This week I wrote about a study linking red meat intake to lung cancer. What was I thinking? Summer is nearing, with its picnics and barbeques. I hope I didn’t figuratively point the hose at anybody’s party!

But for those who wish to heed the warnings, there are alternatives. It is becoming easier to find meat substitutes in grocery stores, and with a little time and creativity, these can be prepared at home as well.

This weeks recipe is provided by Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Guide to Vegetarian Food.

Tofu Veggie Burgers Recipe

Enjoy the picnic!

A bright smile in the mirror can raise our spirits, but it also appears to lower the risk of developing lung cancer. A recent study in Japan demonstrated that tooth loss was associated with a 54% greater risk of developing lung cancer.

This study involving over 5,000 patients with cancer, and 10,000 cancer-free individuals also found an increase in esophageal, and head and neck cancers in those that were missing teeth. The researchers took into account smoking and alcohol use as factors that increase risk, and it appears that tooth loss alone was the culprit in many patients.

Why?

Scientists are increasingly looking at the role of chronic inflammation in the development of cancer and other diseases. Tooth loss is commonly caused by a chronic bacterial infection in the mouth. It could be that poor dietary habits contributed to tooth loss as well, and eating a healthy diet appears to lower the risk of lung cancer.

The take home message? Brush, floss, eat a healthy diet, and see your dentist. He or she appears to have an important role in helping you prevent cancer!

About.com’s Dental Care Guide shares more in the Top 10 Reasons to Have a Dental Cleaning.

_Source:

Hirak, A. et al. Teeth Loss and Risk of Cancer at 14 Common Sites in Japanese. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. May 1, 2008. 17:1222-1227.

Survival rates for cancer are higher than ever – for most. Looking through the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts & Figures 2008, I felt a sense of shock that progressed to more than disappointment. While the very young and older adults are enjoying longer survival with cancer, survival for those aged 15 to 39 with cancer is actually lower than it was a few decades ago!

Why?

One reason could be lack of health insurance. Delays in the diagnosis of cancer until later, less curable stages is known to occur in those lacking insurance coverage.

But another possible explanation is lack of participation in clinical trials. Researchers have found that lower survival rates in adolescents and younger adults with cancer correlates with less involvement in clinical trials. It isn’t known if this is the cause, but clinical trials are vitally important in evaluating new and perhaps better methods of treating cancer.

Not all clinical trials are designed to treat cancer, and some studies are more likely to offer survival benefits not present with standard therapy. Understanding the types and phases of clinical trials can help you decide if a clinical trial may be right for you.

_Sources:

Cancer Facts & Figures 2008. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/2008CAFFfinalsecured.pdf

Ferrari, A. et al. The challenges of clinical trials for adolescents and young adults with cancer. Pediatric Blood Cancer. 2008. May;50(5 Suppl):1101-4.

Martin, S. et al. Delays in cancer diagnosis in underinsured young adults and older adolescents. Oncologist. 2007. Jul;12(7):816-24.

We know that smoking causes lung cancer, yet some people seem to “get away with” smoking for a long time, while others don’t. Some people develop lung cancer even though they have never touched a cigarette. Why?

Lung cancer is a multifactorial disease, meaning there are many factors that work together to raise or lower the risk. One of those factors is what we eat.

Researchers looked at the dietary choices of over 500,000 people. It was found that those who ate the most red meat and processed meats were significantly more likely to develop lung cancer.

There are several reasons that could account for this increase, including saturated fats in red meat, and carcinogens that are produced when meat is cooked at high temperatures.

The investigators recommend limiting intake of red and processed meats to two 3-ounce servings per week. Several other cancers were found to be linked to higher consumption or red and processed meats, including those of the liver, esophagus, uterus, and pancreas.

Related Articles:

• Diet and Lung Cancer Prevention
• Exercise and Lung Cancer
• Preventing Lung Cancer
  
  Sources:

  A prospective study of red and processed meat intake in relation to cancer risk. Cross, A. et al. 2007. Plos Med. Dec;4(12):e325.

  Lung cancer risk and red meat consumption among Iowa women. Alavanja, M. et al. 2001. Lung Cancer. Oct;34(1):37-46.

A change in the sense of taste occurs commonly as a side effect of chemotherapy. Often described as a bitter or metallic taste, simple measures, such as using plastic utensils instead of metal, may help. Some people find that trying new foods, especially spicy foods (if mouth sores are not a problem) can diminish this unpleasant sensation. Though taste changes usually resolve soon after completing chemotherapy, aversions to certain foods may persist and it might be better to skip your favorite cuisine during this time.

About.com’s Guide to Dairy Free Cooking, Ashley Kabar, provides this weeks recipe. In addition to the spices, lentils are an excellent way to get protein in a meatless dish.

Spicy Lentil Dahl

A pleasant environment can also ease the distress of taste changes. Consider eating with family and friends, lighting a candle, placing flowers on the table, and playing your favorite music. Stimulating your other senses may reduce your awareness of taste changes.

When I speak on healthy lifestyle habits, it’s not uncommon to hear comments such as “it’s too late for me,” from cancer survivors. It’s not! Some lifestyle habits can improve survival, for example smoking cessation for those with lung cancer, but healthy habits can also improve quality of life for cancer survivors.

An American Cancer Society study looking at over 9000 cancer survivors revealed that the intake of fruits and vegetables (at least 5 servings per day), physical activity, and avoiding smoking all contributed to better quality of life for those with cancer. The results were cumulative; the more healthy habits the better, with exercise leading the pack in ability to improve quality of life.

The reality, however, is disheartening. Of cancer survivors:

"I’ve smoked for 40 years. Will it really make any difference if I quit now?"

A study just released suggests that there is hope even for long-term smokers who kick the habit. The Harvard Nurses’ Study, an ongoing study of over 100,000 female nurses, looked at current smokers, former smokers, and non-smokers between 1980 and 2004.

Women that smoked an average of 35 cigarettes per day for 40 years were 40 times more likely to die from lung cancer in the study, but those that quit, dropped that risk by 21% in 5 years. Though the drop in risk for lung cancer was more gradual than that for heart disease, 20 years after quitting smoking the risk of death from all causes was similar to that of someone who had never smoked.

For those that have lung cancer, quitting smoking can make a difference both in survival following surgery and response to treatment. Read D-Day After a Diagnosis of Lung Cancer – Is It Worth It?.

It’s never too late to quit! About.com’s Smoking Cessation Guide, Terry Martin, offers a free email course to help you get started.

_{Source:
Smoking and Smoking Cessation in Relation to Mortality in Women. Kenfield, S. et al. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2008. 299(17):2037-2047.}

Of all the confusing terms we toss out to those with lung cancer, my pet peeve is the word “inoperable.” Yes, for those of us in medicine it helps us place individuals in a category. Inoperable means that surgery is not the recommended treatment. But sitting on the other side of the table holding the hand of someone newly diagnosed with lung cancer, I know that word sounds entirely different. It sounds like a synonym to terminal!

A diagnosis of “inoperable” lung cancer does carry a much poorer prognosis than cancer that is operable, but most of the time it is still “treatable.” Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and the newer targeted therapies can often extend survival and improve quality of life. In a few cases, these treatments can even offer a chance for a cure in those with inoperable lung cancer.

Have any of you experienced this dichotomy of meaning in terms used during your cancer treatment? I would love to hear from you! Maybe we can spare someone else the agony of misunderstanding, while we remind the medical profession that what we say is not always what others hear.

Lung cancer is suspected most commonly when someone notes a persistent cough, begins to cough up blood, or develops other common symptoms of lung cancer such as shortness of breath or chest pain. Sadly, when these symptoms are present, many of these tumors have already progressed to a stage where a cure is not possible. Studies are in progress to find a way to screen for early stage lung cancer, but the benefits versus risks of this remain highly controversial. Are there any other symptoms those with a history of smoking may want to watch for – to perhaps catch lung cancer at an earlier stage?

A recent study suggests that “monoarthritis,” that is, arthritis confined to only one knee, may be an early sign of lung cancer in some people. This study looked at over 6000 individuals that were seen in a rheumatology clinic. In 1.7% of these patients, arthritis confined to one knee was the first sign of non-small cell lung cancer. All of these patients were diagnosed at a stage when their tumor could be treated with surgery. It should be noted that all of these individuals had been heavy smokers, and quitting smoking remains the single most important goal in avoiding lung cancer.

Though these researchers did not leave us with any practical tips for early detection based on this study, I think anyone with a history of smoking should consider discussing pain in a knee, or for that matter any unexplained symptom, with their health care provider. Have any of you, or your loved ones with lung cancer, had symptoms that are not considered typical for lung cancer?

_{Source:
Isolated knee monoarthritis heralding resectable non-small cell lung cancer. A paraneoplastic syndrome not previously described. 2007. Cantini, F. et al. Ann Rheum Dis. Doi: 10.1136.ard.2007.075333.}

For those of you visiting for the first time, Lung Cancer “Foodie Friday” will feature recipes that can be soothing during lung cancer treatment, as well as recipes containing foods that may help in lung cancer prevention.

With summer picnics and graduation parties nearing, I found a great recipe suitable to bring to the potluck, yet healthy and easy to prepare. Diets that are low in fat, and high in lycopene (found in tomatoes) are both associated with a lower risk of developing lung cancer.

About.com’s Low Fat Cooking Guide, Fiona Haynes, is responsible for today’s recipe.

Tomato Rice Salad