10 myths about lung cancer, busted

You may think you know everything there is to know about lung cancer. You don’t smoke, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Or maybe you’re on the other side of the coin. You’ve already been diagnosed, so you figure you may as well keep smoking. What good is quitting now?

These are just two of the myths surrounding lung cancer.

It’s time to debunk ten myths surrounding lung cancer. Learning the truth could save your life…

Top 10 myths about lung cancer

Myth #1: It’s too late if you’ve smoked for years. The minute you quit smoking, your body reacts. No matter how long you’ve been at it, your circulation will improve and your lungs will start working better.

Not only that, but your risk of early death will plummet. Studies show that ten years after you kick the habit, your risk of dying from lung cancer drops by 50 percent.

Myth #2: Low tar or “light” cigarettes are safer than regular. This is just straight-out not true. And beware of menthol cigarettes. Some research suggests that the cooling sensation prompts you to inhale more deeply, causing more damage and making them harder to quit.

Myth #3: It’s OK to smoke pot. Smoking marijuana raises your lung cancer risk, as well as your risk for heart attack and stroke. And if you also smoke cigarettes, consider your risk of lung cancer even greater.

Myth #4: Antioxidant supplements protect you. Not necessarily. One unexpected research finding has been a higher risk of lung cancer among smokers who took beta-carotene. Talk to your doctor before taking supplements, and get your antioxidants the natural way – from fruits and vegetables.

Myth #5: Pipes and cigars aren’t a problem. If you really think about it, this one makes no sense at all. Just like cigarettes, the tobacco from pipes and cigars makes you more likely to get heart disease and lung disease. Cigar smoking, in particular, is high-risk, and not just for lung cancer. It also contributes to cancers of the mouth, throat and esophagus.

Myth #6: Smoking is the only risk. Smoking IS the biggest lung cancer risk, but there are others. The second-largest cause of lung cancer is radon, an odorless gas given off by rocks and soil that seeps into homes and other buildings. You can contact your state or county health department for information on how to test your home or office for radon.

Myth #7: Talcum powder is a cause. Research shows no clear link between lung cancer and accidentally breathing in talcum powder. People who work with other chemicals, including asbestos and vinyl chloride, are more likely to get the disease.

Myth 8: If you have lung cancer, it’s pointless to quit. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your treatment may work better if you quit, and your side effects may be milder. And if you need surgery, you’ll heal more quickly and better if you’ve stopped smoking.

Myth #9: Exercise doesn’t affect your risk. Most of us associate exercise with the prevention of heart disease. But research shows that people who exercise regularly are less likely to end up with lung, liver, or skin cancer.

Myth #10: Air pollution isn’t a cause. In a polluted environment, you’re breathing in particulate matter (PM) so small it’s not visible to the eye. This is known as PM2.5A. A 2013v study involving more than 300,00 people found that for every per 10 μg/m3 increase in levels of PM2.5 in the air, the incidence of lung cancer went up by 36 percent.

Quit, Quit and quit

Let’s set the record straight: there is no “safe” amount of smoking.

A Columbia University study showed that the lung function it took a heavy smoker to lose in nine months would only take a “light” smoker a few more months to lose, or about a year.

And as if all of this weren’t enough incentive to think about quitting, it’s been found that a smoker’s lungs are extra-receptive to the virus that causes COVID-19.

If you need help kicking the habit, cardiologist and EHO contributor Dr. Elizabeth Klodas offers 3 ways to quit without gums, patches, prescriptions or vapes.

You can also find programs that can help, like the American Lung Association’s smoking cessation and accountability program, Freedom From Smoking.

Sources:

Lung Cancer Risks: Myths and Facts — Web MD