was in a ton of pain when somebody said that.
Cancer - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
to the person that doesn't have a disease like cancer,they haven't the slightest idea what the ones with it are going through =the people cannot feel the pain,the shortness of breath and the fear that comes along with cancer
2 :
You are right nobody deserves that kind of treatment, my good friends father has just been diagnosed w/ lung cancer, it is an awful, painful, cancer. and why does he deserve this cancer? because he smokes? Come on now, what about the people who get lung cancer who dont smoke? Some people are so insensative.
3 :
All I can say is to those who show no compassion and empathy none will be shown to them in their time of need. My father-in-law passed at the age of 54 from lung cancer and he never smoked a day in his life, nor were there any smokers in the home. Back in the day men worked with asbestos without protection gear and that is how his drs. feel he got sick with it. In my opinion it doesnt matter how a person lived their life when they are on their death bed compassion and empathy is a must. I mean really we will all make that lonely walk (some by self-destruction, some by accident, and some by natural causes) and we all know we will want others to feel compassion and empathy in our time of sorrow. I am so sorry your friend had to endure such cruelty from others. No doubt he is in a better place. Keep your head up!
4 :
Some people are insensitive because they have decided that a person with lung cancer has brought this on themselves. They are right about that but no one "deserves" this. It's a consequence of a certain lifestyle not a just reward or a punishment.
5 :
No, i dont believe anybody deserves such a horrible disease, but i can see were they are coming from. You friend knew the chances, as does everyone else who smokes, drinks or does bad things to their bodies. My brother has cancer, yet hes never smoked in his life, he was healthy and fit so he doesnt deserve it either, more so then your friend.
6 :
I think most people correlate lung cancer with smoking, and so people make unkind remarks, thinking their behavior was the problem. Yes smoking certainly causes lung cancer, there are alot of other things that can cause it also, that are not smoking related. I think many people are ignorant of cancer, and it's easier to say, "well, he should have known", then to say "how can I help". My mom is dying of lung cancer, yes a smoker, for 60yrs. She too is kind, and giving, and would never say to someone dying, "well you should have known better". People make choices in their lives, they marry early, divorce often, experiment with drugs/alcohol, drag race cars, skydive and basejump, to name just a few risky behaviours. None of those choices make that person less worthy. So in the end, I still believe it's ignorance, and people thinking it will never happen to them, won't they be surprised when it is, and the ignorance comes back to visit them. I'm sure their take on life and death will have a far different message when they are the one dying.
7 :
I must tell you that these people who judge your friend are cruel and insensitive. Most people who make such cruel judgments do not want you to know that they themselves have made plenty of bad choices, and become haughty and arrogant just because you do not know their own secret life choices. Many people get lung cancer who have never smoked in their life....and remember this, many people who were smokers, and who developed lung cancer....would have developed it anyway, even it they had never smoked a cigarette in their life! You just tell those big mouths..."Judge not!" For one day, their evil judging words WILL come back to haunt them! Best of luck and good wishes for your friend. He is loved.





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Saturday, November 8, 2008

What is the correct definition of lung cancer

What is the correct definition of lung cancer?
I searched up the definition of lung cancer, and went to many websites and they all give me a different meaning of the word.
Cancer - 1 Answers
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1 :
Lung cancer is broken into 2 main catagories. Small Cell and Non Small Cell. Although it is uncommon, it is possible that characteristics of both types of lung cancer are present. If this happens, it is called a mixed small cell-large cell carcinoma. In addition to the two main types of lung cancer, other rare types such as sarcomas, and lymphomas can also occur. Named for the small round cells that make up this cancer, small cell lung cancer accounts for a much smaller percentage of lung cancer cases than non-small cell lung cancer. SCLC is broken down into three different categories. Small cell carcinoma, mixed small call/large cell carcinoma and combined small cell carcinoma. Each of these different types of lung cancer grows and spread in a different way. Because the cancer cells multiply quickly, SCLC often spreads throughout the body, and although the main cause of SCLC is smoking, there are other risk factors as well, including exposure to second hand smoke, asbestos and radon. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Non-small cell lung cancer or (NSCLC) is a much more common form of lung cancer. NSCLC can be broken down into three different types of lung cancer based on the size, shape and chemical composition of the cancer. These types are squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is often associated with smoking and is generally found near a bronchus. Unlike squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma is usually found around the outer regions of the lung. Adenocarcinoma is the most common form of NSCLC - especially among women. Large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma can appear in any part of the lung, and often grows and spreads quickly. The symptoms and risk factors linked to non-small cell carcinoma are very similar to those associated with small cell lung cancer, however, these different types of lung cancer are often treated differently.




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Tuesday, November 4, 2008

When you start smoking, how long will it take for you to develop lung cancer

When you start smoking, how long will it take for you to develop lung cancer?
Is it possible to smoke and never develop lung cancer? I don't smoke but my daughter and son-in-law do .They are so young, I wish they would quit.Just curious about how long it takes to develop lung cancer once you start smoking...Lana
Cancer - 15 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
you get it the day you started
2 :
There's no set time. You can never smoke AND then get lung cancer ie Dana Reeves. It's also possible to smoke and never get cancer of the lung, however you could get cancer of the throat instead.
3 :
I don't think anyone knows how long it will take a smoker to develop lung cancer.. I think that there are other health risks that will adversely impact a smoker's health before the cancer and that would be emphysema
4 :
It depends on the age they started and the packs of cigarettes they consume. But they sure are a candidate if they don't quit. And if they live with you, you could get lung cancer too,. because sometimes the one who smell it are most likely to get it than the ones using it.
5 :
Everyone has the cancer cells, it just takes a kick to start them up, smoke, and you will increase your chances of the kick-start 5 fold.I am sure your daughter and son in law are old enought to know the dangers,but as we all tend to think, "it will never happen to me" It's not just lung cancer, try furring of the veins for a hart attack, shortness of breath, cancer of the throat,stained teeth, bad stinking breath, the list is endless.
6 :
I think that it can be possible depending on how long the person would live, but even it doesn't generates lung cancer it affects the lung which losses it normal functioning. But depending on the person it can happen very quickly or it can take years.
7 :
Lana, Everyone is different in response to their development of disease. Some people who've never smoked but who have been around smokers (ie: second hand smoke) have developed cancer. Some people who've smoked for years never develop lung cancer. But you have a 100 x greater chance of developing it if you DO smoke. Not to mention you'll get sicker more often...with respiratory illnesses like bronchitis and/or pneumonia. Smoking paralyzes the cilia in your lungs, not allowing them to work to remove airborne junk that would normally be coughed or sneezed out. Just don't EVER let them smoke in your home, around you, OR AROUND THEIR CHILDREN if they have any. Tell them how much you wish they'd stop. Hopefully they'll listen. Good luck.
8 :
3 days
9 :
It depends on the family history on cancer. But some people can smoke their whole lives and live to be over 100 yrs. old, while others are not as fortunate and get cancer, emphisyma(spelling?), etc. earlier on.
10 :
tell them the more time that passes the harder it is to quit,,the nictene patch did not work for me,,i try to quit several times unsucsessfully,,i dont have cancer yet,,but i got asthma,you can have other health rish associated with smoking not just cancer,stroke heart attack,,buy them patches for christmas maybe it work for them
11 :
In my experience, I have seen people in their 90's who have smoked all of their life and have not gotten lung cancer but usually they have some chronic obstructive pulmonary disease like emphysema. I have also known quite a few people who were heavy smokers and died of lung cancer in their 40's and 50's. I also have had quite a few friends who have died from lung cancer in their 50's and 60's who never smoked a day in their lives. Smoking definetly increases your risk for lung cancer and emphysema and other forms of cancer too. There is no set time though as to when you might develop the disease. Smoking is a bad habit that most people find offensive and odiferous not to mention the cost of cigarettes. Why start? Encourage them to quit!
12 :
it is uncertain but it gives a chance of developing lung cancer. Solution- QUIT!!!!
13 :
There are many factors (not just smoking) that can cause a person to develop lung cancer. Daily life can expose a person to many carcinogens. How a person lives and eats can determine which road their health will take. So if someone is a smoker it's wise to defend against it with a healthy diet rich in anti-oxidants. Not every smoker develops lung cancer.
14 :
Hi, Great post! Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, and I thought I wasn't addicted! Here's what I tried before finding success: hypnosis, those fake cigaretts, the nicotine patch, and group therapy....none worked. I finally tried this HERBAL patch I bought 6 months ago on the net. They claim a 97% success rate. Well, it worked! They had a sweet deal which was a free 10 day trial for only $3.95 including shipping (it's regularly $53 for 10 days)!! I don't know if they still have that deal, but it's worth a try. http://www.alllsite.info/stop-smoking-free.php Good Luck
15 :
never. donnt listen to the govenment. everyone is my family smokes and they have all lived to at least 85. my grAMPA lived to 97 and smoked 4 packs a day since he was 10.




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Saturday, November 1, 2008

Which would be a good topic to research on Lung Cancer or Tuberculosis

Which would be a good topic to research on Lung Cancer or Tuberculosis?
You see, i have been researching and plus is there a cure for Lung Cancer? I can't research both and i just wanted a few suggestions. I really want know which disease is more dangerous and would be more important to research on currently in the 21st century. Thank you in advance!
Cancer - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
If you think there is a cure for lung cancer then you should do your research paper on that because the world needs to know and you obviously need to do more research so you stop making outlandish claims.
2 :
Not enough parameters given. Are you interested in the global or US public Health? Are you interested in the future or past 5 / 10 / 20 years? Are you interested in male/ female? White/black/...?
3 :
There are a lot of exciting new therapies for lung cancer, including vitamin C given IV. They don't know the cause for it, however. Smokers absolutely get emphysema and chronic bronchitis, but it's not certain they'll get cancer. Many never do. Many non-smokers do get lung cancer. They haven't found a particular gene like they have for breast cancer or a particular blood component like prostate cancer. If you're doing a research paper, I think you could find more information on TB. With HIV on the rise, TB has made a real come back. It's true that they can cure it in persons with intact immune systems, but it's very dangerous for others, and it has mutated into different strains now. My opinion is to research the one that interests you the most. In my experience, you'll do more digging for the answers and learn more if you're truly interested in the topic you're researching. Good luck...




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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

How do I get financial help for Uncle with Lung Cancer

How do I get financial help for Uncle with Lung Cancer?
My uncle just found out he has lung cancer. His job has let him go and they are taking his insurance from him. Worse yet, he will have made too much money this last year to get medicare. Disability will take way to long to get. Soon he will need help with treatment and medication costs. I just was hoping someone might have some suggestions of organizations that might be able to help us. I and my family would appreciate any help anyone can give.
Cancer - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
write to American Cancer Society and check with MD Anderson In Houston,TX or with Cancer Centers of America
2 :
Hold on, here. Why did his company let him go? Is he that sick already? And he should be using the company's COBRA option to continue his insurance. They cannot fire him because he has cancer (besides, how would they know he has cancer unless he told them). That is against the law. If this is what happened, he needs to talk to a lawyer.
3 :
you can ask help from social worker in your area or in the hospital you are referring.He can give you addresses of organizations helping such patients.Also you can ask help from your local leaders so that you can get help from govt. funds
4 :
see a lawyer to sue that company then.........Apply for ssi (social security) right now as it is retroactive as of the date of application. In the mean time d\apply for workmans comp on the chance that it may be work related, if that is a no go then apply for state aide which will pay for all the medications. No?? Go to Mexico, swim the river back & then re-apply for all of the above. Do not forget to vote in the elections for or against the folks that make it so hard for u.s. citizens to get help!




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Friday, October 24, 2008

What is the right food for lung Cancer patient

What is the right food for lung Cancer patient?
My mother is at the 4th stage of Non-Small Lung Cancer. She is under Chemotherapy treatment. Now sometimes whatever she eats or drinks make her to cough and it takes long time to stop coughing. She now gets scare of eating and drinking everything. Could anyone tell me that what are the right food or drink to give her so she would never cough?
Cancer - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
She has end stage long cancer, she is going to cough. Let her decide what, when and how much she wants. Time is short by the way, spend your time with her and forget the food.
2 :
I'm really sorry for you mom, I've done some research and found this article that should give you enough info http://interesting-science-facts.blogspot.com/2009/02/lung-cancer-compact-decsription-and.html Best of luck



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Monday, October 20, 2008

What is the minimal age for lung cancer death caused by secondhand smoke

What is the minimal age for lung cancer death caused by secondhand smoke?
Also, how long after being around a heavy smoker does it take for lung cancer to develop? (my 14 year old friend lives with his grandma, a smoker who refuses to quit... but he doesn't smoke himself. even so i am a bit worried)
Cancer - 11 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
4 hours
2 :
don't know
3 :
There simply isn't enough data to give such a specified answer. I would simply avoid it as much as possible.
4 :
The youngest on record is about 17 day old baby. The woman smoked the whole time she was pregnant and the baby dies after it was born.
5 :
Bunch of hooey, if it is so dangerous then why hasn't the gov. banned cigs, oh yeah, because they make money off of them.
6 :
there is no "minimal" age and there is no proof anyone ever died from second-hand smoke. Did you know that around the '60s almost everyone smoked?? So by your reasoning (and the stupid anti-smokers and governments) most if not all the kids during that time should be dead already. They lie like they lied about Marijuana just to brainwash all the gullible people. Your brother and you have a better chance of getting cancer from the food you eat. #1 cancer killer? Colon cancer, NOT lung cancer.
7 :
It takes years, but I've heard of a 30-year-old who got lung cancer. Tell him to ask his grandma to go outside to smoke, or at least open all the windows. In Australia there is a $110 fine for smoking in a car with children under 18.
8 :
The second hand smoking causing cancer correlation has not been fully proven. The reports on this all point to a few studies that proved mostly inconclusive or biased. The original studies have been skewed to fit personal and political agendas in the recent times. More than likely, your friend is fine so long as he doesn't smoke the things himself or shotgun with his grandmother. The bigger concern is smelling like cigarettes all the time.
9 :
It depends on the persons predisposition to developing cancer. Just because he lives with her and she smokes it is not a death sentence. Tell him to keep his bedroom door shut and his windows open. If she smokes in the car leave the windows open etc. *Hannah your an idiot! States have made it illegal to smoke in public places and (in my state) it is illegal to smoke in a car with anyone under 18. Smoking in homes is considered by DHHS as a health risk and is being considered for becoming a 'reportable event' for children with disabilities and respiratory issues.
10 :
no proven facts or data to suggest age of death from second hand smoke, as others have said there is no correlation. they are being very paranoid, mind your own business.
11 :
Do you have 100% proof that secondhand smoke causes lung cancer? No there is no 100% proof but for people that are heavy smokers who may develop lung cancer, whether it is due to smoking or not, don't usually get it till they are about 60. I wouldn't worry about your friend getting lung cancer, then again you or your friend could get leukaemia, bone cancer, skin cancer, throat cancer or lots of other cancers that have nothing to do with smoking but to do with the individual person or from exhaust fumes from cars, does your parents have a car? Living within 500 metres of a bus station can make a child six times more likely to develop cancer and found that exhaust fumes were a major cause of cancers such as leukaemia and lymphoma. Other high-risk spots included living near hospitals or train stations. I wouldnt worry about your friend getting lung cancer



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Thursday, October 16, 2008

Who and Where is this person that claims praying to Mary McKillop cured her of inoperable lung cancer

Who and Where is this person that claims praying to Mary McKillop cured her of inoperable lung cancer?
I mean do we just take her word for it? I'd like to hear from her Doctors and see some Evidence that a prayer to a dead nun can cure you of inoperable lung cancer, before and after xrays would be good.
Cancer - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
If cancer is healed by Divine intervention, it is God himself who reaches down and heals......not Mary McKillop or any other human being!
2 :
The approved miracle, which involved the healing of a woman with cancer during the mid 1990s after she prayed to Mother Mary, had to be scientifically and theologically assessed before it was decreed by the Vatican. The above is a section I Googled from an Australian newspaper and seemingly the scientific tests have been carried out before the Vatican could call it a Miracle - miracles do happen, 43 years ago I had a terrible accident just before my 10th birthday and I was in a coma for 8 days and my parents were told I would never waken up and only had days to live, they operated and family was told nothing more could be done, my mother prayed to St Martin who at that time was Blessed Martin, she soaked me in holy water and prayed, they were told I would be dead within 1 hour - I woke up and I had no side affects and eventually got married and had children and now grandchildren, so miracles do happen if you have faith?




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Sunday, October 12, 2008

How often do you have to smoke tobacco in order to get lung cancer

How often do you have to smoke tobacco in order to get lung cancer?
For example, how much does an average person have to smoke to get lung cancer (one pack a day for 10 years? one pack a month for 40 years, etc.) I need this information for a school report I'm writing on the affects of various drugs, so please provide links to anywhere you might have gotten your facts from, thanks!
Cancer - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
There is no pat answer to this question. Every person is different in what their body will tolerate. This has been a tobacco co. promotion point because some celebrates like George Burns smoked cigars all his life and lived to be 100. On the other hand, John Wane was taken all too soon and was very public about tobacco being the cause.
2 :
The average smoker doesn't get lung cancer -- the chance is somethinge like 1 in 18. However, It takes 10 pack years -- that's one pack a day for 10 years, half a pack for 20 years, etc. -- for the risk to become significant. The figure is from an oncologist here.
3 :
90% of lung cancer patients have smoked. It is impossible to predict the amount one person could smoke before he/she gets lung cancer. The best thing to do if you do smoke, is to inform your self on the symptoms of lung cancer. That way it is possible for you to catch it early enough. Lung cancer is treatable but the fact is the earlier it is caught the the more the survival rate increases. If you like to look at the symptoms of lung cancer, a website i find very helpful is listed below.




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Wednesday, October 8, 2008

How do you deal with the fact, your mother is dying of lung cancer and her days have been numbered

How do you deal with the fact, your mother is dying of lung cancer and her days have been numbered?
My mother was diagnosed with stage 3b large cell lung cancer. She has been undergoing chemo and radiation treatments for several weeks now. She is weak and just a shell of who she used to be. How am I supposed to keep smiling when I am watching her fade into death?
Cancer - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
You aren't supposed to. Don't be afraid to show ur true feelings.. No one in the world expects you to act happy. Now is the time to be honest so you have no regrets on what you should have done differently. My uncle died of lung cancer and it was very very hard and sad at first, but after watching him suffer for so long, you just want them to pass so they are out of pain and not suffering. You will miss her terribly, but you will also know that she's not suffering. I'm not saying you will be happy to see her go and want this, but if there is no chance for recovery then comfort in knowing she's no longer in pain is a very powerful thing.
2 :
make sure you have somebody to talk to who you are comfortable sharing your feelings with and let it go to them and then just be that rock for your mom that she needs at this point and make sure she knows how awesome of a person she is and what she means to you. It will make you feel better and it will let her go happy.
3 :
I'm really sorry to here this. Try looking at in the way that after your mom is gone that she is in a great place and no longer in all the pain. Time will heal your pain but not your soul. Remember the good times you had with her and the lessons she taught you. Hope this helps.
4 :
Enjoy all the possible days left you have with her! She will be like a sister/best friend to you! Tell her your feelings!She will be happy to spend her last moments with you! Tell her everything will be okay Faith can be changed!! My father was on the verge of death also as a christian we prayed and believed look to say he is alive today and happy!
5 :
Big hugs to you sweet heart. First of all it's okay to feel sad. And scared, and angry at that $%^&*@!! disease. Trust me a lot of people have said those cuss words and a lot more. I am a cancer survivor, and I've lost good friends and family to that curse, so I've been there. It does help to have a support person. Perhaps a friend or a family member you trust. Right now what you need is a palliative care support team. This can be either hospice based or home based. Above all spend every waking minute you can with your mom. She needs you. Ask her nurses to teach you how to do practical nursing care for her.Make a dvd of family members for her. Ask those who live far away to video their feeling for her and burn them to a DVD or CD. A scrap book or a quilt would be much appreciated. My mother spent 45 days in a burn ward. It was very therapeutic and satisfying to help in her care. Dressing changes, hydra bath, haircare. It didn't matter to me. Nor did the hour of the day. I was her caregiver for 17 years. It was physically and emotionally hard but would I change it. Not on your life!!




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Saturday, October 4, 2008

Is there anything out there to treat the symptoms of lung cancer

Is there anything out there to treat the symptoms of lung cancer?
There is a family friend that has stage 4 liver cancer and after a recent scan they have found spots on her lung. She is curently undergoing chemo therapy weekly but the symptoms of the lung cancer is what is alling her. She is short of breathe, fever, cough. Right now we are more interested in cureing the symptoms than the cancer. Is there any treatment out there that would help with the symtoms? If are in the medical industry or have been through this please make sure to tell me in your answer. Also she has never been a drinker or smoker.
Cancer - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
You didnt hear this from me, but marijuana will help with the symptoms, especially the nausa. She obviously cant smoke it, but she can bake them into brownies. Otherwise have her MAKE her doctor get her on some painkiller of some kind like vicodin. Good luck and I hope she makes it.
2 :
The symptoms of your friend is rather part and parcel of the disease. Since the lungs supply the body with much needed oxygen, any disease involving it will lead to shortness of breath and cough. If your friend is having difficulty in breathing, my advise is to have the patient admitted in the hospital where he or she can be placed in a ventilator if the need arises. And most importantly is to provide emotional and spiritual support.
3 :
cough drops work the really expensive ones and just have her relax and read i book, it will keep her mind off of struggling to breathe



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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

What are other causes of lung cancer besides smoking

What are other causes of lung cancer besides smoking?
My aunt died of lung cancer about a year ago. I didn't understand how she got lung cancer. She was 5',6", she travel a lot, and did not smoke. Can anyone help?
Cancer - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
depending on how old she was, she was probably exposed to a great deal of second hand smoke which can kill you just as fast
2 :
There are other causes of lung cancer not related to smoking. People who smoke and who also are exposed to these other causes have an even higher risk for lung cancer. These other causes include: * Exposure to cancer-causing agents through a person's job. This includes exposure to asbestos, either in the mining or construction industries. Inhaled asbestos particles may remain in the lungs, damaging lung cells. It also includes exposure to certain industrial substances like coal products, vinyl chloride, nickel chromate, arsenic, and exposure to some organic chemicals like chloromethyl ethers. * Exposure to radiation, either through one's occupation or for medical reasons, such as repeated x-rays, though this is quite uncommon. * Radon gas, which occurs naturally in rocks and soil in certain areas, may cause lung damage and may eventually result in lung cancer if it seeps into your home. The presence of radon in the home can be measured using an inexpensive kit that can be purchased at department or hardware stores. Research suggests that some people are more at risk for developing cancer if their body is not as easily able to deal with certain cancer-causing chemicals. This inability to neutralize cancer-causing chemicals is believed to be inherited. Researchers also believe that in some people, when they come into contact with certain cancer-causing agents, their immune system, instead of neutralizing them, will actually make these agents more aggressive within the body. Such people, therefore, would be more sensitive to tobacco smoke and chemicals known to cause cancer.




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Sunday, September 28, 2008

How come some smokers get lung cancer and some never do

How come some smokers get lung cancer and some never do?
and non smokers get lung cancer? . and if smoking merely increases the chances.....why is there so much hysterical anti-smoking feeling around?
Cancer - 12 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Because it's sort of like playing a game of gambling. Smoking doesn't guarantee you will get lung cancer. But it greatly increases the odds that you will. In the same way, not smoking does not guarantee that you will not get lung cancer. But it greatly reduces the odds that you will. Smoking is not the only cause of lung cancer. Exposure to other inhaled carcinogens, such as radon, can also play a role.
2 :
because some people are lucky, and some are not.
3 :
because some also smoke marijuana, which has been shown to prevent cancer growth
4 :
Cancer represents a genetic disease cause by the accumulation of error's in a cell's DNA. These mutations are usually prevented through a series of protection mechanisms, however sometimes they fail and the mutation is propagated. Depending on the type of the error a cell can be predisposed to accumulate error's, become neoplastic and/or immortal (tendency to multiplicate and disrupt other cells). There are certain elements that may increase the odds of a mutation happening (chemical, radiation, even viruses - HPV ). Smoke is one of those elements, so while there is no guarantee that smoking will actually give you cancer, it increases the odds. Since carcinogens in tobacco smoke gets into your blood-stream you can get cancer basically anywhere. Smoking also substantially increases the risk of cardio-vascular diseases and other pulmonary afflictions such as emphysema (especially if you're a chain smoker). If you are curious about genetics a great and accessible book is Matt Ridley's Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters.
5 :
You are advised to walk on the side of the road and cross at zebra crossings. But there are a lot of people who walk on the road and cross anywhere. A vehicle hitting you is more when you walk on the middle of the road and cross as you like. But some of them are not hit by the vehicle. Some who walk on the side and cross at zebra crossing are hit by a vehicle. But the odds are that those who play it safe are more safe. Those who live dangerously are at more danger. Take your choice. But you cannot reverse the damages caused by smoking to your body (lungs, arteries, heart, brain etc.) later in life. Even if you don't get a cancer you are prone to get bronchitis, emphysema, heart attack, stroke, impotence and many many problems due to smoking. Don't look at a lucky few who may or may not get a problem later in life. DO NOT SMOKE.
6 :
Hmmm. Men are 23 times more likely to develop lung cancers if they are chronic cigarette smokers. That is not a mere association. That is an overwhelming cause and effect. Malignancies are far more complicated than the average person thinks. A confluence of factors leads to a malignant clone of genetically altered cells which have the capacity to grow without normal human body restraints. The person must first be susceptible to genetic alterations caused by carcinogenic chemicals - of which there are dozens in tobacco / cigarette smoke. Then the immune system must drop its guard and allow that clone to grow. Over many years a lung carcinoma will grow until it is large enough to be seen on any x-rays or scans. Lung cancers must be even larger to cause any symptoms. Symptoms occur only in the very last, most advanced stages of the disease. By then it is too late. The barn door has long been open - all the horses have gone - and they have had baby horses already - before you find out. I like the answer by "serengeti_lion" and "katiefrehner" who said it was a matter of luck. It is indeed a matter of luck. In the Canadian study I often quote - 1 in 6 men who were chronic smokers developed lung cancers - so it is a slow form of Russian roulette. Male smokers - lifetime risk of lung cancer 1 in 6 Female smokers – risk of lung cancer is 1 in 9 Risk of lung cancer in non-smokers is 1 in 77 Can J Public Health. 1994 Nov-Dec;85(6):385-8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7895211 But that means 5 of 6 smokers did not develop lung cancers. They "got away with it" - though many died prematurely with emphysema or cardiovascular disease. I would guess about half of people who are chronic smokers "get away with it." The trouble is this - if you do develop a smoking related disease - the treatment is very expensive and a burden on everyone. And that disease could have been prevented if you had not smoked. Should people who choose to smoke not be treated when they fall into the "unlucky" group? They made there own mistake, and they lost. Same thing for people who choose to eat their way into obesity with all of those inherent medical risks. These are societal, moral, ethical concerns with the skyrocketing cost of medical care. There are so many more medications we can use to try to eek out a few extra weeks or extra months for people who develop lung cancers, but it would be much better to avoid ~90% of these in the first place by not becoming addicted to smoking cigarettes. We can easily spend a million dollars on each person who develops a smoking related disease in the U.S. today. Yes, I know that medical care is overpriced - but why are we spending so much money to attempt to save or prolong the lives of people who asked for their own disease by smoking cigarettes year after year? I estimate that the average person I saw with lung cancer over my 20 years as a cancer specialist doctor had smoked half a million cigarettes. I saw hundreds of people with lung cancers in North Carolina - USA. Almost every one was a chronic cigarette smoker. Medical oncologists - despite all of the expensive new treatments we have - almost always fail in fighting advanced lung cancers. Most oncologists would rather they were prevented in the first place. Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. At least 31% of all cancer deaths in the USA are caused by smoking. Each one of those people is very, very expensive to treat - almost always in a losing battle. Is cigarette smoking really necessary? Can humans live without smoking cigarettes?
7 :
Smoking increase your exposure to multiple carcinogens contained in cigarette smoke many thousand-fold. It dramatically increases the amount of mutations that occur in cells in your body and therefore increases the chances of developing several types of cancer, not just lung cancer. You say "merely" as if it is not important. Playing Russian roulette "merely" increases your chances of being shot in the head! That doesn't mean you wouldn't be an idiot to do it. Even though it just increases the chances of developing lung cancer (as well as several other cancers, emphysema, atherosclerosis and thus heart disease and stroke, etc), the association between smoking and these things is SO strong that it far outweighs many other risk factors out there. It is one of the strongest associations in medicine. So yes, it "merely" increases the chances, but it increases them very dramatically. And that is for several different diseases so all together the chance of ANY cancer or disease related to smoking is very high. Some forms of lung cancer are associated with smoking and others are not. While lung cancer is more common in smokers, non-smokers can get some forms of the disease too.
8 :
Google Lung Cancer - it shows that drinking alcohol, unhealthy diet, driving a car causes the exhaust fumes to enter the car which has more cancer causing chemicals than smoking, industrial chemicals, radon which rises from the ground through your floorboards have cancer causing chemicals in it and all new houses are being built with tin foil material on the floor boards to prevent the radon gases entering our homes, radiation, xrays, etc are all higher risks than smoking.
9 :
CoachTrip - Excellent questions to which there are partial answers. To some extent, those smokers who get lung cancer statistically relate to the number of "pack-years" or how much and how long they have been smoking. Probably there are some genetic factors yet to be identified which put some persons at greater risk. Of all possible causes of lung cancer, the overwhelming highest connection has been with inhaled tobacco smoke. When the smoke damages the lungs, even if cancer doesn't develop, a huge number of people develop the "living death" of emphysema and can't live without being attached to a tank of oxygen. These are some reasons for the strong anti-smoking feeling, not to mention the high cost of medical care and the harm that smoking does to the blood vessels of the heart leading to earlier heart attacks. Be aware that the lung cancer in smokers is usually called squamous cell carcinoma or non-small cell type. However, the non-smokers who get cancer usually get a different type of lung cancer called small cell carcinoma. So all cancers do not have the same causes in the lung and non-smokers do get lung cancers. I prefer to play the odds as safely as I can and never again smoke.
10 :
They are now saying that alot of people are getting lung cancer and dont realize its from exspestos, the CDC is saying 1 out of 3 people have developed lung cancer from exspestos (airborne pathogen). I know for a fact there companies helping to get a settlement for anyone with lung cancer. My aunt had lung cancer and found out it was caused by a infestation in her house and won her case she was paid like 140 grand. They tried to settle out of court but she took 'em for everything.. anyway here is the company's site that is doing it http://www.lung-cancer-compensation.tk hope that helped:)
11 :
It purely depends on the immunity system of the person who smokes. Lung cancer is directly related to smoking. The risk of developing lung cancer is directly related to the number of cigarettes smoked. But the person with high immunity may not get effected soon compared to the one with less immunity.
12 :
Some people are more susceptible to lung cancer from smoking than others. And some who smoke smoke more than others. And some smokers inhale more deeply than others. Finally, there is a difference between cause and effect, and cause and a probability of an adverse consequence, such as lung cancer developing in a smoker. The cigarette manufacturing companies tried to say that if smoking causes lung cancer, then everyone who smokes should get lung cancer. But the lung cancer research scientists responded that there is also something known as a relationship between some cause and the probability of developing lung cancer, and lung cancer falls into the latter category. There may well be genetic factors, as well, that relate to susceptibility -- those who are more susceptible to developing lung cancer because of their increased hereditary risk are much more likely to get lung cancer than someone who did not inherit those factors that genetically increase the risk. At present, we have no good or inexpensive way to determine who is more likely to develop cancer with risky behavior, but there are probably several genes, maybe more than a dozen, that increase the risk of developing lung cancer if you smoke. I do not personally view the anti-smoking feeling as hysterical. There is a very solid foundation in clinical research that has been duplicated repeatedly. If we know -- and we absolutely do know -- that smoking cigarettes increases the risk of lung cancer, then doesn't it make sense to make a good effort convince smokers to stop and non-smokers not to start? I've read the clinical articles over the past forty-five years, and I am absolutely convinced that there is a very close relationship between smoking cigarettes and the development of lung cancer. I wish my younger brother had the same convictions. He smoked a pipe -- it seemed as though it was all the time -- and he inhaled the smoke! He died June 15, 2008 of lung cancer at the age of 63. I know something from this loss that cannot be out in research papers, and I do my level best to get my patients to stop smoking. If you are a smoker, what can I do so that the last cigarette you lit before reading this is the last cigarette you ever light? I just want you to know that this is beyond an scientific conviction for me -- it is a deeply personal and emotional campaign -- I want my brother back -- the #1 Corvette Master Show Judge in the United States and one of the leading hospital design architects in this country -- I want him back. So, you see, there is the scientific angle, and for me, an emotional one too.



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