03 Mar November 2018 – Cancer Awareness Month
posted 10/19/2018
November Health-bits
November is Lung Cancer Awareness month.
Lung cancer often has no symptoms until it has spread. That is because there are few specialized nerves in the lungs. Remind your doctor of your medical history if you go in for a physical exam. That will enable him to find an accurate diagnosis if you present with particular symptoms. Some symptoms may include: Coughing; blood in sputum; shortness of breath; wheezing; pain in the chest; fatigue; pneumonia; hoarseness; difficulty swallowing; high pitched sound with taking a breath. It can also cause symptoms far from the tumor involving the brain, bone, and liver. There are some encouraging updates regarding lung cancer. They include: the FDA approval of a new drug for people with stage 111 non-small cell lung cancer who can’t have surgery to remove their tumor; American Assoc. for Cancer Research found new ways to use immunotherapy to treat certain types of lung cancer cells; and finally, trends show smoking has declined!! The jury is still out on the effects of E-cigarettes, but NYU School of Medicine finds there is DNA damage in the lungs, bladder and heart, which could increase the risk of cancer and heart disease.
November 19th is The Great American Smokeout.
The rewards of quitting are tremendous and begin immediately! Benefits can begin within 20 minutes of quitting. Quitting tobacco of any kind will improve your health, your finances, your self-esteem and your everyday life. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Most of all, quit using tobacco for the people in your life. You protect those you love from being around second hand smoke. Quit, so you can be around longer and healthier for your family and friends!!!!