John Updike, novelist and prolific author of essays, poems, and more, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, died yesterday morning after a battle with lung cancer.
He was writing right up to a couple of years ago, as his latest book, the Widows of Eastwick was just published in 2008.
You can read more about John Updike and his work over the past decades in these articles:
Award-winning author John Updike dies at 76
‘No writer was more important to the soul of The New Yorker’
John Updike celebrated the ordinary American
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Tags: cancer blog, john updike, author john updike, author john updike lung cancer, john …read more

When you are given the option of having surgery for a cancer to improve your chances of beating it, you would think that knowingly refusing the surgery could have dire consequences. But, sometimes that may not be so.
According to an article published in last month’s issue of Archives of Surgery, only 69% of blacks who had operable lung cancer went ahead with the surgery, while 83% of whites did. This wasn’t due to lack of accessibility, as both groups were equal in healthcare access.
Although the author admits that there may be some issues with the way the study was adjusted …read more

Is there such a thing as Pink Ribbon overload? Has all the attention that has gone to breast cancer awareness and fundraising taken away from other cancers, such as lung cancer?
The University of Michigan Health System has issued a release that discusses how lung cancer still plays a large role in North American society. According to their press release, lung cancer kills four times the number of Americans as does breast cancer. Not only tht, but lung cancer is the number one killer of both men and women.
Did you even know that November is Lung Cancer Awareness month? …read more

What do broccoli and lung cancer have in common? Nothing – and that’s the good news.
Researchers are finding signs that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts, have a special effect on people who smoke, reducing their risk of developing cancer.
In a study that was presented at a recent conference, researchers found that the risk dropped from 20% to 55%, depending on the type of vegetable eaten and heavy a smoker the person was during the study period. The important point to take note of us that it was only these cruciferous vegetables that had this effect, not …read more

It’s Remembrance Day in Canada, Veterans Day in the United States – but whatever we call it in North America and in other places in the world, this is a time to remember those who fought in generations before us and those who are fighting or keeping the peace now.
In Canada, we wear a poppy to symbolize the memories. Sadly, as the years pass, fewer and fewer people are wearing the poppy.
In keeping with the theme of this blog, I wanted to point out that even after someone finishes his or her tour of duty, they may be at higher …read more

It’s often tough recovering from lung cancer surgery, because of the extent of the surgery. The incisions are large and the surgeon needs to cut through muscles to reach the ribs, which must be spread apart in order to reach the lungs. All this needs a good amount of time to heal.
Other surgeries that can be quite major have been improved upon by endoscopic surgeries. This type of surgery requires very small incisions and long instruments, with a camera on the end of one, to do the surgery. The surgeon’s hands never go inside. This cuts down on recovery time …read more

Cancer clusters are frightening – why does a group of people in the same area develop the same type of cancer? Sometimes, the reason may be easily found, other times it can’t be – and that’s what causes the great unease.
A lung cancer cluster has been noticed in the British Columbia, Canada, town of Dawson Creek. It has even struck the town’s mayor, Calvin Kruk, when he died of non-small cell lung cancer only two months ago. He was 43 years old and leaves behind a 12-year-old child.
According to the province’s cancer agency, a town the size of Dawson Creek, …read more

Last month, reports came out that Paul Newman has lung cancer. The ‘rumor’ was denied through his publicist.
Earlier this month, the old actor has been spotted being pushed on a wheelchair — making the ‘lung cancer rumors’ resurface.
Paul Newman was photographed in a wheelchair during a recent outing in New York following reports that the legendary actor has cancer.
The photos, taken on July 7, show a woman pushing Newman in a wheelchair.
Well…maybe he is sick. Due to lung cancer or just plain old age, who knows? Let us just wish him good health and peace.

Increased intake of certain flavonoids in smokers may protect them by as much as 50 percent against lung cancer risk.
Such were the findings of a UCLA study:
Increasing intakes of epicatechin, catechins, and quercetin, found in tea and vegetables were associated with significant risk reductions.
According to lead researcher Zuo-Feng Zhang from UCLA’s Jonsson Cancer Center:
“What we found was extremely interesting, that several types of flavonoids are associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer among smokers. The findings were especially interesting because tobacco smoking is the major risk factor for lung cancer.”
But still, tobacco smoke must be skipped altogether, because smoking …read more

What: LATTE (Lung and Thoracic Tumor Education) Forum
When: May 22, 2008 – Thursday at 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where: Largo Cultural Center, Parkview Room, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo, FL 33771
The Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa Bay, Florida) is inviting everyone (you, your family and your friends) to attend this semi-annual event which provides community education about lung cancer research, treatment, prevention and screening.
The Thoracic Program at Moffitt Cancer Center invites you, your family and friends to a special program, The LATTE (Lung and Thoracic Tumor Education) Forum on Thursday, May 22, 2008. The program will take place from 12 p.m. …read more