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