Comments on: Deadly Genetic Link To Smoking, Cancer

Scientists: "Double Whammy" Gene Boosts Lung Cancer Risk 80%, Makes It Harder To Quit

[feelfree1]

Re: "I get the feeling this cell-phone story is just one such."

Posted by USBrit

Maybe. But I see a whole lot more money to be made in maintaining that they are safe, than in revealing that they are not, including the financial interests some sponsors of CBS Newz.

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Our main stream media is ALWAYS slanted towards the interests of big corporations, in my view, since that is who pays them, and that is what they are.

If our media was slanted to the "left" under the Bush regime, there is no way that we would have invaded Iraq, as all Bush claims were pretty easily called into question, yet our media chose to parrot the official line, without challenge.

[usbrit-2009]

Part II - You can debate whether the Main Stream Media (MSM) is biased to the right or left. (My feeling is they''re biased to the left when a rightist party is in power and vece versa). One thing towards which thay are always biased in sensationalism. I get the feeling this cell-phone story is just one such.

[usbrit-2009]

My company makes active ingredients in shampoo. A few years back 1 study found one such ingredient (DEA) could be carcinogenic. Literally hundreds of studies previously had shown no problem with DEA and this study was flawed in ways I won''t go into here. Guess what showed up on Good Morning America - yes the one flawed study. Various companies including mine and the trade group wrote to ABC complaining but they stood by their story. The result - we spent the next couple of years trying to figure out how to take the DEA compound out of shampoo. Normally the compound - Cocamide DEA, thickens the shampoo and adds to the foam. After two years, during which time DEA remained in all the formulations and no other studies showed it to be harmful, we had either thinner shampoo, or shampoo that was 10c/bottle more expensive because of the other thickeners we used. So we quit trying and most of your shampoo ingredients will still contain Cocamide DEA. Nobody complains, because now that one study''s flaws have been proven. When it comes to medical articles, I''ll start believing the theory is true when the 4th or 5th one comes out agreeing. A single article reported in the papers or on TV is not worth the paper (or air) it''s printed on.

[usbrit-2009]

Part I Feel Free - OK I get your point - 13,000 deaths per year for brain cancer is the 0 number. Anything added on to that is from cell phones. Interesting what nolalou says about opposite findings.

[skyk-2009]

Going to date myself here but I remember when Con''s were saying the SAME thing about Cigs that they say about Global Warming today. LOL

[feelfree1]

Sorry "rushman71". I think I missed the sarcasm.

[feelfree1]

Re: "FeelFree1: For once, you and I agree on something!!! :)"

Posted by rushman71

I''m not sure why you think that. I agree with, and am amused by, many of your comments.

[rushman71]

I wonder what they are going to say in 10 years? "Say NO to Cell Phones!!!" "Cell''s Kill!!!"

[pollroller1]

I am very very lucky to have been able to quit smoking. I came from a home where both my mother and father smoked. I started smoking when I was a teen. I was finally able to kick the habit when I was in my mid 30s.
I am now 71.

[nolalou]

There is no doubt that smoking causes cancer, and these new studies point to some potential genetic links, which could be important to beating addiction.

For those quoting the FOX story on Cell phones and Cancer, this is not something proven, in fact, many researchers came to the opposite conclusion. Here''s a story on CBS''s site from 2006: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/05/health/webmd/main2232261.shtml?source=search_story

[feelfree1]

Another significant, and largely ignored health risk- obesity.

"Brits Find Obesity Deadlier Than Smoking"

"Obesity epidemic spiraling out of control, report warns"

www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/10/obesity_smoking.html

[rushman71]

Think about this...what would you prefer? Caughing up a lung do to lung cancer caused by smoking? Or losing your head to brain cancer caused by cell phones? Which way would you prefer to die?

[rushman71]

USBrit: The information about the cell phones causing brain cancer is still new since cell phone use only begun approx. 15 years ago compared to smoking cigarettes. I, myself, am a smoker hoping for a chance to quit permanently after a number of times trying. But I do see your point about the comparison between cell phones and cancer, and smoking and cancer. In time, though, the proof will be revealed about cell phones. Think about it, every person in the family (not including babies or young children) uses cell phones. Think about their health in 10 years.

[feelfree1]

USBrit,

If a certain percentage of people suffer from an ailment, prior to the introduction of an activity- cell phone usage, in this case, then, suddenly, billions of people begin engaging in an activity that significantly increases the RISK of this ailment, then the total number of people who will suffer from this ailment will BALLOON, not double.

In other words, if the number of smokers suddenly doubles, then we can expect that smoking-related deaths will also double. Similarly, when the number of people engaging in a possibly risky activity, (cell phone use, in this case), goes from 0 to some huge number, the risks of ailments associated with this activity will remain constant, while the related number of INSTANCES will grow proportionally to increased rate of use.

Hence, prior to the beginning of humans consuming tobacco, tobacco smoking related deaths were 0. It is safe to assume that those deaths grew proportionally with the increasing rate of consumption (all else equal).

[susan10001-2009]

My father died at 51 from lung cancer, life-long smoker who quit smoking in Feb. and was diagnosed w/lung cancer in August of the same year. We were told by the Cancer Dr. if he WOULDN''T have quit smoking 8 months earlier, he would have lived longer! The oxygen in the lungs from quitting HELPED the cancer grow! SO...IF one is a life-long smoker there is ALSO RISK in STOPPING! I SAW it...

[randynason]

I quit smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and tap water, eating all meat, eating any dairy products and listening to the political officials or believing anything they have to say. What''s the big surprise with most of this news? It''s a marvel to me that we continue to support this *hit as breakthrough research data. Common sense should prevail.

[usbrit-2009]

The study shows that long-term cell-phone use doubles (or quadruples) brain cancer RISK not overall RATE. Do you understand the difference?

Posted by FeelFree1

Not sure that I do. If there is known "x%" RISK of something happening and a known "y" number of people affected, then the theoretical RATE of this whatever happeneing is calcuable. If you double the x% risk then you should double the expected rate. Am I missing an exponential factor in this? (I''m a chemist, but sometimes math is not my strong point). I gotta go for about an hour but I''ll be back - I''d like to see your reasoning.

[Syndicate]

I think smokers should start suing the government. Obviously the government has the power to remove nicotine from cigarettes yet they don''t. Either take the nictoine out of cigarettes or legalize drugs. If you are going to protect me from myself then do it. Or don''t bother with any of it.

[feelfree1]

USBrit,

Re: "Thus, double the rate of brain cancer would add 18,000 deaths a year. Hardly a drop in the ocean compared to 5.4 million smoking caused deaths."

"As usual there''s lies, lies and statistics. Always get the whole story, Fox only gives you part."

The study shows that long-term cell-phone use doubles (or quadruples) brain cancer RISK not overall RATE. Do you understand the difference?

If true, this means that brain cancer cases will skyrocket as a result, not merely double, since cell-phone use is so prevalent.

[jumkey]

hayte: wow. I have a similar history (father/grandfather died of smoking related cancer). I quit 14 years ago.

What were your symptoms?