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Myths of Lung Cancer


Treebywater

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Hey All.

Since it's November, I'm planning on blogging quite a bit about LC. One thing I thought I would do is create a series of posts tackling the myths of Lung Cancer.

So... Can you help me think of all the 'myths' we deal with every day?

Already I'm thinking:

Smoking Causes Lung Cancer (taking on the irresponsibility of the word 'cause' vs. 'risk factor)

Quitting Smoking Means You're Not at Risk

Lung Cancer means 'you're doomed.' (Writing about how it's NOT a death sentence).

Since so many advancements have come about in cancer research--why are you so worried about a LC diagnosis? (I felt that a lot when Mom was diagnosed, because everyone knew of several 'cancer success stories (mostly the high profile cancers)' They couldn't get why LC was SO SCARY)

If I'm a Non-Smoker I don't have to worry about Lung Cancer.

Anyway--Any other ideas? I don't get a whole lot of readers... Only 40 or so really regular hits a day... but that's still more people who are aware.

Thanks all!

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If I'm supporting cancer causes (like Am. Cancer Society in general), that's enough...i.e. cancer is cancer, isn't it? or all cancers are created equal.....

Thinking how current LC treatment options/chemo. drug combos seem to have spawned from developments for other cancers and were never initially really developed for the particulars of LC. And besides, if that were true, we wouldn't have earmarked funds for various particular cancers, would we?

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how about..

why should I bother to quit smoking after I have been diagnosed with LC I'm going to die anyway?

From everything I have heard (along with personal expereince): treatments, surgeries etc. are more likely to succeed if the patient is not smoking. In some cases they may not even be offered if a patient is still smoking. Many people are living with LC!!!

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quote: "Thinking how current LC treatment options/chemo. drug combos seem to have spawned from developments for other cancers and were never initially really developed for the particulars of LC. And besides, if that were true, we wouldn't have earmarked funds for various particular cancers, would we?"

Linda, can you explain this? I'm not sure if you are posing a particular myth?

~Karen

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Karen:

The myth is that by supporting cancer in general, no one need worry about LC in particular -- this is a big one with a lot of folks I have run across who believe if they blanket give to places such as Am Cancer Soc. that LC must get enough funding like other cancers do.

What I learned in my research is that LC treatments/drugs are mostly the spawn from things originally discovered in research targeted to other forms of cancer, not for LC itself.

It is very much a myth to believe that support of any cancer covers the needs of them all. Particularly when everyone prefers to really avoid the LC issue.

Linda

P.S. Never heard Snowflake's myth before -- who in the heck came up with that one? :?:shock::?

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I think it's a myth to think that quitting smoking is the best defence against lung cancer because, while quitting reduces your risk, your best bet is being diagnosed while your cancer is at an early stage. Statitically speaking, a smoker diagnosed at stage I has a better prognosis than someone who quit 20 years ago who's cancer is at stage IV when diagnosed.

As long as tobacco is grown and rolled into cigarettes, people will smoke them. Developing new aids for quitting will do nothing for people who don't want to quit. Changing the focus of current funding to early detection instead of smoking prevention would go a long way to saving lives.

Shauna

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