| When Dana Reeve, widow of actor Christopher | | | | people). Some of these agents are being investigated |
| Reeve, died of lung cancer, the stories of her death | | | | as single agents; others are being tested in |
| pointed out that she didn't smoke. She was young, | | | | combinations of two drugs. Chemoprevention trials |
| only 44; she had nursed her paralyzed husband for | | | | look at possible ways to prevent cancer with |
| eight years; she left a | | | | interventions that include drugs, vitamins, diet, |
| 13-year-old son an orphan. And how could she have | | | | hormone therapy, or other agents. |
| gotten lung cancer? She had never smoked.Lung | | | | The American Cancer Society (ACS) has set |
| cancer is often preventable, and it is usually fatal. | | | | aggressive challenge goals for the nation to decrease |
| Unfortunately I will also become a victim of this | | | | cancer incidence and mortality--and to improve the |
| disease. Not for myself, but a victim because I am a | | | | quality of life of cancer survivors--by the year 2015. |
| friend of a lung cancer person. One of my very | | | | To address these critical goals, the ACS publishes the |
| dearest friends will undergo a lung operation this | | | | Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines to serve as a |
| coming Tuesday. | | | | foundation for its communication, policy, and |
| Be cautious of any information or claims obtained | | | | community strategies and ultimately, to affect |
| from unmonitored sources, in particular the Internet. | | | | dietary and physical activity patterns among |
| The Internet can be an empowering source of | | | | Americans. |
| information, but a healthcare professional should be | | | | These guidelines, published every five years, are |
| consulted before making medical decisions. | | | | developed by a national panel of experts in cancer |
| What is cancer? | | | | research, prevention, epidemiology, public health, and |
| Cancer is a disease that starts in our cells. Our bodies | | | | policy, and as such, they represent the most current |
| are made up of millions of cells, grouped together to | | | | scientific evidence related to dietary and activity |
| form tissues or organs. Genes inside each cell order it | | | | patterns and cancer risk. The ACS guidelines are |
| to grow, work, reproduce and die. | | | | consistent with guidelines from the American Heart |
| Normally, our cells remain healthy. Sometimes a cell's | | | | Association for the prevention of coronary heart |
| instructions get mixed up and it behaves abnormally. | | | | disease as well as for general health promotion, as |
| After a while, groups of abnormal cells can circulate in | | | | defined by the Department of Health and Human |
| the blood or immune system, or they can form lumps | | | | Services' 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. |
| or tumours. | | | | In 2006 there will be an estimated 174,470 new |
| Tumours can be either benign (non-cancerous) or | | | | cases of lung cancer and an estimated 162,460 |
| malignant (cancerous). Benign tumour cells stay in one | | | | Americans will die from the disease. |
| place in the body and are not usually life-threatening. | | | | The American Cancer Society offers support and |
| Malignant tumour cells are able to invade the tissues | | | | hope for people diagnosed with lung cancer and their |
| around them and spread to other parts of the body. | | | | families as well as resources to help smokers quit 24 |
| Cancerous cells that spread to other parts of the | | | | hours a day, 7 days a week, including its own |
| body are called metastases. The first sign that a | | | | Quitline, which since its launch in May 2000 has |
| malignant tumour has spread is often swelling of | | | | provided services to more than 150,000 callers. For |
| nearby lymph nodes, but cancer can metastasize to | | | | more information, call 800-ACS-2345 or visit |
| almost any part of the body. It is important to find | | | | Lung cancer chemoprevention - Why does it not |
| malignant tumours early and treat them. | | | | work?From the National Cancer Center. |
| Cancers are named after the part of the body | | | | Common wisdom is that vitamin in fruits and |
| where they start. For example, cancer that starts in | | | | vegetables prevent cancer. However, trials of |
| the colon but spreads to the liver is called colon | | | | supplementing vitamins like vitamin A analogues |
| cancer with liver metastases. | | | | (retinoids: beta-carotene, retinol, retinyl palmitate, or |
| There are four main types of lung cancer: small cell | | | | isotretinoin) or vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), did not |
| lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, large cell | | | | prevent lung cancer in smokers. Randomised trials in |
| carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Tobacco smoking is | | | | all the three settings: primary (healthy high-risk e.g. |
| strongly linked to the first three but only weakly | | | | smokers), secondary (pre-malignant lesions), and |
| linked to adenocarcinoma. However, this type of lung | | | | tertiary (prevention of second primary tumours in |
| cancer has been linked to the use of low-tar | | | | previously treated patients), have produced negative |
| cigarettes. | | | | results (either neutral or harmful). |
| The best means of prevention is to never start | | | | Chemoprevention trials were prompted by |
| smoking or using chewing tobacco, or to stop using | | | | relationship between diet and lung cancer. Diet rich in |
| tobacco products. A healthy diet is an important part | | | | foliage vitamins was protective against lung cancer - |
| of prevention. | | | | as demonstrated in a recent Dutch study of 939 |
| The outlook varies by cell type and stage of the | | | | patients. Similarly, higher blood level of |
| disease. In general, the prognosis is better for | | | | ß-carotene is linked to a lower risk of lung |
| squamous cell cancers than for adenocarcinomas. | | | | cancer. Nonetheless, intervention trials failed to show |
| Early detection is key to better chances of survival. | | | | a reduced risk in lung cancer by consuming |
| According to the American Lung Association, 87 | | | | ß-carotene. A phase III trial, the |
| percent of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. | | | | Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene (ATBC) |
| Another 12 percent are linked to radon exposure. | | | | [beta-carotene (20 mg/d), alpha-tocopherol (50mg/d)] |
| Only 15 percent of people diagnosed with the disease | | | | indicated significant increases in lung cancer incidence |
| will still be alive five years after the diagnosis; 60 | | | | (18%) and no effect on lung cancer mortality (risk |
| percent die within the first year. What is | | | | ratio, 0.99). |
| Chemoprevention? For individuals who demonstrate | | | | Another study, CARET, had a 28% increase in lung |
| the greatest risk, researchers are currently | | | | cancer with vitamin treatment. Similarly, in both |
| conducting several new trials to test the use of | | | | Euro-scan and the US-Lung Intergroup Trial (both |
| natural and synthetic substances to prevent | | | | testing retinoids in tertiary prevention), results were |
| development of the disease. This new research has | | | | neutral. |
| been coined, chemoprevention. | | | | Disclaimer: please. Any information is for general |
| The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) | | | | entertainment and educational purposes only, and |
| chemoprevention research effort started in the early | | | | should not be construed as medical advice, medical |
| 1980s and has grown considerably since that time. | | | | opinion, diagnosis or treatment. Any information |
| Currently, approximately 400 compounds are being | | | | provided by this web site is not a substitute for |
| studied as potential chemopreventive agents, mainly | | | | actual medical attention. Always promptly consult |
| in laboratory research. Over 40 of these compounds | | | | your licensed health-care professional for medical |
| are being studied in clinical trials (research studies with | | | | advice and treatment. |