For many years, smoking was suspected of increasing the risk of breast cancer but making this association was difficult as many women who smoke also drink alcohol, which is also a risk factor for breast cancer.

Now a new study conducted by the American Cancer Society provides strong evidence that smoking independently increases the risk of breast cancer. Moreover, the researchers found that women who started smoking before the onset of menstruation had a shocking 61% increased risk of breast cancer compared to women who had never smoked.

Other findings:

• Women who started smoking after their period had started but 11 or more years before giving birth had a 45% higher risk of breast cancer, compared to nonsmokers.
• Among the 73,000 women included in the study data and follow up, the incidence of invasive breast cancer was 24%t higher in current smokers and 13% higher in former smokers, compared to those that never smoked.

Young Women at Risk

Experts believe breast tissue may be more susceptible to toxic exposures before a woman gives birth the first time compared to after, said Mia Gaudet, director of genetic epidemiology at the American Cancer Society.

Despite studies like this linking smoking to cancer and other health risks such as heart disease and stroke the American Lung Association estimates that every day 3,900 children under 18 years of age try their first cigarette and more than 950 of them will become regular daily smokers. Of those, half will ultimately die from their habit.

It begs the question: what more can be done to communicate the risks of smoking to young people?

Source:

Health Day

A landmark study published this week indicates that smoking can cut a decade off your life, but quitting before age 35 may give it back.

The research also revealed that the death rate for current smokers is three times higher than those who never smoked. Most of these smoking-related deaths were due to cancer, heart disease, stroke and respiratory diseases.

Another troubling trend confirmed in the study was the fact that women’s death rates from smoking, which had lagged behind men for decades, now match men’s.

Benefits for Non-Smokers, Quitters

On the flip side, non-smokers are twice as likely to live to age 80 compared to smokers.

The good news in this study is that the sooner you quit, the more years you may get back. According to the data, here’s how quitting can extend your life compared to someone who keeps smoking:

• adult smokers who quit at ages 25 to 34 may get up to 10 years back
• quitting by ages 35 to 44 could give you nine years more
• if you quit by ages 45 to 54 you may gain six years back
• stop smoking by age 64 and you could add four years to your life

Solid Research

The size and scope of this study make the results particularly impactful. American, Canadian and British scientists analyzed data on the smoking status of nearly 217,000 adults between 1997 and 2004.

Prior smoking studies are now decades old or didn’t represent the entire population. Since smoking among women didn’t peak until the 1980s, this research is the first to really capture the true impact of smoking among men and women.

Deadly Impact

Despite a decline in the overall smoking rate, which is now at 19.3% among adults, there are still 45.3 million smokers in this country and 443,000 deaths attributed to smoking each year.

When you consider that these figures don’t take into account the number of people exposed to second- and third-hand smoke, the deadly impact of smoking may be significantly underestimated.

Sources:

Medline / HealthDay

Los Angeles Times

Many cancers have few, if any, symptoms--which is why it’s important to have regular check-ups and discuss appropriate screenings with your doctor. This is especially true of head and neck cancers which are on the rise. Over 50,000 new cases of oral, head and neck cancers are expected this year and over 12,000 people will lose their life to these cancers.

As part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week® (OHANCAW®), April 22-28, we are sharing information about these cancers and promoting prevention and early detection through free screenings.

Signs and Symptoms   

Most oral cancers develop on the lips, tongue or the floor of the mouth. They also may occur inside your cheeks, on your gums or on the roof of your mouth. Other head and neck cancers arise from the voice box or throat. Some signs and symptoms include:

• A sore in your mouth that doesn't heal or that increases in size
• Persistent pain in your mouth
• Lumps or white or red patches inside your mouth
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing or moving your tongue
• Soreness in your throat or feeling that something is caught in your throat
• Changes in your voice
• A lump in your neck

If you have any of the above warning signs, do not wait for the free screenings. Seek medical attention immediately.   

Risk Factors   

Tobacco (including smokeless tobacco) and alcohol use are the most important risk factors for oral, head and neck cancers, particularly those of the tongue, mouth, throat and voice box. Eighty-five percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone.

Anyone can develop thyroid cancers, although a family history or exposure to radiation is often a factor. Salivary gland cancers do not seem to be associated with any particular cause.

Researchers have attributed the increase of head and neck cancer incidence in young adults, a group traditionally at low risk, to the human-papillomavirus (HPV. Many studies support that oropharyngeal cancers -- those affecting the tonsils, back of the mouth (throat) and base of the tongue -- have been on the rise since the mid-1980s, and currently 50-70 percent of these cases are caused by HPV infection. Many studies show that patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers are more responsive to treatment and have better survival rates than HPV-negative patients.

Who Should Get Screened?

Every adult should get screened as the incidence of head and neck cancers are increasing, even in non-smokers. The screenings are quick, painless, and designed to advance early diagnosis, which can lead to better outcomes.

Free screenings will be offered at more than 300 participating institutions worldwide. Visit www.OHANCAW.com for a list of participating sites and for more information.

Source:

Head and Neck Cancer Alliance

Every day over 400 people die of lung cancer making it more deadly than breast, prostate, colon and pancreatic cancer combined.

We are joining many other organizations in raising awareness of the lung cancer during national Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Through various events and media, organizers hope to bring much-needed attention to this common form of cancer.

Facts About Lung Cancer

According to The Lung Cancer Alliance, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States among every ethnic group, which equals 1 in every 3 cancer cases. Over 60% of new cases are individuals who were former smokers (many of whom quit decades ago) or people who are non-smokers. One in five women and one in twelve men diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked.

Symptoms of lung cancer vary, and many individuals who develop lung cancer show show no symptoms until the disease has advanced into late stages. Some lung cancer symptoms include:

• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Wheezing
• Pain in the chest, shoulder, upper back, or arm
• Coughing up blood
• Repeated pneumonia or bronchitis
• Loss of appetite (anorexia) and weight loss
• Hoarseness
• Swelling of face or neck

Advise your physician of your medical and social history at each physical examination to assist in a prompt and accurate diagnosis.

Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States, yet more than 46 million Americans still smoke. However, more than half of these smokers have attempted to quit for at least one day in the past year.

Pledge to Quit Smoking

On November 17th, the American Cancer Society is marking the 36th annual “Great American Smokeout.” On this day, smokers are encouraged to either quit smoking or make a plan to quit.

Whether you are a smoker, former smoker or non-smoker, remember that lung cancer can affect us all and pledge to take care of your health in November and always.

Sources:

The Lung Cancer Alliance

The American Cancer Society

I find it more than a little coincidental and rather interesting that, prior to the latest Dietary Guidelines for America from the USDA and Department of Health and Human Services calling for cutbacks in sugar, solid fats and salt, a study hitting the MSM demonstrated how salty foods can affect the arteries of healthy people only a half-hour after eating them.

Sixteen healthy patients (evenly divided into two groups) received either a low-salt cup of tomato soup or one with 10 times the amount of salt, then had their blood pressures checked at half-hour intervals over a two-hour period. As the blood pressure cuff deflated, Australian researchers also used ultrasonic equipment to measure the size of their arteries. Later, the same tests were repeated with patients switching tomato soup snacks.

Patients who ate the salty soup each time consistently experienced the same problem with their arteries: Their ability to widen diminished by nearly 50 percent after just 30 minutes. Scientists theorize fats and salt may block the release of nitric oxide, a substance that allows the walls of arteries to relax, thus allowing vessels to expand and blood to follow more freely throughout the body. Although this narrowing was temporary (lasting two hours), medical experts believe consistently higher salt intakes leave folks vulnerable to hypertension down the road.

From a health benefit perspective, the effect of cutting your salt intake by 3 grams is similar to giving up smoking. So, what's stopping you?

Journal of Clinical Nutrition January 12, 2011

MSNBC January 27, 2011

Yahoo News January 31, 2011

MyFoxDetroit.com January 27, 2011

Despite all the physical (cancer, emphysema) and emotional (what disease steals from us, and often way too soon) harm to the contrary, Americans persist in looking for "safer" ways to smoke tobacco, with hookahs and e-cigarettes being the most popular lately among urban hipsters.

I wonder, however, if our younger ones would be so quick to light up if they knew a pack of cigarettes cost them more than $100, instead of the $4-7 they pay at the "convenience" store? After factoring in the risk of premature death, according to a cost-benefit analysis done by Spanish researchers, that single pack of 20 cigarettes escalates in cost to about $105 for women and $149 for men.

Among the variables that affected the actual costs: The economic impact of lost retail sales and wages and social issues, not to mention soaring health care costs. Interestingly, the differences in dollars between the sexes have to do with the disparity in wages between women and men in addition to how many cigarettes the dedicated smoker burns in his/her mouth every day.

Smoking, along with obesity, were cited as two of the main contributors to shortening the average American's lifespan in a recent report by the Commonwealth Fund. Although the authors said obesity and smoking couldn't explain those reductions in survival rates completely, I'm wondering if the persistent presence of both in a person's life could…

Toronto Sun October 8, 2010

ScienceDaily October 7, 2010

Treating disease with the whole foods we eat -- one of the principles behind angiogenesis -- has garnered much attention lately, from walnuts slowing the growth of prostate cancer to the active ingredient in chili peppers lowering blood pressure.

The same analogy rings somewhat true in a recent study that tracked the incidence of lung cancer among 450,000 European adults, along with the variety of fruits and vegetables they consumed, their medical histories, jobs, physical activity and alcohol and tobacco use.

Although quitting smoking goes a long way toward shrinking one's risks of lung cancer, what about those who love it despite all the risks? Eating a diverse variety of vegetables and fruits was associated with a declining risk of lung cancer among smokers.

Merely eating a salad and a piece of fruit every day isn't nearly enough to do the trick, however. Patients were tracked over the course of the nine-year study and categorized based on the diversity of fruits and veggies they ate. Smokers who consumed the most -- at least 23 and as many as 40 -- over a two-week period stood a 27 percent greater chance of sidestepping squamous cell lung cancer, the kind that amounts to some 30 percent of all lung cancers, compared to those who ate the least (nine or fewer).

Although scientists didn't pinpoint a magic ingredient that protects the lungs of smokers from cancer, they did admit the combination of chemicals interacting in the human body may have been key, again, supporting the theory of angiogenesis.

If you've been considering adding variety to your diet, do your best to seek out affordable locally grown and organic foods as often as possible for your good health.

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention August 31, 2010 Free Full Text PDF

Bloomberg Businessweek August 31, 2010

It's hard to imagine cutting out anything as small as a half-teaspoon of anything in your daily diet would make an impact on your health as great as reducing your risk of heart attack or even death. As we've observed time and again in this space, however, making the simplest changes -- like eating foods more slowly -- can have a huge impact on your health for the positive.

That's why we're far less skeptical than some of you may be about the impact of reducing your salt intake by just a half-teaspoon, based on the results culled from the Coronary Heart Disease Policy Model, a digital simulation of heart disease among adults used by scientists to predict the benefits derived from making changes to the collective diets of Americans.

Saving the lives of some 92,000 Americans and preventing nearly 100,000 heart attacks, merely by reducing one's salt intake by 3 grams isn't just the healthy thing to do (although it's comparable to the effect of quitting smoking). The projected savings to the nation's spiraling-out-of-control health care tab by reducing salt alone may save as much as $24 BILLION.

If you like to add salt liberally to your foods, this single change should be a fairly easy one to make. Making this change may be a bit tricky for some folks, however, who don't add salt to anything (that's me). For example, an average 14-ounce can of green beans contains nearly 1,300 mg of salt.

All the more reason for me and you to pay closer attention to nutritional labels, particularly the salt that hides in processed foods.

New England Journal of Medicine January 20, 2010 Free Full Text Study

EurekAlert January 20, 2010

As you know, it's virtually impossible to elude constant warnings about all the dangers associated with smoking, from very explicit labeling on cigarette packaging to public service announcements aired 24/7 on broadcast media. But it hasn't stopped folks from looking for "safer" alternatives to smoking anyway, like the e-cigarette, a product that contains, not only nicotine, but an toxic assortment of goodies, like a compound used to produce antifreeze.

You can add the hookah, a waterpipe that has been used in the Middle East and Asia for centuries and has grown in popularity among young American adults over the past decade, as equally hazardous to one's health.

Scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University and American University of Beirut launched the study to compare which delivery system -- cigarettes or hookah pipes -- exposed 31 patients between ages 18-50 to more toxic substances over two 45-minute sessions, while measuring nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in their blood.

Although the levels of nicotine at their peak didn't vary, patients were exposed to far more carbon monoxide when smoking a hookah. Compared to cigarettes, the amount of carbon monoxide found in the blood of patients at the peak waterpipe COHb level (the amount bound to red blood cells) was three times greater. Patients inhaled some 48 times more smoke when using a hookah too.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Vol. 37, No. 6, pp. 518-523, December 2009

ABC News December 7, 2009

EurekAlert December 2, 2009

If you've thought about curbing your smoking habit with the help of the electronic cigarette or e-cigarette -- a lithium battery-powered device that generates inhaled doses of nicotine by delivering a vaporized propylene glycol/nicotine solution -- you may want to sidestep this potentially toxic alternative, according to reports issued by the FDA.

Made overseas (primarily in China) and sold by two U.S. companies, e-cigarettes contained not only the highly addictive nicotine but -- depending on the batch -- various carcinogens, including nitrosamines, and diethylene glycol, a compound used to make antifreeze.

Although the FDA blocked e-cigarettes from being imported to the U.S. in March, kits ranging from $99-130 that come with a "pack" of five cartridges containing varying levels of nicotine can be purchased in stores and online. Even more alarming, cartridges come in flavors, such as bubblegum, chocolate and mint, that may attract kids and young adults looking for a "safer" alternative to smoking, the FDA says.

The status of e-cigarettes in America remains very much up in the air, with the FDA seizing shipments at its borders and Florida-based Smoking Everywhere's recent lawsuit arguing that the agency overreached by banning shipments and insisting their product be evaluated through the typical drug approval process. Meanwhile, the market for e-cigarettes has grown into a $100 million industry, according to the Electronic Cigarette Association.

The Baltimore Sun July 27, 2009

healthfinder.gov July 22, 2009

The Detroit News July 7, 2009

If you haven't done it today, pat yourself on the back for a job well done and enjoy a healthier, happier life to boot. The good news: Cancer rates are dropping in America, according to the numbers compiled by the American Cancer Society in their latest Cancer Statistics 2009 report.

Advances, treatments and prevention have saved about 650,000 lives over the past 15 years alone in America, or the population of a city the size of Washington, D.C. In the prevention arena, smoking cessation is the key factor to lower rates of cancer and continued reductions down the line.

Still, Americans can't rest on these good numbers. Experts believe it is difficult to develop new strategies to decrease cancer and treat it effectively, as evidenced by far larger drops in mortality rates among patients battling cardiovascular problems over the very same 15-year span.

Nevertheless, the following numbers compiled by the American Cancer Society are a step in the right direction:

* From 1990-2005, mortality rates among male (19.2 percent) and female (11.4 percent) cancer patients fell by double digits.

* Declines in breast cancer and colorectal cancer were responsible for drops in cancer rates among women while the incidence of colorectal, lung and prostate cancer contributed to falling rates among men.

* The survival rate over a five-year period for children diagnosed with cancer jumped to 80 percent, a whopping 22 percent improvement over rates reported in the mid 70s.

ABC News May 28, 2009

Reuters May 27, 2009