| Lung Cancer - Stop Smoking Now! |
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Smoking continues to be the leading cause of lung cancer. More than 87% of lung cancers are caused by smoking. Secondhand smoke also causes lung cancer. Unlike many other cancers, the death rates for lung cancer have NOT declined. In fact, lung cancer will kill over 154,000 Americans this year. It kills more people than breast, prostrate, colon, and pancreas cancers, combined.
Lung cancer is so deadly because when the cancer is detected, 60% of the time it has already spread outside the lungs to other parts of the body. Lesser risk factors include a family history of lung cancer, and exposure to cancer-causing agents in the workplace or home environment.
DON'T LET ANOTHER YEAR GO UP IN SMOKE:
Most smokers (7 out of 10!) want to quit. Make 2004 the year that it happens. Here are some helpful tips:
1.) Zero the Hero! 0 cigarettes = 0 cigarettes
Smoking even a few cigarettes a day damages your health. If you try to smoke fewer cigarettes, but do not stop completely, soon you will be smoking the same amount again. Also, "light" cigarettes are a lie. You will find yourself smoking deeper and more frequently to get the same amount of nicotine. The only choice is to quit completely or keep on smoking.
2.) Make a list of reasons you want to quit. Do you want to:
feel in control of your life? feel stronger? have more energy for the day? set a good example for your kids? protect your kids from secondhand smoke? Really wanting to quit is the single most important factor in quitting successfully. Smokers who live through a heart attack are the most likely to succeed because they are really motivated. Find a reason for quitting before you have no choice.
3.) Know, accept, and prepare for the fact that quitting will be TOUGH.
However, HALF THE BATTLE of quitting smoking is realizing you need to quit! This realization will help you deal with the symptoms of withdrawal. Smokers who use an aid to help them quit are TWICE as likely to succeed! However, there is no magic bullet, no easy way. Give yourself a month to get over feelings of loss, anger, anxiety, and depression. Take it one day at a time, even one minute at a time, whatever you need to succeed.
4.) Half of all smokers alive today have quit, so you can too.
All these people did not necessarily quit forever, but each attempt to quit smoking builds confidence, experience, and insight to the final goal of quitting for good. Studies show most smokers require multiple attempts to get the job done. Keep trying!
5.) Get help if you need some!
- Call a friend when you need to talk, it distracts you from thinking about smoking.
- Talk to your doctor and dentist, they will reinforce you.
SMOKERS GET SICK MORE OFTEN!
MARS 2003 OTC/DRC Study showed the following results:
29% of smokers had difficulty sleeping,
compared with 3% of the general population.
28% of smokers suffer sinus congestion or headaches regularly,
compared with 8% of the general population.
33% of smokers have abnormally high blood pressure,
compared with 15% of the general population.
28% of smokers suffer colds and cough regularly,
compared with 7% of the general population.
21% of smokers suffer migraine headaches,
compared with 4% of the general population.
34% of smokers suffer disabling fatigue,
compared with 2% of the general population.
SMOKERS: Participate in the National Lung Screening Trial
Are you a current or former smoker between the ages of 55 and 74? If so, you may be able to participate in a free clinical trial funded by the National Cancer Institute NCI. The study will determine if screening individuals at high risk for lung cancer - before they have symptoms - can reduce lung cancer deaths. The screening involves either spiral CT scan or standard chest X-rays. The trail will enroll 50,000 participants at about 30 different test sites across the nation. It is designed for current of former smokers within the specified age group who have smoked heavily for many years. Local hospital sites include University of Iowa. Potential participants should be in good general health, must not have a history of lung cancer, and must not have been treated for, or had any evidence of, cancer in the last 5 years. An exception is made for those that have been treated for non-melanoma skin cancer. Participants also cannot be enrolled in any other cancer screening trial, and must not have had a CT scan of the chest for 18 months. There will be no cost for the CT scan or X-ray screenings.
To receive more information, call the University of Iowa Holden Cancer Information Service at 1-800-237-1225 or 319-356-3000.
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