Ask the CIS : Cancer Information Service : September 2006
"Ask the CIS" is a short, easy-to-read cancer column providing answers to cancer related questions. The column is based on the latest cancer information from the National Cancer Institute. The Cancer Information Service of the Mid-South produces four columns, in question-and-answer format, monthly.
Q: I was just diagnosed with early prostate cancer. How do I decide which treatment is best for me?
A: As a man with early prostate cancer, you will be able to choose which kind of treatment is right for you. Watchful waiting, surgery, and radiation therapy are the standard treatment choices for early prostate cancer. You will want to think about what is important to you. Many men with prostate cancer have shared their advice to help other men who are newly diagnosed:
- Be sure to know about all of your treatment options.
- Seek the opinions of several different doctors. Some doctors may only recommend the option they know the most about.
- Take the time you need to research your options before making your decision. There’s usually no need to rush.
- Your spouse or partner has an important role in your decision and will be affected by your choice. Try to be open and honest with each other about your concerns.
- It is possible to live a full life after prostate cancer.
For more information about prostate cancer, call the NCI’s Cancer Information Service (CIS) at 1–800–4–CANCER. You can get a free copy of the NCI publication Treatment Choices for Men With Early-Stage Prostate Cancer by calling the CIS. You can also find it at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/prostate-cancer-treatment-choices on the Internet.
Q: What factors should I consider when choosing a doctor for my cancer treatment?
A: There are many factors to consider when looking for a doctor. To make an informed decision, you may wish to speak with several doctors before selecting one. Consider the following questions when you meet with each doctor:
- Does the doctor have the education and training to meet my needs?
- Does the doctor use the hospital that I have chosen?
- Does the doctor listen to me and treat me with respect?
- Does the doctor explain things clearly and encourage me to ask questions?
- What are the doctor’s office hours?
- Who covers for the doctor when he or she is unavailable? Will that person have access to my medical records?
- How long does it take to get an appointment with the doctor?
It is important for you to feel comfortable with the specialist you choose. You will be working closely with that person to make decisions about your cancer treatment. Trust your own observations and feelings when deciding on a doctor for your medical care.
More information is in the NCI fact sheet How To Find a Doctor or Treatment Facility If You Have Cancer. You can find this fact sheet at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/doctor-facility/ on the Internet. You can also call the NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER to get a copy of the fact sheet.
Q: I’m trying to quit smoking, but it’s hard because I feel so anxious. What can I do?
A: Many people who quit smoking report feeling more anxious within a week of quitting. You may feel tightness in your muscles, especially around the neck and shoulders. These feelings will pass with time. Try these tips to relax without a cigarette:
- Take a walk.
- Take a hot bath.
- Try a massage.
- Take a few minutes to meditate, or do stretching exercises.
- Set aside some quiet time every morning and evening—a time when you can be alone in a quiet environment.
Nicotine replacement products can also help relieve anxiety and other symptoms often felt by people trying to quit smoking. These products deliver small, steady doses of nicotine into the body. Nicotine replacement patches, gum, lozenges, nasal spray, and inhaler are equally effective. Bupropion pills, which don’t contain nicotine, also help relieve symptoms.
For one-on-one help with quitting, call the National Cancer Institute’s Smoking Quitline toll-free at 1–877–448–7848. Ask for a free copy of Clearing the Air: Quit Smoking Today, an NCI publication that has tips on quitting. To read it online, go to http://smokefree.gov/guide on the Internet.
Q: Does secondhand smoke cause cancer?
A: Yes. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, secondhand smoke is a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). Secondhand smoke exposure causes lung cancer. Thousands of Americans die each year from lung cancer because they were exposed to secondhand smoke.
The U.S. Surgeon General recently released a report stating that breathing even a little secondhand smoke can be harmful.
For information about cancer and the risks of tobacco smoke, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER.
You may find it helpful to read The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. You can find it on the Surgeon General’s Web site at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/.
Q: What makes tobacco smoke so harmful?
A: The National Toxicology Program estimates that at least 250 chemicals in tobacco smoke are known to be toxic or carcinogenic (cancer causing). These chemicals cause lung cancer, heart disease, and breathing problems.
The poisonous gases and chemicals found in tobacco smoke include:
• hydrogen cyanide (used in chemical weapons)
• carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust)
• butane (used in lighter fluid)
• ammonia (used in household cleaners)
• toluene (found in paint thinners)
Smoke is toxic to both smokers and nonsmokers. The U.S. Surgeon General recently released a report stating that breathing even a little secondhand smoke can be harmful.
You may want to read The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. This report is available on the Surgeon General’s Web site at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/.
For information about cancer and the risks of tobacco smoke, call the Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER.
Q: Is it bad for my health to be around my husband while he’s smoking?
A: Yes. The U.S. Surgeon General recently released a report stating that breathing even a little secondhand smoke poses a risk to your health. Secondhand smoke causes lung cancer. Thousands of Americans die each year from lung cancer because of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke also causes heart disease and breathing problems.
You may find it helpful to read The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. You can find it on the Surgeon General’s Web site at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/.
If you want to learn more about the risks of tobacco smoke, call the Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER.
Q: How can I protect my young son from secondhand smoke?
A: Young children are even more vulnerable than adults to the toxins in secondhand smoke. Opening a window, sitting in a separate area, or using ventilation, air conditioning, or a fan cannot eliminate secondhand smoke exposure. You can protect your son by making your home and car smoke-free zones.
Here are some other tips:
- Make sure that your son’s school or day care center is smoke-free.
- Choose restaurants and other businesses that are smoke-free.
- Ask people not to smoke around you and your son.
- Teach your son to stay away from secondhand smoke.
Breathing even a little secondhand smoke can be harmful. The U.S. Surgeon General recently released a report stating that infants and children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), pneumonia, bronchitis, ear infections, and more severe asthma.
You may find it helpful to read The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. You can find it on the Surgeon General’s Web site at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/.
The National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service (CIS) is one of the country’s most trusted resources. Ask the CIS is distributed by the (region) CIS, which serves (list states). Call the CIS toll-free at 1–800–4–CANCER (1–800–422–6237) between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
