Lung Cancer, something so prevalent in today’s society affects so many, yet each day people continue to increase their chances of obtaining this disease by the simple act of lighting up a cigarette. Something that seems so insignificant but with each puff of that Marlborough or Parliament, increases the growth of cell tissue In the Lungs. The disease itself is caused by tobacco smoke in 80-90 percent of smokers and the remaining percentage is due to pollution, second hand smoke, and genetic factors. The growth of these cells cannot be controlled and untreated, leads to other portions of the body.
The origin of Lung Cancer came long before it was classified as a disease in 1961. A physician, Fritz Linkint, who resided in Germany, made the connection between cigarette smoke leading to Lung cancer in 1929. Analyzing how long ago this connection was made and yet it is still a growing issue around the world is rather disturbing. Radon gas, an ingredient in cigarettes, was discovered to cause cancer as miners were exposed to this while working and a growing number of these miners in the Oreo Mountains became ill with Lung Cancer. However, the smoking epidemic did not falter (wikipedia).
The way in which Lung Cancer affects the body is as follows. The way the cancer moves through the body has been classified into what’s known as the TNM classification. Carcinomas are the term used to refer to the immense variety of Lung Cancers. There are three sub groups, which make up Lung Cancer. The largest would be Adenocarcinoma, the next Squamous, and finally the smallest sub group is small Cell Carcinoma. Lung cancer, when not initially detected from common symptoms of couching, couching up blood, difficulty breathing, leads to a tumor.
Upon this tumor, the cancer can spread among organs and throughout the body when initial treatment or even recognition of the disease is not obtained. Additionally, smoking prevents people from hunger pains, and alters their metabolism making weight loss an additional, but more miniscule symptom (Smokers Lungs). Additionally according to a smokers preventative website, tobacco smoke transcends to “Cancer of the mouth, throat and the esophagus then becomes not only a possibility, but is so much a probability that it becomes an inevitability (Smokers Lungs).
” Aside from death being the harshest reality of smoking, poor dental hygiene, infertility, loss of athleticism is amongst other repercussions. The treatment of Lung Cancer first arose with the use of radiation in the 1950’s. Then following radiation came chemotherapy in the 1970’s. Both were not complete cures for the disease but preventative methods in the spread of these uncontrolled cells cause by cigarette smoke. Today such techniques exist in the early stages such as nicotine gum, patches, electronic cigarettes, some people even resort to therapy, hypnotism or even an acupuncturist.
In the later more severe circumstances, other treatments are present depending on the level, and stage the cancer has progressed to. Aside from chemotherapy and radiation surgery can be an alternative, which is categorized into three types. Foremost, Wedge Resection is when a surgeon takes out the Tumor as well as any cancerous tissue close or around that tumor. Second, is Lobectomy where in the lung, only a lobe is cut out. Finally, the more severe surgery is where the entire lung is taken out known as Pneumonectomy (Eldridge, Lynn).
Tobacco itself is a multi billion-dollar corporation making the elimination of it a constant battle. Camel being the leading seller in 1950 at the early stages of this tobacco war was selling 98. 2 billion (Borio, 1). Additionally, the use of tobacco varies by area. Just three years ago while visiting Texas it was uncanning to see people smoking inside bars, something that was abolished from our Massachusetts bars years prior. Upon traveling to Paris, France right now one could still light up a cigarette with friends over a cocktail at a bar and not a soul would flinch.
The reasoning behind my decision to opt for this, rather common topic arises from my personal struggle with smoking cigarettes. I have newly begun purchasing electronic cigarettes, which are allowed in bars, and provide the same oral fixation, that most smokers crave. The dilemma with this is while it momentarily fulfilling the temptation for a cigarette is imprinted on my mind, and additionally triggered by bystanders with cigarettes, as well as under the influence of alcohol.
Thus, in writing this research paper, my eyes were opened to the growing issue, both growing within my lungs if I continue this addiction, but also the growing problem in today’s society. In saying that, I aim to make a conscious effort to limit my daily cigarettes and ultimately a goal of refraining completely. Lung cancer is something I can chose not to be burdened with and this paper has lead me to make that conscious choice.
Borio, Gene. http://archive. tobacco. org/resources/history/tobacco_history20-2. html http://smokerslungs. org/lung-cancer-effects http://lungcancer. about. com/od/treatmentoflungcancer/a/treatmentlungca. htm.