Had you smoked or quit?

[michellep]

I would like to know how many LC survivors were diagnosed at the time they were still smoking or had they previously quit. I'd also like to hear from people who had never smoked. I'm very curious about this subject because whether it's true or not, I heard that the majority of LC survivors were actually diagnosed "after they had quit smoking". Please tell me your story?

[RandyW]

Debs diagnosis was what made both of us quit finally!!!

[Connie B]

I put them down they day I had my lung removed, I was done....... I support those that quit!

[recce101]

I quit 43 years before I was diagnosed.

Ned

[Barb73]

Bill and I had BOTH quit about five plus years prior to Bill's diagnosis.

That was almost 11 years ago.

Barbara

[chloesmom]

I quit on diagnosis after 27 years of smoking a pack plus daily.

[barbvh]

I never smoked once, but was exposed to 2nd hand smoke ages birth to 18.

[luvmydog2]

My doctor told me I had lung cancer. I left his office and went to my car. I got in and set down and lit me a cigarette. I ask myself "what am I going to do?" I immediately realized there was nothing I could do. That was my last cigarette. That was 6 1/2 years ago and I still have the last 2 pach that I bought in my glovebox (unopened of course).

[jaminkw]

Michelle, I quit years before I was dx'd but had a minor relapse a year or so before. Also, I thought it was interesting that the doctor who told me they found cancer cells said I didn't have "smokers' cancer." It appears that only a small percentage of smokers get NSCLC (mine adenocarcenoma), the largest getting SCLC. But I am hearing lately that adenocarcinoma is "associated with" LC. I don't think we know anymore now than they have been saying for years: Smoking can contribute (cause?) to lung cancer.

Judy in Key West

[Sis]

My Sister never smoked. She was also a teacher and tennis coach, so she was not exposed to second hand smoke in her work environment. Goes to show, lung cancer is NOT just a smokers disease, and can attack anyone.

[Snowflake]

Never smoked.

[Caren]

My dad smoked for many years but quit about 18 years prior to diagnosis. He also had Adenocarcinoma, like Judy and was told that it isn't a smoking related type of LC.

[Patti B]

I quit when I was pregnant with Nick 18 years ago. Of course, I grew up in a smokers household, too.

Hugs - Patti B.

[Connie B]

There is a study that does state the % of non smoker, ex-smoker, smokers but I don't know right now where it is. It did state there are MORE ex-smokers that get lung cancer. That's from an older study, because I have heard this over seveal years now.

[jstdzy]

Michelle,

I smoked for 37 years started at 13yrs old. I smoked all the way to the hospital for my biopsy and woke up missing my ULL and surrounding lymph glads. It was small cell lung cancer. I haven't smoked since 4/28/08.

Dana

[michellep]

"Connie B"]There is a study that does state the % of non smoker, ex-smoker, smokers but I don't know right now where it is. It did state there are MORE ex-smokers that get lung cancer. That's from an older study, because I have heard this over seveal years now.

This is the reason I started this thread. I too have heard that the majority of LC patients were actually former smokers. My husband quit 2 years before diagnosis and it had nothing to do with any type of cough etc. He watched Dr. Oz on television and saw pictures of the lungs etc from smoking. It wasn't until 2 years after quitting that the cough began and the diagnosis was made.

I'm certainly not saying that smoking is a good thing, far from it. I just wonder about why so many doctors assume smoking is the cause. This can't be true since we have many who have never smoked at all. Many things can contribute I believe.....I mean look at the exhaust fumes while driving etc.

Connie, if you ever see that site you mentioned I like to know ok?

[Connie B]

I honestly think you can find this information on the NCI website. There are so many studies today, that it's hard to keep up with them all. And you never know which ones are doing a study for the money or for fact reasons.

Hugs,

Connie

[Connie B]

Here is some information for you.

http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/facing/facts.html

Over 60% of New Cases are never smokers or former smokers, many of whom quit decades ago.

[michellep]

"Connie B"]Here is some information for you.

http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/facing/facts.html

Over 60% of New Cases are never smokers or former smokers, many of whom quit decades ago.

Connie....thank you for the link. I'm just shocked at those stats! It's very interesting and also extremely upsetting to see that lung cancer research has the least funding for all four major cancers. There's got to be something more we can do!

[dianew]

I quit in 1998 when I had my first lung cancer dx. So had quit for 10-1/2 years before this new dx. I read somewhere that it can take up to 10 years for lung cancer to develop -- so I always figured that even if you had quit a few years ago, you were still not out of the woods for quit a long time. But like most, I'm realizing more and more how many other causes and things contribute.

[carolhg]

I quit the day that I was diagnosed.

Carol

[ts]

Never smoked, but grew up with a smoker.

What those stats don't tell you is that the survival rate of never or non-smokers versus smokers. If I recall, those really show a great benefit to having not smoked or stopped.

I also wonder how many smokers get LC and no treatment - a lot more of the 40% Dr. West tweeted about than patients who think they might be cured or have a good chance at survival? If you don't follow him, he stated that >40% of people who are told they have LC are not referred for treatment! How crazy is that?

[Eileen]

If you look at stats into this, research shows that LC actually goes up a little bit when smokers quit

No one knows if that it is because they quit or if they continued smoking cancer would have happened anyway and just a long term effect.

Because more and more people are quitting it is hard to tell.

Although I quit, I know that it will not help me other than my breathing and otherwise health. At this point it will not stop me from getting a new cancer. I smoked for 30 years, I cannot expect all the harm to be gone in 2 and a half years.

But it does wonders for my health and breathing for sure!!!!!

[nonni]

I quit 7 years prior to dx....but to my understanding...my LC was BAC and is not caused by smoking and I agree...their are way way many other things that cause LC besides smoking...so many people have smoked for so many years and are OK...it boggles my mind....and when I did smoke...a pack of ciggerette's lasted me a week...so not heavy at all....Now my girlfriend...years ago her doctor told her her lungs were black from smoking...and now here 20 years still smoking till this day and her lungs are fine....go figure....she IS a breast cancer survivor....

God Bless Us All...

nonni