Breast Cancer/Smoking

Found this while perusing the news.

MONDAY, Oct. 20 (HealthDayNews) -- Kicking the smoking habit can extend the lives of breast cancer (news - web sites) patients who've been treated with lumpectomies and radiation, says a study by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

The study included 1,039 breast cancer patients, smokers and nonsmokers, treated with lumpectomies and radiation at Fox Chase from March 1970 to December 2002. Median follow-up of the patients was 67 months.

The researchers compared overall survival rates and deaths from breast cancer among the smokers and nonsmokers.

I think a general study will come next - survival rates of smoker/nonsmoker cancer survivors.

Nothings surprising here, but it'd be nice to see some numbers. The alarming statement comes near the end of the short article.

"This analysis shows that smoking, either past or present, was associated with increases in distant metastases and deaths from breast cancer," Fox Chase radiation oncologist Dr. Khanh H. Nguyen says in a prepared statement.

Distant metastases. Spreading far and wide. Exactly what you do NOT want your cancer to do.

Quit now. As if you needed another reason. Cancer's amazingly easy to catch - at any age. No need to go knocking door to door, asking for handouts.

hln

Posted by hln at October 21, 2003 06:29 AM | Health/Fitness/Nutrition | TrackBack