Lung cancer patients who quit smoking live longer

Nigerian Compass

People with early lung cancer who quit smoking could double their chances of surviving, a new study says.
Until now, there has been little proof that quitting smoking after developing lung cancer makes any difference to survival.British researchers analysed previous data from 10 studies examining how long smokers survived after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

People with lung cancer who continued smoking had a 29 per cent to 33 per cent chance of surviving five years.

But those who kicked the habit had a 63 per cent to 70 per cent chance of being alive after five years.

The research was published in the BMJ, formerly known as the British Medical Journal.Lung cancer is the top cancer worldwide and the prognosis is usually poor.

Only about seven per cent of patients make it to five years, though about 20 per cent of patients are diagnosed early enough to be treated.

“The message is you should never give up on giving up (smoking),” said Amanda Parsons, of the United Kingdom Centre for Tobacco Control Studies at the University of Birmingham, who led the study.

“Even at the stage where you have been diagnosed with early stage lung cancer ... if you give up smoking, your body can still partially recover and your risk is reduced,” she said.

While some doctors recommend lung cancer patients quit smoking, not all do. Some doctors and nurses “think it is inhuman to dwell on the matter — that it adds to feelings of guilt and takes away a lifelong comfort from the dying patient,” wrote Tom Treasure of the University College London and Janet Treasure of King’s College London in an accompanying editorial in the BMJ.

They said patients and their families should now be told about the study results “because the potential benefit is great.”

The research might also provide some clues on how smoking causes cancer. Scientists aren’t sure if tobacco smoke or nicotine affect lung cancer once it has developed, though there is some evidence they may speed up the disease.

Knowing how cigarettes impact cancer could potentially lead to new treatments, Parsons and colleagues wrote.

The study was paid for by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and other governmental bodies.

SOURCE

Tobacco control bill will safeguard health-C’ttee

BY NASIR IMAM


The new anti-tobacco bill, presently before the National Assembly, is meant to safeguard the health of Nigerians, the FCT Committee on the Ban on Smoking in Public Places has said.

FCT Secretary, Social Development Secretariat, Barrister Habiba Sani Kalgo, who stated this yesterday when she led a delegation on a courtesy call to the Media Trust office, said people should stay away from smoking in order to imbibe a healthy living.

Represented by the Director, Gender Development in the Secretariat, Mrs. Hannatu D. Atar, the Secretary advised youths and adults alike on the dangers of smoking, which, according to her, leads to diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis and heart attack.

Mrs. Atar said membership of the committee cuts across agencies, departments and secretariats in the FCT Administration, called on media houses to partner with the committee in educating and enlightening our youths on the danger of the use of tobacco.

Another member of the committee, who is also the Asst. Director, Tourism, Mr. Samuel Tunde Bello, said the Tobacco Act of 1990 is being used by the committee to enforce the ban in public places such as offices, cinema, public buses, hospitals, schools, etc.

Mr. Olawale Makanjuola, of the Nigeria Tobacco Situation Analysis, at the occasion, said after the public hearing at the National Assembly in July last year, the Health Committee in the House of Representatives is doing a review of the new Anti-Tobacco bill and will soon provide recommendations.

SOURCE

News Alert: Osun State

Osun State government has successfully passed the law prohibiting smoking in public places within the state.

The Journey...

More detail to come...