Tuesday January 24, 2012
I read an interesting study this morning about smokers who continue to smoke despite being diagnosed with cancer. A study featured in the medical journal Cancer analyzed data from lung and colon cancer patients and the results were not exactly encouraging. Researchers studied 5,300 lung and colon cancer patients and found that many smokers continue to smoke, even though they knew it was especially crucial during treatment.
(This Hollywood actress stirred controversy when she was caught smoking after a double mastectomy)
Of the 5,300 participants, 39 percent of lung cancer patient smoked when diagnosed. When researchers followed up five months later, 14 percent continued to smoke. At the onset of diagnosis, 19 percent of colon cancer patients smoked. Five months later, 9 percent failed to kick the habit.
We are all aware of the dangers of smoking. In people undergoing cancer treatment, it can greatly affect the treatment outcome. Smoking can interfere with the effectiveness of treatment, aggravate side effects like stomach upset, and generally affect survival rate.
Smokers in the study continued to smoke despite knowing the risks. Some may call it being cavalier about their health, but I am not certain that is always the case. If you have never had an addiction like smoking, it is hard to understand the power of addiction. And smoking is one of the most powerful addictions. But, it's an addiction that can be broken with hard work and good support.
If you are a smoker, it's never to late to quit -- even if it has affected your health! Your body immediately reaps the rewards of being smoke free. Need help kicking the habit? Click over to About.com's Quit Smoking site, where you'll find an abundance of tips to quit and receive much needed support from former smokers.
Monday January 23, 2012
A new study published in the journal Pediatrics has found that kids are using sunscreen as much as they should be. Researchers surveyed 360 ten year olds in 2004, asking questions about whether they had suffered from a sunburn the previous summer, how often they spend in the sun, and also whether they liked having a tan or spent time outdoors to get a tan. The kids were surveyed again three years later and the results were startling.
Over 50 percent of the kids reported having a sunburn in 2004 and also in 2007. Additionally, in 2004 50 percent of the children stated they used sunscreen in the summer when outdoors for 6 hours or more "Always" or "Often", but in 2007, only 25 percent reported doing so. Again, three years later, more participants stated they liked tanning and went outdoors to get a tan.
I think a lot of the responsibility of sunscreen use relies on the parents. At 10 years of age, most kids are not that health focused to use sunscreen on their own or reapply it in a timely manner. It a parent's job to remind a child to put on sunscreen and help apply it properly and to encourage and remind them of reapplication throughout the day. Hopefully, with consistent use, when a child is a teen, he or she will continue this healthy habit on their own into adulthood.
However, when we have shows like The Jersey Shore and other shows featuring uber tan girls and guys, pale is considered to be unattractive by a lot of teens. This leads to using tanning beds and obsessively tanning outdoors, which put them at risk of developing sunburns, which could lead to melanoma later in life. The UV exposure also puts them at risk of less fatal, yet potentially serious skin cancers like basal cell carcinoma.
Monday January 23, 2012
CNN is reporting that Hugo Chavez is still battling cancer, despite survivorship claims from the Venezuelan president. According to ABC News in Spain, cancer has spread to Chavez's spine and bones and he has nine months left to live. Unsurprisingly, Venezuelan officials are denying the news report. Read the news article from CNN.
Just weeks ago, Chavez made headlines when he suggested that the US has been using cancer as a biological weapon against South American leaders. Read more
Chavez's privacy efforts, regardless of the motivation, made me think about how the public reacts to public figures and celebrities with cancer. Do you think they have a social responsibility to inform the public of a disease diagnosis like cancer? Leave your thoughts in the 'Comments' section below.
Sunday January 22, 2012
Legendary Penn State football coach, Joe Paterno, has died following a battle with lung cancer. Paterno had been hospitalized from complications related to the disease since January 13th. He was 85. Read the Paterno family's statement about his death.
Paterno's diagnosis came in November following a bronchial illness, according to a statement released by the family. Little details were released about the illness, such as the stage or treatment methods, but it was speculated that the cancer was discovered early, as the statement referred to his cancer being a "treatable" form. Lung cancer is often diagnosed in later stages, which can severely limit treatment options.
