The International Association For The Study Of Lung Cancer Sets Up Committee To Move CT Lung Cancer Strategic Screening Forward

Main Category: Lung Cancer
Also Included In: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Article Date: 19 Dec 2011 - 0:00 PST

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The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) has taken a proactive role in advancing discussions with the international lung cancer community on how we should take lung cancer screening forward. The IASLC released an initial statement to the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) at the World Lung Cancer Conference in Amsterdam this April and also hosted a CT screening workshop with over 75 international experts in the field. The findings from this workshop are published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology titled, "International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Computed Tomography Screening Workshop 2011 Report."

This is a high priority for the IASLC since the National Lung Screening Trial found that lung cancer deaths fell by 20 percent when smokers were screened annually for three years using low-dose spiral computed tomography (LDCT) compared to standard chest x-ray. However, the research also found that nodules were detected in one-fourth of the patients screening and of those, 96 percent were not cancerous.

"The data from the NLST trial provides the first evidence that LDCT lung cancer screening can save lives and thus is the most encouraging data we have had on the international stage with respect this disease for many years," says Professor John Field, co-author of the study, chair of the IASLC Task Force on CT Screening and director of the lung cancer research program at the University of Liverpool Cancer Research Centre. "This is why we'll look at ongoing international trials which will provide further information on the outstanding issues before considering the implementation of national CT screening programs."

The IASLC has set up the Strategic CT Screening Advisory Committee (IASLC - SSAC) to define the optimal approaches to lung cancer screening. They will focus on six specific components of the lung cancer screening process including: (i) Identification of high risk individuals for lung cancer CT screening programs; (ii) Develop radiological guidelines for use in developing national screening programs;(iii) Develop guidelines for the clinical work-up of 'indeterminate nodules' resulting from CT screening programmers;(iv) Guidelines for pathology reporting of nodules from lung cancer CT screening programs; (v) Recommendations for surgical and therapeutic interventions of suspicious nodules identified through lung cancer CT screening programs; (vi) Integration of smoking cessation practices into future national lung cancer CT screening programs. The members of the Strategic CT Screening Advisory Committee (IASLC - SSAC) are engaging international professional societies and organizations who are stakeholders in lung cancer CT to assemble information about best practices which may be utilized by individual nationals to suit their health care systems. Currently there are over twelve such international Stakeholders who wish to work with IASLC SSAC on this project.

"This is a high priority for the IASLC since strategic screening has the potential to change the face of lung cancer in the coming years," Field says.

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Although Cigarette And Alcohol Use At Historic Low Among Teens, Abuse Of Alternate Tobacco Products, Marijuana And Prescription Drugs Rife

Smoking Raises Risk Of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Skin In Women

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Main Category: Melanoma / Skin Cancer
Also Included In: Smoking / Quit Smoking;  Dermatology
Article Date: 18 Dec 2011 - 0:00 PST

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Regular female smokers have a threefold higher risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, researchers from Moffitt Cancer Center reported in Cancer Causes and Control. The authors said they found a slight increase in risk among regular male smokers, but a statistically insignificant one.

Dana E. Rollison and team recruited 380 patients with skin cancer and 315 controls (healthy patients with no current or past skins cancers) for their study. 215 had confirmed basal cell carcinoma and 165 had squamous cell carcinoma (both types of skin cancers).

All the 695 participants had to complete questionnaires, which included questions regarding present and past smoking status.

After making adjustments for several factors which might impact on their results, such as age, sex, and other skin cancers, the researchers found that: Both sexes - having ever been a smoker was not linked to basal cell carcinoma (BCC) riskBoth sexes - having ever been a smoker significantly increased the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)Both sexes - the heavier the smoker, the higher the risk for developing SCC was found to be (included numbers smoked per day and packs smoked per year)Males - men who smoked at least twenty packs per year had a slight (statistically non-significant) risk of developing BCCMales - men who smoked at least twenty packs per year had a slight (statistically non-significant) risk of developing SCCFemales- women who smoked twenty packets of more per year had no increased risk of BCCFemales - women smoking twenty or more packets per year had a threefold increased risk in developing SCCThe authors concluded:

"Cigarette smoking is more strongly associated with SCC than BCC, particularly
among women."

Although a higher percentage of males overall develop skin cancer than females, the cause is probably more due to sun exposure than smoking, the researchers believe. They are not sure why - perhaps men's skin is more sensitive to sunlight, or maybe women are more careful about applying suncream.

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our melanoma / skin cancer section for the latest news on this subject. "Case–control study of smoking and non-melanoma skin cancer"
Dana E. Rollison, Michelle R. Iannacone, Jane L. Messina, L. Frank Glass, Anna R. Giuliano, Richard G. Roetzheim, Basil S. Cherpelis, Neil A. Fenske, Kristen A. Jonathan and Vernon K. Sondak
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Research Needed On 'Modified Risk' Tobacco Products, Report Concludes

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Also Included In: Regulatory Affairs / Drug Approvals
Article Date: 18 Dec 2011 - 0:00 PST

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A new Institute of Medicine report specifies the types of research that the Food and Drug Administration should require before allowing tobacco companies to sell or advertise 'modified risk' tobacco products as being capable of reducing the health risks of tobacco use. While modified risk tobacco products could be one part of a comprehensive strategy to lower tobacco-related death and disease in the U.S., especially among tobacco users who are unable or unwilling to quit entirely, little is currently known about the products' health effects and whether they pose less risk than traditional tobacco products. Examples of modified risk tobacco products may include e-cigarettes and fda.

Companies and other sponsors developing modified risk tobacco products should consider using FDA-approved independent third parties to oversee health and safety research on their products, adds the report, which was completed to fulfill a congressional mandate. Independent oversight would ensure that the data submitted to FDA are reliable and credible, and it could help re-engage the mainstream scientific community in research. Because of the tobacco industry's well-documented history of improper conduct, many institutions and scientists currently refuse to conduct or publish research supported by the tobacco industry.

"Right now there's a shortage of scientific evidence on the health effects of modified risk tobacco products, and the tobacco industry currently lacks the trustworthiness, expertise, and infrastructure to produce it," said Jane Henney, chair of the committee that wrote the report, and professor of medicine and public health sciences at the University of Cincinnati. "Having trusted third parties oversee the conduct of research could help re-engage scientists and enable generation of credible research data on the health effects of these products."

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 requires that modified-risk tobacco products undergo a pre-market approval process similar to drugs and devices. According to the act, a company that wants to market a lower risk tobacco product in the U.S. must offer scientific proof to FDA that the marketing of the product will not only reduce harm to individual users, but also benefit the health of the population as a whole. The act also directed FDA to consult with IOM on how scientific studies of modified risk tobacco products should be designed and conducted.

The IOM's report says that the studies should examine all of the areas needed to forecast and monitor a proposed product's impact on public health, including its composition and addiction potential; the amount of human exposure to harmful components; perceptions about the product's effects and likelihood of addiction; and effects on human health. Studies should be generalizable to the whole population and should also include populations of special relevance, including current and former smokers, beginning smokers, adolescents, and populations at high risk for tobacco use.

While studies submitted to FDA to demonstrate products' safety are usually conducted or sponsored by the companies themselves, the tobacco industry at present lacks the capacity and expertise to conduct such research, the report says. The industry's history of improper manipulation of data undermined the credibility of its research and left it isolated from the mainstream scientific community. Many major universities have policies against acceptance of tobacco funding, for example, and many high-impact scientific and medical journals will not accept manuscripts supported by the tobacco industry.

Using independent, FDA-approved third parties to conduct, provide oversight of, and distribute funding for research could distance the influence and reputation of the tobacco industry from the scientists who are researching their products. Examples of third-party partnerships between industry and government include the Health Effects Institute and the Reagan-Udall Foundation. No similar organization currently exists for the tobacco industry.

Making data publicly available will also build public trust and will allow for independent analysis of data and methods, the report says. FDA should require sponsors of modified risk tobacco products to place all data generated during a product's development and marketing in a public repository selected by the agency.

FDA should also require that studies offered in support of an application to market modified risk tobacco products conform to established standards of good research governance, including appropriately qualified investigators, transparency, independent institutional review board or ethical review, and adherence to federal regulations that ensure the protection of human participants in biomedical research.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our smoking / quit smoking section for the latest news on this subject. The study was sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration. Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policymakers, health professionals, the private sector, and the public. The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council make up the National Academies.
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7 Great Tips To Help Quit Smoking

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Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Article Date: 15 Dec 2011 - 0:00 PST

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With New Year fast approaching, even die hard smokers start to give the habit a second thought. Giving up smoking is one of the more popular resolutions for the holiday season, as we think about ways to make positive changes for the coming year.

Giving up smoking can be extremely difficult for people, with bad moods, cravings and that lightheaded feeling propelling people to rush and buy a pack even weeks after they successfully stopped.

However, experts say that smokers should prepare a plan of attack to help them quit, and get over those moments of weakness.

Norman H. Edelman, M.D., chief medical officer of the American Lung Association said :

"Quitting smoking is the single most important step smokers can take to improve their health ... The start of a fresh New Year is a great time for smokers to implement their plan to quit smoking ... and reap the health and financial benefits of a smokefree lifestyle."

The Seven recommendations from the American Lung Association are : Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the various types of treatments and different over-the-counter and prescription medications that are available to help you quit smoking.Look into the different options available to help smokers quit. Visit www.lung.org/stop-smoking or call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) for suggestions.Take time to plan. Pick your quit date a few weeks ahead of time and mark it on the calendar. If you can, pick a day when life's extra stresses are not at their peak, such as after the holidays. Mark a day on the calendar and stick to it. As your quit day approaches, gather the medications and tools you need and map out how you are going to handle the situations that make you want to smoke.Get some exercise every day. Walking is a great way to reduce the stress of quitting. Exercise is proven to not only combat weight gain but also to improve mood and energy levels.Eat a balanced diet, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep.Ask family, friends and co-workers for their help and support. Having someone to take a walk with or just listen can give a needed boost.You don't have to quit alone. Help is available online and in your community. Consider joining a stop-smoking program like Freedom From Smoking® (http://www.ffsonline.org/) from the American Lung Association.Dr. Edelman said :

"Smokers don't have to go it alone when they attempt to quit smoking ... In fact, research shows that people who develop a support system and use programs like Freedom From Smoking® Online have greater success in quitting for good, compared to those who try to quit "cold turkey.""

American Lung Association holds giving up smoking as it's a public health priority. It began its Freedom From Smoking® group clinic program in 1981, which includes a comprehensive variety of evidence based cessation techniques. The association has helped hundreds of thousands of smokers quit. The American Lung Association recently introduced Freedom From Smoking® Online, a highly successful, self-paced online adaptation of the group clinic that is available 24 hours a day.

As Mark Twain famously said :

To cease smoking is the easiest thing I ever did. I ought to know because I've done it a thousand times.

Written by Rupert Shepherd
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Teen Smoking And Drinking Drops, Marijuana Consumption Rises, USA

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Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Also Included In: Smoking / Quit Smoking;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 14 Dec 2011 - 18:00 PST

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Cigarette and alcohol consumption among 8th, 10th and 12th graders (14, 16 and 18 year olds) are lower than they have ever been since certain records began in 1975, but marijuana and non-medical prescription medication usage has increased, says a new report - "Monitoring the Future" (MTF) - issued by The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Consumption of some tobacco products did not fall, such as hookahs, smokeless tobacco and small cigars, the authors added.

In a news conference today, a NIDA spokesperson explained that more children appear to be abusing marijuana than cigarettes. Although alcohol consumption has dropped, it is still the favorite drug for children of these three ages.

Monitoring The Future is a survey which is done in classrooms and paid for by NIDA; it was carried out by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

NIDA director Dr. Nora D. Volkow, said:

"That cigarette use has declined to historically low rates is welcome news, given our concerns that declines may have slowed or stalled in recent years. That said, the teen smoking rate is declining much more slowly than in years past, and we are seeing teens consume other tobacco products at high levels.

This highlights the urgency of maintaining strong prevention efforts against teen smoking and of targeting other tobacco products."

The findings for 2011 revealed that 18.7% of 12th-graders said they had smoked a cigarette during the previous four weeks, compared to 36.5% in 1997 and 21.6% in 2006. Among 8th graders, 6.1% say they are smokers, versus 21% fifteen years ago and 8.7% in 2006.

Assistant Secretary for Health, Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH, said:

"While it is good news that cigarette use has declined to historically low rates, we can and must do more to accelerate that decline. The actual decline is relatively small compared to the sharp declines we witnessed in the late nineties."

Below are some of the results from the 2011 survey for self-reported alcohol consumption: 12th graders - 63.5% said they had consumed alcohol during the previous 12-month period, versus 74.8% in 19978th graders - 26.9% said they had consumed alcohol during the previous 12-month period, versus 46.8% in 1994Binge drinking - defined as consuming at least five drinks in one sitting at any time during the previous two weeks:

- 8th graders - 6.4% said they had, compared to 8.7% in 2006
-10th graders - 14.7% said they had, compared to 19.9% in 2006
-12th graders - 21.6% said they had, compared to 25.4% in 2006

6.6% of 12th-graders say they use marijuana daily, while 36.4% say they have had it at some time during the previous twelve months - five years ago the figures stood at 5% and 31.5% respectively.

While teenage marijuana abuse grows, so does their downward perception of risk associated with the drug: 25.9% of high school seniors viewed occasional marijuana as a great risk, compared to 22.7% today.48.9% of 8th-graders viewed occasional marijuana smoking as a great risk compared to 43.4% today.Among 12-graders, 11.4% said they had used K2 (also known as spice, or synthetic marijuana) during the previous twelve months. This is the first time questions regarding K2 have been included in the survey. The authors expressed "surprise" at this figure.Gil Kerlikowske, director of National Drug Control Policy, said:

"K2 and spice are dangerous drugs that can cause serious harm. We will continue to work with the public health and safety community to respond to this emerging threat but in the meantime, parents must take action. Parents are the most powerful force in the lives of young people and we ask that all of them talk to their teens today about the serious consequences of using marijuana, K2, or spice."

Below are some more data regarding non-medical use of prescription and OTC medications In 2011, 8.1% of 12th-graders reported abusing Vicodin, an opioid painkiller, compared to 9.7% in 2009 (8.1% in 2010).In 2011, 5.9% of 10th-graders reported abusing Vicodin, compared to 7.7% in 2010.12th-graders - Adderal 6.5%, Ritalin 2.6%. Both medications used for ADHD treatment.8th graders - OTC cough medicines. Usage dropped to 2.7% in 2011, compared to 4.2% in 2006. For 12th-graders the figures were 5.3% and 6.9% respectively.Dr. Volkow said:

"To help educate teens about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, NIDA is launching an updated prescription drug section on our teen website. Teens can go to our PEERx page to find interactive videos and other tools that help them make healthy decisions and understand the risks of abusing prescription drugs. We are also encouraging teens to provide feedback on these resources through NIDA's teen blog, Sara Bellum, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or email."

Written by Christian Nordqvist

Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our alcohol / addiction / illegal drugs section for the latest news on this subject. Monitoring the Future
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Life After Cigarettes

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Article Date: 14 Dec 2011 - 1:00 PST

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Compared with those who continue to smoke, quitters are both happier and more satisfied with their health.

Life without cigarettes is not all doom and gloom. In fact, successful quitters are more satisfied with their lives and feel healthier, both one year and three years afterwards, than those who continue to smoke. That's according to new research by Dr. Megan Piper, from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in the US, and her team. Their work, which looks at whether quitting smoking can improve psychological well-being, is published online in Springer's journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

There is no doubt that giving up smoking improves health and saves lives. What is less clear is how quitting smoking affects ex-smokers' quality of life.

Smokers hold strong beliefs about how stopping smoking will reduce their quality of life. Positive experiences of smoking cessation, including improved well-being, could be used by clinicians to educate and motivate individuals to stop smoking.

The authors assessed overall quality of life, health-related quality of life, positive versus negative emotions, relationship satisfaction and occurrence of stressors among 1,504 smokers taking part in a smoking cessation trial in the US. Smoking status and quality of life were assessed at both one year and three years post-smoking cessation.

Quality of life measures included health, self-regard, philosophy of life, standard of living, work, recreation, learning, creativity, social service, love relationship, friendships, relationships with children, relationships with relatives, home, neighborhood, and community.

While some smokers have concerns that their quality of life may deteriorate if they stop smoking, the authors found that smokers who quit successfully, long-term, experience no such deterioration due to quitting. If anything, they see some noticeable improvements. Specifically, compared with those who continued to smoke, quitters scored higher on measures of overall quality of life, health-related quality of life and positive emotions, both one year and three years on. They also felt they had fewer stressors by the third year.

The authors conclude: "This research provides substantial evidence that quitting smoking benefits well-being compared to continuing smoking. Smokers might believe that quitting will decrease life satisfaction or quality of life - because they believe it disrupts routines, interferes with relationships, leads to a loss of smoking-related pleasure, or because cessation deprives them of a coping strategy. Our findings suggest that, over the long-term, individuals will be happier and more satisfied with their lives if they stop smoking than if they do not."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Source: Springer Science+Business Media
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