Lung Cancer Facts & Screening Guidelines

Tobacco Use
and Lung Cancer: Facts & Guidelines

Tobacco

Too many people in Ohio smoke. Recent surveys reflect that 33.4% of high school students smoke, while 27.7% of adults are smokers. Ohio looses 18,900 adults each year due to smoking. Smoking is associated with heart disease, many cancers, asthma and emphysema. Smoking has a negative impact on children’s health as well, both from secondhand smoke when parents light up and because children of smoking parents are more likely to begin smoking, too.

If you currently smoke, talk to your healthcare provider about quitting. It may take a few attempts, but you can be successful!

Links to:

www.smokefree.gov
www.tobaccofreeohio.org
cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/smokersrisk/
(This web page allows smokers to get personalized information
about their own risk from smoking.)

Secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoke is dangerous. In the United States, 53,000 non- smokers die each year as a result of secondhand smoke. There are two components of secondhand smoke: Sidestream smoke that comes from the burning end of the cigarette, and Mainstream smoke that is exhaled by the smoker.
Secondhand smoke contains as many as 4,000 chemicals, many known to cause cancer, and it is the only source of air-borne nicotine. The list of chemicals in cigarette smoke includes cyanide, arsenic and carbon monoxide. Studies have shown secondhand smoke to be an important factor in many illnesses, including lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, ear infections and low birth weight babies.

Protect your family from secondhand smoke (Downloadable PDF links):
View the following documents in Acrobat® Reader.
If you do not have Adobe Acrobat® Reader, click here to download free software.

Request the non-smoking section in restaurants.
Download Dayton Area Smoke-free Restaurant Listing (PDF format)
Don’t allow smoking in your home.
Support local efforts to increase the number of smoke-free public places in your community. Clean Air Endorsement
You Can Quit Smoking Guide Pamphlet
You Can Quit Smoking Plan Sheet
Seven Ways to Prevent Cancer

The Cancer Prevention Institute conducted a public opinion survey on behalf of the Montgomery County Tobacco Free Task Force. See how residents of Montgomery County feel about smoke-free public places. To view the full PowerPoint presentation describing how the survey was conducted along with the detailed results, click here.

(You may view the presentations in Adobe Acrobat® Reader. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat® Reader, click here to download free software.)

Check out for more information on initiatives in Ohio.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells within one or both lungs.

The bad news: lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.
The good news: it is the most preventable type of cancer!

Smoking causes 9 out of 10 of all lung cancer cases. Lung cancer is one of the most fatal cancers, and prognosis for many patients is not good. The number of women diagnosed with lung cancer continues to rise. And, among African-American men, lung cancer is the second most common cause of cancer. It kills more African-Americans than any other cancer.

Lung Cancer Risk Factors

Cigarette Smoking.
Exposure to secondhand smoke.
Radon exposure: Radon is a radioactive gas that can’t be seen, smelled or tasted. It occurs naturally in soil and rocks. This gas may be present in your home and can cause lung damage that may lead to cancer. Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer (behind tobacco use). Radon testing kits are available at your local hardware store.
Asbestos exposure: Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally as a fiber and is used in certain products, such as car brakes and insulation. It causes mesothelioma, a very specific form of lung cancer.
Exposure to industrial substances such as arsenic.

Prevention

Do not start using tobacco products. Nearly 90% of all lung cancer cases in the U.S. are tobacco related. The longer someone uses tobacco, and the more they smoke, the greater their risk for lung cancer.
If you smoke, quit!
Do not breathe other people’s smoke – request to be seated in the non-smoking section at restaurants.
Do not allow smoking in your home or your car.
Find out if you are exposed to any chemicals in your home or at work, and take steps to protect yourself.

Helpful websites:

Services available through the Cancer Prevention Institute:

For more information on lung cancer or a smoke-free lifestyle:

Stop by The A. Margaruite Duerst Wellness Resource Center,
your source for information on cancer, cancer prevention and healthy living.
Located at the Cancer Prevention Institute.

Office on Smoking and Health,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC
800-CDC-1311

Information on Ohio programs

American Cancer Society: Lung Cancer

Your Risk From Smoking

Ohio Tobacco Quit Line
Free telephone counseling service available to all Ohio residents.
Open Mon – Fri. 9 am – 9 pm (EST) and 10 am – 6:30 pm Sat. and Sun
1-800-934-4840

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Cancer Prevention Institute 4100 S. Kettering Blvd. Dayton, OH 45439 937-293-8508 1-877-274-4543 (toll free) Click here to email us

Cancer Prevention Institute
4100 S. Kettering Blvd.
Dayton, OH 45439
937-293-8508
1-877-274-4543 (toll free)
Click here to email us