Cancer Articles (Dr. S.N White)

Is lung cancer common? Cancer of the lung is the most common cancer among men in the United States and is on the increase among women. All cancers of the lung have a high degree of malignancy. When lung cancer is diagnosed in its earlier stages, of course, the chances of cure are much greater. Small epidermoid carcinomas, for example, can be cured in a large percentage of patients. The other carcinomas are more difficult to cure. The survival rate is better for those persons whose lung cancer is found before it spreads outside the lung. Each year approximately 100,000 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed in the United States. What is the major cause of lung cancer?  The major cause of lung cancer is smoking. It is estimated that smoking causes 85 percent of all lung cancers. Does nicotine chewing gum work in helping to stop smoking? This chewing gum, which must be prescribed by a doctor, is designed for use by smokers who wish to stop smoking cigarettes. Smokers who have a...

What is the best way to chewing tobacco?  You or others you know may have already tried to quit, and relapsed. Don’t let one or two failed attempts stop you from trying again; many chewing tobacco smokers had to try several times to quit. Each failed attempt can be a learning experience, teaching you something you can use on the next try. And if you have decided to quit after experiencing a heart attack or other medical problem, or seeing a friend experience one, your new motivation may be your greatest ally. What is the first step to quit chewing tobacco?  The American Heart Association suggests you set a quit date for yourself, far enough ahead in the future that you have time to prepare yourself. They suggest choosing a significant date to quit a birthday, job change, or other memorable occasion. On the other hand, many people have successfully quit by just stopping, cold turkey, right now. The first step is to evaluate your addiction, estimating how much is phys...

It’s never too late to lower your risk of heart disease. The risk of heart disease rapidly decreases once you stop smoking. In the first twenty four hours after quitting, your blood pressure and pulse return to normal, as do the oxygen and carbon monoxide levels in your blood. This alone relieves some of the extra stress you have been imposing on your heart. Within three months after quitting, you will experience a sharpening of the senses of taste and smell. Your circulation will be improved and your lungs may work at up to 30 percent greater capacity. After a year, your risk of CHD will be about halfway between a smoker’s and a nonsmoker’s. Abnormality of blood clotting due to a higher level of fibrinogen (a component of blood that makes blood clotting, possible) and platelets (particles in the blood that by aggregation make the clots possible) related to smoking will disappear, but it takes longer to undo the damage to the arteries. If your smoking has contributed to plaque de...