Relationship Between Smoking and Lung Cancer, Essay Example

Abstract

For many years, there has been a direct causal relationship between lung cancer and smoking.(Chest-xRay.com).  There have been many different carcinogens contained in cigarette smoke, so that there is a high chance of developing lung cancer from either directly smoking or from secondhand smoke.  In addition, despite the fact that many people have quit smoking, the risk of lung cancer is not instantly gone once someone stop smoking.  A large percentage of newly diagnosed lung cancer, with the median abstinence duration nine years, has occurred in former smokers. (Ibid.)

This discussion examines a group of smokers and non-smokers, and their diagnosis of lung cancer.  The purpose is to enhance general knowledge about how devastating tobacco is on the health status of smokers and non-smokers.

Chapter I: Introduction

Problem statement

The problem is the increasing number of patients suffering from lung cancer as reported by the World Health Organization..

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to discuss the association between smoking and lung cancer with the goal of highlighting this correlation and contributing to the body of knowledge reporting it, so as to shed a spotlight on this global problem.

Relevance

My project will be useful in contributing to the knowledge base regarding lung cancer and its correlation to smoking.

Literature review

According to www.lungcancer.org, lung cancer is the” uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs.” Because they are abnormal, the cells do not carry out the typical purposes of normal cells and do not develop into healthy lung tissue.  When they increase in size, these abnormal cells may form tumors and be an obstacle towards the lungs’ functioning, specifically in the area of providing oxygen to the body through the blood.

DNA is contained in all the cells of the body, including those of the lungs.  Every time a mature cell divides into two daughter cells, it produces the same exact DNA.  These cells are clones of the original cells, exact replicas of the starting cell.  This is the way that the cells of our skin continually replenish themselves so that once old cells die, new ones take their place.

Cancer begins with a mutation in a cell’s DNA which can be caused by the typical aging process or through environmental factors such as exposure to asbestos or cigarette smoking.

A lung cancer cell is caused by a series of genetic changes.  When the cells have only some irregularities but still function as lung cells, they would be considered precancerous.  Such changes can signify progression towards cancer.  Eventually, if the cell becomes more irregular it will not be effective in performing functions as lung tissue.  In addition, as the disease progresses, some cells might travel away from the main tumor and start growing elsewhere in the body.

There are two different forms of lung cancer: primary and secondary. Primary lung cancers are those which originate in the lungs. Secondary lung cancers are those which have a distant tissue of origin but invade the lung tissue.

The main causes of lung cancer include the following: carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, viral infections and ionizing radiation. These factors cause disruption in the DNA structure of the tissues of the lungs. As this damaged DNA continues to accumulate, cancer of the lungs develops. Tobacco is the main contributor to lung cancers in the world. In a 2007 study (Jean & James, 2007) there was an indication that out of every 100 lung cancer deaths in the United States, 90  were secondary to smoking. Jean and James established that all 90 victims were chronic smokers of tobacco while about six of them had close relatives who smoked.

In another study from London, Marry established that 80% of her experimental population that were suffering from lung cancer were smokers (2008).  The remainder had a close family relative who smoked or were working or living near a smoker. These two studies show that there is a significant relationship between the smoking of tobacco and lung cancer.

Study design

This is a retrospective study. Questionnaires were administered to 1000 respondents who were all suffering from lung cancer.  In order to find respondents, a random sampling technique was used in which out of 2020 people suffering from lung cancer, 1000 were given papers on which the word “yes” was printed, and 1000 were given papers on which the word “no” was printed. Those who had a paper written “yes” were considered as the sample and were given questionnaires to fill out.. All 1000 questionnaires were collected and all of them were filled in. The questionnaires were then analyzed and the data entered into Excel workbook and the results presented in Microsoft Office Word.

Justification for this method

This method was deemed the most appropriate since it easily collected data from the respondents anonymously.  That way, it was hoped that respondents would feel comfortable being open with their smoking habits. It was retrospective in that the study would analyze the past behavioral characteristics of the individual.

Sequence of events

The first issue to determine was the identification of the study population.  The population criteria was patients with lung cancer.  In order to find a sample population, a simple random sampling technique was used. This was achieved by giving the patients one of two randomly assigned papers with the word yes or no written on them The collection of the data was done by administration of questionnaires to the respondents. The questionnaires were then collected and analyzed.

Tools used

The only tool that was used to collect data was the questionnaire because it was simple and inexpensive to use with a large population. The patients’ files were analyzed to confirm that they were indeed suffering from lung cancer.

Variables

In the study, three variables were considered:  the independent, the dependent, and the control.   The control value was constant: the study sample suffering from lung cancer. The dependent variables were the whether the patient was a smoker or not.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis for this study was that there is relationship between smoking and lung cancer. Most people who were suffering from lung cancer were almost all current or past smokers.  As a result, a relationship between the two was supported.

Data collection

The data was collected by use of questionnaires. A sample of the questionnaires is indicated in the appendix. The respondents gave age in years, their place of residence and what disease they were suffering from. They also indicated whether they smoke or not.

Results

The results were collected and entered into table as follows.

Table: number of people who smoke and they are suffering lung cancer

According to the above table, the total number of patients who were not smokers was 70.  Those who had lung cancer and were smokers were 930. Also studied was the number of those who were not smokers and gave the following results:

Non-smokers with lung cancer

Forty five respondents who were not smokers said that they were living or working close to a person who is a smoker. Only 25 were not close to a person who smokes tobacco.

Smokers and non-smokers suffering from lung cancer

Non-smokers

The results above show that there is a close relationship between lung cancer and smoking. Ninety three percent of the total respondents indicated that they smoke. Of the seven percent remaining who do not smoke, four and half percent of the total respondents had a close relative or lived closely to a person who smokes. Only two and half of the total were not smokers and had no relative or a person living near them who smoke.

Discussion

In establishing the relationship between  lung cancer and smoking, the research indicated the above results. From the data collected, 93% of the respondents who had lung cancer were smokers. Again, out of those who were not smokers, 64% of them were living or working close to people who smoke. Only two and half percent of the total respondents had no history of smoking or living near a smoker. This shows that a causal relationship between lung cancer and smoking given the high number of the people who smoke started smoking before they developed lung cancer.

Obviously, if the number of people who smoke is reduced, then the rates of lung cancer will decline as well.  This will result in a decrease of the huge costs involved in treating such patients.  It is also evident that the living near a person who smokes is a risk factor for lung cancer.

In conclusion, it is not a coincidence that 93 of the patients examined suffering from lung cancer were smokers. As Edwards puts it, smoking tobacco leads to production of carcinogens which break up the DNA in the nucleus of a cell (1999). This breakage leads to accumulation of defective DNA in the nucleus. The defective nucleus constantly multiplies but the cell does not undergo a process called apoptosis. Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death and it ensures that defective cells die before they become cancerous (Joy & Ben 2006). These findings points towards a problem in the current society. There is an increase in the number of people smoking. Therefore, if the current tread does not change there is the probability that in the future we will see more lung cancers and related diseases.

Conclusion

This study supported all the other studies that preceded  it in showing  that smoking is a direct causative agent of lung cancer.  Ideally, the antismoking campaigns that are so prevalent these days will be effective ways to minimize the risks of lung cancer. Reducing the rate of tobacco use will lower the rate of lung cancer and as a result, the huge costs involved in treating patients with this illness could substantially be decreased.

References

Edwards, P. M. (1999). Pathogenesis of Cancer. London: Free Press.

http://www.chestx-ray.com/Smoke/Smoke.html  Retrieved 2010, May.

http://www.lungcancer.org/reading/about.php    Retrieved 2010, May.

Jean, W. J. & Jane, B. J. (2007). Research advances in Cancer. Journal Of Association of Medics, 675 (8), 76-89.

Joy, C.,& Ben, D. (2006). Textbook of medicine. New York: education puplishers Marry, F. (2006). Smoking and cancer. A Journal on Cancer, 77(2) 67-89.