Tobacco smoking number one cause of lung cancer

Yulit Gordon, Contributor

'Make a Healthy Decision, Quit Smoking Today' is a call to action by the Jamaica Cancer Society in its lung cancer focus for the month of November.

Why should one quit smoking? Why is it a healthy choice that one should make?

According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica Demographic Statistics for 2010, lung cancer claimed the lives of 377 Jamaicans - 296 men and 81 women. There was a 10.3 per cent increase in 2011 with 416 Jamaicans - 319 men and 97 women dying of the disease.

Lung cancer happens to be one of the most preventable forms of cancer deaths in our society. Tobacco use accounts for 30 per cent of all cancer deaths and 87 per cent of lung cancer deaths. Smoking tobacco is the main cause of developing lung cancer.

Risk factors for lung cancer

Smoking

Asbestos exposure

Radon exposure (radon is a colourless, scentless radioactive gas that is found in some houses)

Other environmental factors, for example, industrial gases

Second-hand smoke

A family member who developed lung cancer but who did not have risk factors

Signs and symptoms of lung cancer

Early diagnosis of lung cancer can be difficult because symptoms don't often present themselves aggressively until the disease is in an advanced stage.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, we encourage you to see your health-care provider immediately so that an early diagnosis can take place when treatment is more likely to be effective:

A cough that does not go away or gets worse

Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing

Hoarseness

Weight loss and loss of appetite

Coughing up blood or rust-coloured sputum (spit or phlegm)

Shortness of breath

Feeling tired or weak

Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don't go away or keep coming back

New onset of wheezing

Nutrition and a healthy lifestyle

A healthy diet is one that helps maintain or improve general health. A healthy diet provides the body with essential nutrition: fluid, adequate essential amino acids from protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and adequate calories. The requirements for a healthy diet can be met from a variety of plant-based and animal-based foods.

The Jamaica Cancer Society encourages Jamaicans to eat home-grown produce such as our sweet potatoes, bananas, yams, callaloo, cabbage, turnip, corn, oranges, papayas, apples. It is recommended that we consume three to four servings of fruits each day and three to five servings of vegetables. We also recommend 30 minutes of exercise each day.

Want to quit smoking?

The Jamaica Cancer Society, in association with the American Cancer Society, offers a Fresh Start Smoking Cessation programme to help smokers quit. This is a highly successful programme which provides information, resources and support to smokers who want to quit smoking.

It is a comprehensive four-session group-based course that covers issues such as nicotine addiction, managing withdrawal symptoms, weight control, stress management, recognising and planning for possible obstacles to quitting, staying tobacco free, and enjoying being a non-smoker.

Call the Jamaica Cancer Society at 927-4265 for more information on this programme or visit our website at www.jamaicacancersociety.org.

Yulit Gordon is the executive director of the Jamaica Cancer Society.

Tobacco smoking

Tobacco smoking

- number one cause of lung cancer