Terribilíssimo é apenas um apelido.

Segundo o IBGE, o câncer é a segunda maior causa de mortes no Brasil - sendo responsável por 15,6% dos óbitos -, perdendo apenas para doenças cardiovasculares (como infarto e hipertensão). Isso se deve, principalmente, à maior exposição aos fatores de risco, como o cigarro, alimentação inadequada e o abuso do álcool. Em contrapartida, quem segue uma vida mais saudável consegue prevenir-se e diminuir os riscos de ter a doença. Para estimular a população na luta pelo controle e prevenção, o Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (Icesp) lançou uma cartilha listando os dez passos que afastam a doença. 

Neste Dia Mundial de Combate ao Câncer, conheça quais os hábitos recomendados e por que eles são tão necessários para quem quer evitar um câncer.

Não fume

Segundo estatísticas do Inca (Instituto Nacional de Câncer), o tabagismo é a principal causa de câncer evitável no mundo. Ao queimar o cigarro, as consequências são sentidas não apenas por quem fuma, mas também por todos ao seu redor. Para se ter uma ideia, 90% dos casos de câncer de pulmão tem o cigarro como responsável - os outros 10% são decorrentes do fumo passivo. O tabagismo também é o grande culpado por 30% da ocorrência de outros tipos de câncer, como boca, laringe, faringe, esôfago, estômago, pâncreas, fígado, rim, bexiga, colo de útero e leucemia.

O cigarro carrega cerca de 4720 substâncias, sendo mais de 400 delas altamente cancerígenas. Algumas delas, como o benzeno, estão ligada ao câncer de fígado e leucemia. Já o alcatrão está diretamente relacionado aos cânceres de pulmão, vias aéreas, brônquios e bexiga. Veja aqui como as substâncias do cigarro afetam o organismo.

Tudo que tem no cigarro faz mal?
Sim, sem qualquer exceção. De acordo com o pneumologista Alberto de Araújo, presidente da comissão de Tabagismo da Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisiologia, não existe nenhum componente no cigarro que não seja nocivo a nossa saúde. "Alguns componentes nós sequer conhecemos".
O médico afirma que já foram identificadas mais de 5 mil substâncias na fumaça do tabaco, dentre elas gases e partículas cancerígenas, agrotóxicos usados durante o plantio da folha de tabaco e que são mantidos no processo de ressecamento para a fabricação do cigarro, dentre outros. Antes de mais nada é preciso entender que não existe limite seguro de consumo do tabaco. "Diferente do álcool, ele não pode ser consumido com moderação", afirma Alberto.  

Diferente do álcool, o cigarro não pode ser consumido com moderação

A vilã mais popular
Quando se fala sobre cigarro e seus efeitos nocivos, logo pensamos na nicotina. Embora esteja longe de ser a única vilã presente no tabaco, ela é a principal agente causadora do vício.
Os especialistas afirmam que a nicotina consegue fazer em apenas 10 segundos todo o percurso por nosso corpo: ser inalada e absorvida pelo pulmão, entrar em nossa corrente sanguínea e desencadear um impacto cerebral, liberando substâncias que propiciam uma imensa sensação de prazer. "Essa rapidez de impacto cerebral só é comparada com a cocaína", conta Alberto. 

cigarro

O vício começa justamente quando a nicotina se liga aos receptores do nosso sistema nervoso, desencadeando a liberação de diversas substâncias, como dopamina, que dão a sensação de prazer, melhoram a memória, deixam a pessoa mais alerta, tiram o apetite, entre outros. Esses sintomas são os que a pneumologista Maria Vera Castellano, membro da Sociedade Paulista de Pneumologia, chama de reforço positivo.
Porém, quando o nível de nicotina no sangue cai, isso mais ou menos umas duas horas depois do primeiro cigarro, a pessoa sente falta desse reforço positivo e tem uma crise de abstinência. Os sintomas relacionados à abstinência, ou reforço negativo, são irritação, nervosismo, dor de estômago, insônia e aumento do apetite.

A nicotina consegue fazer em apenas 10 segundos todo o percurso por nosso corpo. Essa rapidez só é comparada com a cocaína.

"A dependência se dá pela alternação do reforço positivo com o negativo", diz a pneumologista. Quando o fumante sofre uma crise de abstinência, procura fumar outro cigarro para sentir novamente o reforço positivo. E assim se inicia o ciclo vicioso.
As doenças relacionadas à nicotina são: aumento do ritmo cardíaco, infarto agudo do miocárdio, derrame cerebral, angina, elevação do colesterol ruim (LDL), menopausa precoce, gastrite, úlcera gástrica, enfisema pulmonar, bronquite crônica, doença obstrutiva arterial periférica, tromboangeite obliterante, obstrução progressiva das artérias que pode culminar em amputação, além dos sintomas agudos como irritações nasais, na garganta e nos olhos, tonturas e dor de cabeça. 

mulher fumando

Os perigos do alcatrão
Alcatrão é o nome que se dá ao conjunto de substâncias presente no tabaco e que são absorvidas pelo fumante quando ele acende o cigarro. Ele é responsável pelas manchas na pele, nos dentes e dedos do fumante, além de se depositar nos pulmões, deixando-o com uma coloração castanha escura. Segundo a pneumologista Maria Vera Castellano, ele está relacionado diretamente a cânceres no pulmão, bexiga, vias aéreas e brônquios.
Entre os seus compostos são encontrados cerca de 43 substâncias cancerígenas, entre elas:
Benzeno: ele está presente na composição de detergentes e da gasolina, além de ser utilizado como pesticida. "Ao ser inalado, ele é absorvido pelos pulmões, onde provoca danos irreversíveis", diz Alberto. As doenças relacionadas à inalação do benzeno são enfisema pulmonar, asma (até nas crianças e adultos que são vítimas do fumo passivo) e câncer no fígado. "A exposição ao benzeno durante mais de 20 anos pode inclusive provocar leucemia", completa Alberto. 

No cigarro também é possível encontrar metais pesados, que são extremamente tóxicos ao nosso organismo.

Polônio: é um elemento radioativo, extremamente prejudicial a nossa saúde. A radiação produzida por esse isótopo, em situações normais, é bloqueada pelas camadas da nossa pele. Porém, quando inalada via fumaça, ela se deposita nas vias aéreas, emitindo radiação às células a sua volta, contaminando-as e causando tumores pulmonares.
Níquel: material usado na produção de aço inoxidável, moedas e pilhas alcalinas. O pneumologista Alberto de Araújo conta que, quando inalado, o níquel deposita-se no fígado, rins, coração, pulmões, ossos e dentes. "Sua inalação provoca alterações no estômago e aumenta as chances de infecções respiratórias e câncer", diz o especialista. 

cigarro

Metais Tóxicos
No cigarro também é possível encontrar uma série de metais pesados, que são extremamente tóxicos ao nosso organismo e se depositam principalmente no fígado e rins. "O corpo leva de 10 a 30 anos para conseguir eliminar essas substâncias", diz Alberto. Ele ainda afirma que pessoas com mais de 20 anos de vício podem não conseguir reverter todas as agressões, podendo causar complicações em algum desses órgãos. Dentre os metais pesados presentes no cigarro, os principais são esses:
Arsênio: ele é usado como pesticida durante o plantio do tabaco e não se perde durante a fabricação do cigarro. Uma vez dentro do corpo, ocasiona lesões no fígado, rins, coração, pulmões, ossos e dentes, onde fica armazenado.
Acetato de chumbo: comum em tinturas de cabelo, o acetato de chumbo afeta principalmente os pulmões e rins. "Quando em grandes quantidades, pode incapacitar ou dificultar a ventilação dos pulmões, gerando falta de ar, enfisema e câncer de pulmão", diz Maria Vera. 

fumo passivo

Gases que matam
A fumaça que o fumante libera na atmosfera ao tragar o cigarro também é um veneno, não só para ele como para as pessoas que estão a sua volta e podem inalá-la. Os principais componentes da fumaça do cigarro e os riscos relacionados a eles são:
Monóxido de carbono: poluente muito comum na atmosfera, em ambiente fechado é o principal gás componente da poluição do tabaco. Os especialistas explicam que o monóxido de carbono, quando inalado, compete com o oxigênio na ligação com a hemoglobina. Ou seja: ele toma o lugar do oxigênio na ligação com nossas células sanguíneas, dificultando o transporte de oxigênio por todo nosso corpo, causando assim dificuldade de respirar. Ao se ligar às nossas hemácias ele também deixa o sangue mais grosso, fazendo com que nosso corpo tenha que produzir mais hemácias para suprir a quantidade parasitada pelo monóxido de carbono.  

Os cigarros mentolados costumam ser porta para o vício de diversos jovens.

Por deixar nosso sangue mais denso, o monóxido de carbono pode facilitar a formação de plaquetas, que virarão trombos, que poderão obstruir as artérias e dar margem a doenças cardíacas e derrame cerebral. "Inclusive pessoas que não fumam, mas que já apresentam algum problema cardiovascular, podem sofrer de dificuldade respiratória, asma e até ataque cardíaco ao inalar a fumaça do cigarro", conta Alberto.
"Se você tem muito monóxido de carbono no corpo pode ter tontura, diminuição do nível de consciência e desmaios", diz Maria Vera.  

cigarro pulmão

Cetonas: mais conhecido como removedor de esmaltes em forma de acetona, as cetonas são um produto entorpecente e inflamável.
A inalação das cetonas em pequenas quantidades irrita a garganta e causa tonturas e dores de cabeça. Porém, se inalada em grandes quantidades pode causar uma intoxicação grave e levar a pessoa à morte.
Terebentina: é uma substância tóxica obtida através da extração de resinas de pinheiros. Muito conhecida como diluente e removedor de tintas a óleo. Ao ser inalada provoca irritação nos olhos, vertigem, desmaios e lesões no sistema nervoso, dependendo da quantidade. 

jovem fumante

Cigarros mentolados são mais ou menos vilões?
Os cigarros ditos mentolados são aqueles que possuem sabor, como menta e cravo. Muito popular entre adolescentes por ter um gosto mais doce do que os cigarros normais, os mentolados costumam ser o primeiro cigarro e porta para o vício de diversos jovens.
Uma pesquisa desenvolvida na Universidade de Medicina e Odontologia de New Jersey, nos Estados Unidos, sugere que os cigarros mentolados fazem com que a pessoa tenha mais dificuldade para largar o vício. E isso se dá justamente por seu gosto refrescante, que mascara o amargo da nicotina e alcatrão.
A pesquisa revela ainda que as pessoas que fumam cigarros mentolados tendem a fumar menos cigarros por dia, porém, tragam mais profundamente, ficando assim expostas às mesmas quantidades de substâncias nocivas.  

Saiba mais

• Fumantes têm QI mais baixo
• Cigarro na gravidez
• Perfil genético ajudará a largar o cigarro

Segundo dados da Anvisa (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária), o número de marcas de cigarros com sabor já representa 22% dos tipos à venda.Uma pesquisa feita pelo Instituto Nacional de Câncer aponta que 45% dos fumantes de 13 a 15 anos consomem os tais cigarros com sabor.
O presidente da comissão de Tabagismo da Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia afirma que os aditivos presentes no cigarro mentolado não amenizam o efeito nocivo do tabaco, porém ainda não é possível medir as consequências do consumo desses aditivos. "Não sabemos como esses produtos são adicionados ao tabaco, já que é uma informação confidencial. Por isso é difícil dizer quais são as consequências da ingestão dessas substâncias", afirma. 

Decline in smoking rates may increase lung cancer mortality due to inadequate screening guidelines

A decline in smoking rates may mean that many people who could have benefited from early detection of lung cancer are dying because they don’t qualify for low-dose CT scans, according to a group of Mayo Clinic researchers. Their research appears in the Feb. 24 issue of JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association. “As smokers quit earlier and stay off cigarettes longer, fewer are eligible for CT screening, which has been proven effective in saving lives,” says Ping Yang, M.D., Ph.D., an epidemiologist at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. “Patients who do eventually develop lung cancer are diagnosed at a later stage when treatment can no longer result in a cure.” Dr. Yang says researchers and policymakers need to re-examine screening criteria to identify a greater proportion of patients who develop lung cancer. “The existing screening program will become less effective at reducing lung cancer mortality in the general population, if they continue to use the same criteria,” Dr. Yang says. The study retrospectively tracked residents of Olmsted County in Minnesota who were older than 20 years from 1984 through 2011 — about 140,000 people. Lung cancer cases were identified using the Rochester Epidemiology Project database and confirmed by pathology definition of the World Health Organization. Researchers determined the proportion of lung cancer patients who would have met CT scan screening criteria set by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Those criteria, used by doctors and insurance companies, recommend CT screening for asymptomatic adults age 55 to 80 who have smoked at least 30 pack-years (one pack a day for 30 years), and are still smoking or have reduced consumption in the last 15 years. A total of 1,351 people in the study developed primary lung cancer between 1984 and 2011. Researchers found that the incidence of primary lung cancer fell overall during the study period — but only for men by about one-third. Among women, the incidence of lung cancer rose 8 percent. According to Dr. Yang, the data with greatest relevance to CT screening is the proportion of lung cancer patients who smoked at least 30 pack-years which declined over the study period. And the proportion of cancer patients who had quit for more than 15 years increased. “While more people have quit for a longer period of time, they are still getting lung cancer,” Dr. Yang says, “and they make up a larger proportion of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients.” As a result, the proportion of lung cancer patients who would have been eligible for screening fell steadily during the study period — from 57 percent in 1984–1990 to 43 percent in 2005–2011. The proportion of women who would have been eligible under the criteria decreased from 52 percent to 37 percent, and among men from 60 percent to 50 percent. That trend has important consequences, says Dr. Yang. First, many more patients will miss out on early detection, when treatment of lung cancer is most successful. “That means more patients are going to be diagnosed at a later stage, because they could not take advantage of early detection,” she says. As a result, more patients will die. Second, Dr. Yang hopes to see screening criteria adjusted to include smokers who have smoked less than 30 pack-years and those who quit more than 15 years ago. “We don’t want to penalize people who succeeded in smoking cessation,” she says. Dr. Yang says she is aware of many smokers who are cancer-free but continue to smoke in order to be eligible for CT screening. Third, CT screening — the only screening technology proven to save lives among patients with lung cancer — will become less and less effective unless screening criteria are revised to include more patients who are likely to develop cancer. Dr. Yang acknowledges there is a danger in relaxing CT-screening criteria too much, citing concerns about cost, radiation exposure and overtreatment due to false positives that increase patient pressure on physicians to remove tumors even if they do not appear dangerous. “There are ways to screen at-risk patients while still avoiding false alarms and overtreatment,” says Dr. Yang. “Researchers need to discover biological markers, such as genetic or physiological traits, to help them better identify high-risk patients.” She says screening criteria might also be adjusted to include some smokers who have smoked less than 30 pack-years or quit more than 15 years ago. Dr. Yang says she and her colleagues are preparing papers on these issues to develop proposals for more effective CT screening that will save more lives from lung cancer. Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by Mayo Clinic. The original article was written by Joe Dangor. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Temperature-controlled e-cigs: The next giant leap in harm reduction of nicotine use?

The Vapor Shark DNA is one of the new breed of devices with temperature control functionality   There are a growing number of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) with temperature control functionality, allowing a fool-proof way to avoid either the overheating of Propylene Glycol (PG) and Glycerine (VG), the common carrier liquids for nicotine and flavoring, or a "dry puff", where the wick becomes too dry to produce vapor, and simply burns instead. Opposing sides in the debate about the safety of e-cigs appear to have reached a consensus on one thing – the temperature of the coil of the atomizer (which is heated to create vapor) is the difference between an e-cig being vastly safer than a cigarette, and… somewhat less vastly safer. (Although recent studies suggest that they potentially offer their own risks). In a boon for both camps, increasing numbers of devices with temperature control functionality allow a fool-proof way to avoid either condition without guess work or wishful thinking. Evolv's DNA25 & DNA40 boards, and YiHi's SX350J board can be used with coils made from non-resistance wire, such as nickel, allowing it to read the temperature of the coil and cut off before reaching temperatures which are unsafe for the coil, wick or liquid. Spotless: a nickel coil and cotton wick after one week of use (via Reddit) Manufacturers including Hana Modz and Vapor Shark have devices on the market using Evolv's DNA40 board, and YiHi's SX Mini M class (based on its SX350J board) should be available worldwide soon after Chinese New Year. Temperature-sensing coils are currently available for a range of popular clearomizers including the Aspire Nautilus and Kangertech Subtank, and the slightly more adventurous can build their own nickel coils for the countless rebuildable atomizers on the market. These devices all sit at the high end of the market, coming in at or above US$189, though due to thriving competition (not to mention rampant cloning) Gizmag expects this technology to be widely available at much lower prices by the end of 2015.

Smoking thins vital part of brain

Yellow/orange areas are regions where the thickness of the cortex at age 73 is associated with the amount of lifetime smoking; the greater the amount of lifetime smoking, the thinner the cortex. Years ago, children were warned that smoking could stunt their growth, but now a major study by an international team including the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University and the University of Edinburgh shows new evidence that long-term smoking could cause thinning of the brain's cortex. The cortex is the outer layer of the brain in which critical cognitive functions such as memory, language and perception take place. Interestingly, the findings also suggest that stopping smoking helps to restore at least part of the cortex's thickness. The study involved 244 male and 260 female subjects -- five times larger than any previous similar research on smoking and cortical thickness. Their average age was 73. The test group included current smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. All of the subjects were examined as children in 1947 as part of the Scottish Mental Survey. Researchers used health data gathered during recent personal interviews with the subjects, and also analyzed data from MRI scans showing the current state of the subjects' brain cortices. "We found that current and ex-smokers had, at age 73, many areas of thinner brain cortex than those that never smoked. Subjects who stopped smoking seem to partially recover their cortical thickness for each year without smoking," says the study's lead author Dr. Sherif Karama, assistant professor of psychiatry at McGill University, psychiatrist at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute and an affiliate of the Montreal Neurological Institute. The apparent recovery process is slow, however, and incomplete. Heavy ex-smokers in the study who had given up smoking for more than 25 years still had a thinner cortex. Although the cortex grows thinner with normal aging, the study found that smoking appears to accelerate the thinning process. A thinner brain cortex is associated with adult cognitive decline. "Smokers should be informed that cigarettes could hasten the thinning of the brain's cortex, which could lead to cognitive deterioration. Cortical thinning seems to persist for many years after someone stops smoking," says Dr. Karama. Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by McGill University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: S Karama, S Ducharme, J Corley, F Chouinard-Decorte, J M Starr, J M Wardlaw, M E Bastin, I J Deary. Cigarette smoking and thinning of the brain’s cortex. Molecular Psychiatry, 2015; DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.187

E-cigarette vapors, flavorings, trigger lung cell stress

Do electronic cigarettes help people quit smoking? As the debate continues on that point, a new University of Rochester study suggests that e-cigarettes are likely a toxic replacement for tobacco products. Emissions from e-cigarette aerosols and flavorings damage lung cells by creating harmful free radicals and inflammation in lung tissue, according to the UR study published in the journal PLOS ONE. Irfan Rahman, Ph.D., professor of Environmental Medicine at the UR School of Medicine and Dentistry, led the research, which adds to a growing body of scientific data that points to dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping. The investigation suggests the harm begins when the e-cigarette's heating element is activated. The heating element is designed to turn a liquid solution (known as an e-liquid or "juice") into an aerosol that mimics cigarette smoke. The inhaled vapors contain heavy metals and other possible carcinogens in the form of nanoparticles -- tiny particulate matter that can reach farther into lung tissue, cell systems, and blood stream. Rahman's study also shows that some flavored e-juices (particularly cinnamon) create more stress and toxicity on lung tissue. Researchers observed in the laboratory that human lung cells exposed to e-cigarette aerosols released various inflammation biomarkers. Mice exposed to e-cigarettes with classic tobacco flavoring also demonstrated signs of pulmonary inflammation. "Several leading medical groups, organizations, and scientists are concerned about the lack of restrictions and regulations for e-cigarettes," Rahman said. "Our research affirms that e-cigarettes may pose significant health risks and should be investigated further. It seems that every day a new e-cigarette product is launched without knowing the harmful health effects of these products." Rahman's laboratory also recently reported in the journal Environmental Pollution that toxic metals and oxidants from e-cigarettes raise safety concerns as well as potential pollution hazards from second-hand exposures and disposal of e-cigarette waste. Another recent study connected e-cigarette vapors to a higher risk of respiratory infections in young people. In a joint statement issued January 8, 2015, the two leading cancer organizations in the United States -- the American Association for Cancer Research and American Society for Clinical Oncology -- said that e-cigarettes should be subject to the same Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restrictions as tobacco until more is known about possible adverse health effects. Insufficient data also exists on the value of the tool for smoking cessation. The biggest concern is for e-cigarette users under age 18. Health experts believe e-cigarettes entice some young people to start smoking and will make it socially acceptable again. E-liquid flavorings marketed to kids and teens include fruit, dessert, and candy, and are widely available at convenience stores, gas stations, and online. Manufacturers contend it's a safer alternative to cigarettes, and consumers have pushed sales in the U.S. beyond $1 billion. A trend known as "dripping" allows e-cig users to drip an e-liquid directly onto the cigarette's heating element instead of using a refillable chamber to hold the e-liquids. The smoker inhales the aerosols and gets a stronger hit, while also being able to more easily switch between flavors, brands or nicotine content. The UR study found that dripping e-liquids or e-juices to produce vapors likely generates a larger dose of toxins to the lungs. Rahman's study notes that manufacturers typically don't disclose all materials and chemicals used to make e-cigarettes and e-juices. Without that information or long-term use studies, consumers have limited information about the potential dangers for human health and the environment, he said. Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Chad A. Lerner, Isaac K. Sundar, Hongwei Yao, Janice Gerloff, Deborah J. Ossip, Scott McIntosh, Risa Robinson, Irfan Rahman. Vapors Produced by Electronic Cigarettes and E-Juices with Flavorings Induce Toxicity, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammatory Response in Lung Epithelial Cells and in Mouse Lung. PLOS ONE, 2015; 10 (2): e0116732 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116732

E-cigarette exposure impairs immune responses in mouse model

 

In a study with mice, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers have found that e-cigarettes compromise the immune system in the lungs and generate some of the same potentially dangerous chemicals found in traditional nicotine cigarettes. E-cigarettes are an emerging public health health concern, as they gain popularity among current and former smokers as well as those who have never smoked, including teenagers. The perception that e-cigarettes pose little health risk is so entrenched that some smokers, including those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. (Many COPD patients continue to smoke after their diagnosis.) Both cigarettes and e-cigarettes are sources of nicotine. E-cigarettes contain less nicotine than cigarettes, but actual nicotine intake by e-cigarette users can approximate that of cigarette smokers. The findings will be published on Feb. 4 in the journal PLOS ONE "Our findings suggest that e-cigarettes are not neutral in terms of the effects on the lungs," notes senior author Shyam Biswal, PhD, a professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the Bloomberg School. "We have observed that they increase the susceptibility to respiratory infections in the mouse models. This warrants further study in susceptible individuals, such as COPD patients who have switched from cigarettes to e-cigarettes or to new users of e-cigarettes who may have never used cigarettes." For their study, researchers divided the mice into two groups: one was exposed to e-cigarette vapor in an inhalation chamber in amounts that approximated actual human e-cigarette inhalation for two weeks, while the other group was just exposed to air. The researchers then divided each group into three subgroups. One received nasal drops containing Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacteria responsible for pneumonia and sinusitis, among other illnesses, in humans. A second received nasal drops of the virus Influenza A, and the third subgroup did not receive either virus or bacteria. The mice exposed to e-cigarette vapor were significantly more likely to develop compromised immune responses to both the virus and the bacteria, which in some cases killed the mice, the researchers found. "E-cigarette vapor alone produced mild effects on the lungs, including inflammation and protein damage," says Thomas Sussan, PhD, lead author and an assistant scientist in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the Bloomberg School. "However, when this exposure was followed by a bacterial or viral infection, the harmful effects of e-cigarette exposure became even more pronounced. The e-cigarette exposure inhibited the ability of mice to clear the bacteria from their lungs, and the viral infection led to increased weight loss and death indicative of an impaired immune response." The researchers believe this study, thought to be the first to examine animal response to e-cigarette inhalation, will serve as a model for future studies on the effects of e-cigarettes. Since their introduction to the U.S. market in 2007, e-cigarettes have prompted debate as to their risk in general and relative to cigarettes. E-cigarettes, which at their simplest consist of a battery, an atomizer and a cartridge, produce a vapor that is inhaled and then exhaled by the user. Previous analyses of e-cigarette vapor have identified chemicals that could be toxic or carcinogenic, including particulates, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds, but at lower levels than cigarette smoke. Another thing working in the favor of e-cigarettes in the risk continuum is that they don't combust the way cigarettes do, limiting some of the chemicals released in cigarette smoke. As part of their study, the researchers also determined that e-cigarette vapor contains "free radicals," known toxins found in cigarette smoke and air pollution. Free radicals are highly reactive agents that can damage DNA or other molecules within cells, resulting in cell death. Cigarette smoke contains 1014 free radicals per puff. Though e-cigarette vapor contains far fewer free radicals than cigarette smoke -- one percent as much -- their presence in e-cigarettes still suggests potential health risks that merit further study, the researchers say. "We were surprised by how high that number was, considering that e-cigarettes do not produce combustion products," Sussan says. "Granted, it's 100 times lower than cigarette smoke, but it's still a high number of free radicals that can potentially damage cells." The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last spring announced that it was going to begin regulating e-cigarettes. E-cigarette sales are projected to overtake cigarette sales in the next decade. Teen use of e-cigarettes outpaces cigarette use, according to a recent survey released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. And, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-quarter million teenagers who reported never having smoked a cigarette reported using e-cigarettes in 2013. The work was supported by grants from the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute (FAMRI) and the National Institute of Health's National Cancer Institute (R01CA140492 and P50CA058184). Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Thomas E. Sussan, Sachin Gajghate, Rajesh K. Thimmulappa, Jinfang Ma, Jung-Hyun Kim, Kuladeep Sudini, Nicola Consolini, Stephania A. Cormier, Slawo Lomnicki, Farhana Hasan, Andrew Pekosz, Shyam Biswal. Exposure to Electronic Cigarettes Impairs Pulmonary Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Viral Defenses in a Mouse Model. PLOS ONE, 2015; 10 (2): e0116861 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116861

Smoking may increase risks for patients being treated for prostate cancer

 

Among patients with prostate cancer, those who smoke have increased risks of experiencing side effects from treatment and of developing future cancer recurrences, or even dying from prostate cancer. The findings, which are published in BJU International, suggest that smoking may negatively affect the health outcomes of patients with prostate cancer and may contribute to complications related to their care. Several studies have demonstrated links between cigarette smoking and prostate cancer. To better understand the influence of smoking on prostate cancer progression and treatment, Michael Zelefsky, MD, of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and Professor of Radiation Oncology, and his colleagues studied 2358 patients who underwent external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer between 1988 and 2005. Of these, 2156 had a history of smoking. Patients were classified as never smokers, current smokers, former smokers, and current smoking unknown. Over a median follow-up of nearly eight years, patients who were current smokers had a 40% increased risk of cancer relapse, as well as more than 2-times increased risks of cancer spread and cancer-related death, compared with patients who were never smokers. In addition, current and former smokers had a higher likelihood of experiencing side effects, such as urinary toxicity, related to radiotherapy. Examples of urinary toxicity include urinary retention, urinary incontinence, and bladder hemorrhage. "Less optimal tumor control outcomes among smokers could possibly be explained by the influence of less oxygen concentration within the treated tumors among smokers, which is known to lead to less sensitivity of the cells being killed off by radiation treatments," Dr. Zelefsky noted. "Our findings point to the importance of physicians counseling their patients regarding the potential harms of smoking interfering with the efficacy of therapies and for increased risks of side effects." Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by Wiley. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Emily Steinberger, Marisa Kollmeier, Sean McBride, Caroline Novak, Xin Pei, Michael J. Zelefsky. Cigarette smoking during external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality and treatment-related toxicity. BJU International, 2015; DOI: 10.1111/bju.12969