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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1984-03-28, Page 33HOPE Page 9 'acts a on lung cancer... Smokingexcuses `gym Pelle $. tumor can be directly examined and where there is this type of atmospheric material obtained for diagnostic purposes. pouutiorl. Q DETE, DIAGNOSIS- J TR ATN#ENT The reasons sone people give • Regardless of -the -type of lung •cancer,'the- complaints noted by the patient are very similar. Since the tumor is a foreign object in the airway, a repetitive cough develops in an attempt to dislodge it. This chronic cough may damage the surface of the tumor so that blood appears in the sputum. In addi- tion, glands are also stimulated by the ir- ritation of the smoke -inhalation and -produce increased amounts of mucus which must be coughed up. At a later stage, the growing tumor may also completely obstruct an airway so that infection develops behind this obstruction, resulting in the signs and symptons of pneumonia. Usually people with lung cancer complain of increased cough, fever, and sometimes chest pain. Because the obstruction prevents the effective clearing of secretions from the involved lung, the symptoms persist even if antibiotics bring the infection itself under control. Whereas; in the past, persisting com- plaints of this type raised the spectre of tuberculosis, they now suggest lung cancer if a person is a cigarette smoker. Con- sequently, the development of these com- plaints_ demands , investigation in the at- tempt to detect the cancer at the earliest possible moment. DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES Once cancer is suspected, there are several techniques of investigation that can be pursued. •The chest x-ray can show either the ac- tual tumor or other indications that a tumor is present. .Sputum can, be collected and examined microscopically for the presence of malig- nant cells which havesloughed-from-the:sur-- face of the tumor. Adequate and careful sampling is required. .Bronchoscopic examination of the air- way is sometimes undertaken. In this ex- amination the doctor passes a tube through the mouth into the airways of the lung and directly inspects the various subdivisions of each lung. When the obstructing tumor can be removed through the bronchoscope for examination under the microcrope. Brushings and washings can also be taken from a suspect area for subsequent ex- amination. •Biopsy - When the tumor cannot be reached by the bronchoscope, and diagnosis has not already been established, under local anaesthesia a fine needle can be in- troduced through the chest wall directly into the tumor with x-ray guidance. A small sample is taken of the tissue and then ex- amined microscopically. .Mediastinoscopy - Since it is essential that the specific nature of the tumor be clearly established before deciding how best to treat it, additional information can be ob- tained by making a short incision just above the breast bone down to the airway (trachea). A tube is passed through the inci- _ ........ _.__sion . do+nward . alongside the airway to in-. spect the lymph nodes near the lungs.. This procedure is called a mediastinoscopy. If abnormalities are noted, biopsies can be ob- tained for examination. •And finally, if all other measures have failed to establish a working diagnosis, a a small opening can be made in the chest (mini -thoracotomy) through which the -_Once the -diagnosi a au:been established,. the decision regarding appropriate treat- ment must be made. It is ' important to remember that a doctor treats the whole person and not the disease alone. This prin- ciple implies deciding what is best for each individual. Consequently, the same treat- ment is not necessarily used for all people with cancer. Lung cancers are not all alike and pa- tients themselves differ widely in their resistance to the development and spread of the cancer. Some cancers grow and spread rapidly and aggressively whereas others grow slowly, not spreading until very late in the development of the tumor. Similarly, some patients can reject spreading tumor cells and also maintain effective control of the local growth while others cannot. Therefore the doctor decides whether the tumor is one which is best treated surgical- ly, by radiation, by the use of drugs (chemotherapy), or bya combination of these measures. If the tumor is localized so that surgery is advisable, about 30-35 percent of the people who have lung cancer will be alive and well.. fiveeyears after a successful operation. Radiotherapy is considered a betterm of controlling the primary tumor when it cannot be' removed completely or when the patient's health indicates that surgery would be inadvisable. The use of drugs, or chemotherapy,has in the past been used when there is evidence that the tumor has spread to other parts of the body. More recently, chemotherapy has been shown to be particularly helpful in the treatment of the oat cell variant of lung cancer and an increase in long term sur- vivals is now being reported following this = form of treatment. However,_ -overall,' when. all people with cancer of the lung are con- sidered, it is obvious that prevention is the best solution. for not quitting would kill you. THE EXCUSE: "It helps me relax." THE FACTS: You're right, it does. But what you don't realize is that the need to relax is brought on by your smoking. The diehard smoker's nervous system expects tae regular' jolts that nicotine supplies to his system. Deny the nervous system nicotine and it fights back by making the smoker ir- ritable, nervous and tense. So the vicious cy- cle starts again with the next cigarette. Want to really relax? Quit. THE EXCUSE: "I'll gain weight if I quit." THE FACTS: Not necessarily. Only one- third of people who quit actually gain weight. These are 'people who generally substitute ,eating to satisfy their oral crav- ings when they first quit. One-third lose weight - these are people who start a general physical fitness program when . they stop smoking. And one-third do not gain or lose at all. THE EXCUSE: "The link between cigaret- tes and.cancer hasn't really been proven." THE FACTS: You're really kidding yourself e Irod if you str�"'Irding to this olds myt . The evidence linking smoking to lung cancer is overwhelming. One recent report in which over 34,000 men were studied over a 20 year period showed that the annual death rate for lung cancer was . 10 per 100,000 in non- smokers; 104 for smokers. Even more startling were the death rates according to amounts smoked: these were 52 per 100,000 for smokers of fewer than 15 cigarettes a day, 106 for 15 to 24 cigarettes and 224 for those who smoked more than 25 a day. The more you smoke, the bigger the gamble becomes. If you smoke a pack a,day,:accor- ding to the results gathered in a British study, you are more than 20 tunes as likely to get lung cancer than if you didn't smoke at all. THE EXCUSE: "There are lots of. people who smoke. They're not worried, so why should I be?" THE FACTS: Then why is it that more peo- ple are quitting than ever before? Non- smokers now form over 58 percent of the population over the age of 15. A decade ago they had a slender majority, of 51.6 percent; before that there were more adult smokers than non-smokers. If you quit smoking to- day, you're clearly in the majority. THE EXCUSE: "I don't smoke that much so it's okay." THE FACTS: Just cutting down isn't the answer. Even smoking less than 15 cigaret- tes a day, you're 5 times as likely to get lung cancer than a non-smoker according to one study. Is it really worth it? It's also. in- teresting ,to consider the statementfrom, a report by The Royal College of Physicians in London, 1977 "From the study of British Doctors, it may be calculated that the average loss of life of a smoker of 20 cigaret- tes per day is about 5 years." . FUTURE PROGRESS Success in treating lung cancer depends on the type of tumor and the stage at which it is first diagnosed. Research is now being done into diagnostic techniques, and the ear- ly reporting of complaints such as persistent unexplained cough, blood spitting, or repetitive lower respiratory infection should also be encouraged. However, with lung cancer, prevention holds the greatest hope for the future. It is' always more exciting and rewarding to pre- vent disease than to treat it once it has developed. The fact that such a large pro- portion of lung cancer is os clearly related to cigarette smoing emphasizes the need to help those who wish to give up their habit and to encourage young people not to start. Today, only a few smokers have never tried at least once to stop. Techniques of smoking withdrawal have been studied extensively and have proven to be of value. Your doctor can help you with advice about smoking cessation. Efforts ,are also being made : to teach young people the dangers of smoking and to counteract the influence of the tobacco in- dustry's advertising methods. Materials designed to teach people of all ages about good health and the health hazards of smok- ing are available from your local office of the Canadian Cancer Society. THE EXCUSE: "I only smoke those light, low tar cigarettes ... so I'm safe." THE FACTS: Quite the opposite. Many smokers tend to modify their smoking pat- tern according to the strength of the cigarette being smoked. Since a smoker smokes for nicotine, when he switches to a low tar, low nicotine cigarette, he smokes more cigarettes, takes more puffs and in- hales more deeply to compensate for the lower nicotine concentrations in that =cigarette. THE EXCUSE: "If I want to smoke, why don't people just leave me alone and let me do it?" THE FACTS: The evidence is building that your exhaled cigarette smoke can seriously affect the health of others. A recent study of married couples found that your lifespan is shortened if you are a non-smoker married to someone who smokes. What's more, the burden smokers place on society in health care costs due to smoking-related conditions is enormous, not to mention the burden smoking mothers place on unborn children. If you smoke, the chances are much greater that your children will follow your example. and also become smokers. One-third of all fires in Canada are caused by smokers. And. you still think you're not bothering anyone? THE EXCUSE: "I've tried to quit, I just can't." . . THE FACTS: Smokers who can't kick the habit are often viewed unsympathetically because of their apparent lack of will power. "After all," others say, "You just have to make up your mind to quit, and then do it." It's not that easy. While your mind does play a big part in the quitting process, your body is another story. Most smokers have developed a physical dependency on nicotine, as. shown._ _by the __ unpleasant__ withdrawal -symptoms- they experience when they quit. These smokers should con- suit their doctors for advice. New medical aids are available to help break the . actual dependence on nicotine. THE EXCUSE: "After 20 years of smoking the damage is done. Why quit now?" THE FACTS: This fatalistic attitude is com- mon to many smokers who play the lung cancer lottery, but the facts are reasonfor optimism. Death rates among ex-smokers start to decrease about one year atter they stop smoking. Statistics also show that even- tually, ex-smokers take on a low-riskrate close to that of people who have never smok- ed. It's never too late to quit. With Your support, cancer can be beaten. 1 CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY Please give. This information is brought to you with the kind co-operation of the following: REDI'.MIX CONCRETE 0,1 I id R.R. 3 Dashwood, Ont. NOM 1NO Dashwood, 237-3647 Exeter 235-0338 McCANN REDI-MIX INC Ys1.0.1.u.. , %no. 61440.... 6 N.w.6I.mM.. Vn. ICI chev. olds. AIME exeter Main St. South 235-0660 dj IDAZZOlif LTD. Henson 262-2712 imes dvocate Huron County's Largest Circulation Weekly Newspaper Exeter 235-2420 Grand Bend 238-8484 Clinton 482-9747 Goderich 524-2118 CK Realty,, Insurance ,..