| The number of deaths from cancer rose for two | | | | 29 to 33 percent for those who continued to |
| decades in the United States, and peaked in 1990. | | | | smoke. Those who continued to smoke were also |
| Since then, the number of deaths from cancer | | | | more likely to have to fight cancer more than |
| have been declining, partly due to reductions in | | | | once compared to those who stopped smoking. |
| smoking. Yet, cancer is still the second leading | | | | Obesity Fuels More than Cancer in Texas |
| cause of death in the U. S. One third of cancers | | | | Being overweight or obese, physically inactive, and |
| that are detected will be related to overweight or | | | | eating poor nutrition fuel diabetes as well as |
| obesity, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition. | | | | cancer. According to the vice president of Blue |
| The president of Texas State University at San | | | | Cross Blue Shield of Texas, there are 7,000 |
| Marcos, Denise Trauth, declared April to be | | | | children in Texas with type 2 diabetes. |
| Cancer Awareness Month, and the university will | | | | The House Public Health committee is hearing |
| sponsor a month-long observance. A university | | | | from professionals about the fiscal impact that |
| committee of faculty, staff, and students, as well | | | | obesity is having on the state of Texas, and |
| as the San Marcos community, have planned for | | | | possible solutions. |
| marrow donor registration, organ donor | | | | Dr. Eduardo Sanchez told Congress in March that |
| registration, a smoking cessation program, and | | | | three steps (awareness, attitude, and activity) are |
| presentations by prominent oncologists, cancer | | | | needed to change the spiking obesity rate among |
| survivor panels, and remembrance for those killed | | | | Texan children. Sanchez says "The number of |
| by cancer. | | | | overweight and obese children has tripled in the |
| The Community Cancer Health Fair, along with | | | | last 30 years." That means type 2 diabetes, which |
| events in other states, will draw attention to April | | | | leads to a reduced life span, and years of |
| as Cancer Awareness Month. Events at Texas | | | | medication. |
| State University - San Marcos are free and open | | | | The rapid rise in obesity is particularly threatening |
| to the public, and include no-cost testing for | | | | to children, youth, and populations that have low |
| several common forms of cancer. A workshop | | | | rates of Texas Health Insurance coverage, |
| for those dealing with cancer is also scheduled. | | | | according to the Texas Health Institute and the |
| Giving up Smoking Helps People with Lung Cancer | | | | Methodist Health Care Ministries. |
| Lung cancer is the most common cause of | | | | In Texas, the problem is worse than in many |
| cancer deaths, and smoking causes most lung | | | | other states. The Department of State Health |
| cancer, according to the American Lung | | | | Services found that nearly 66 percent of Texas |
| Association. | | | | adults were overweight or obese. Date from |
| As reported in the British Medical Journal, | | | | 2007 also shows that 32 percent of Texas |
| researchers found that people who give up | | | | high-school students were overweight of obese, |
| smoking after being diagnosed with early-stage | | | | and data from 2004 / 2005 shows that 42 |
| lung cancer live longer than those who continue to | | | | percent of 4th graders, and 39 percent of 8th |
| smoke. The increased death risk of continuing to | | | | graders were similarly overweight or obese. |
| smoke appears to be due to the cancer | | | | If this trends is not stopped, addressing |
| spreading. | | | | weight-related heath problems will exceed $15.6 |
| Research has repeatedly shown that as soon as a | | | | billion this year, and $39 billion by 2040, according |
| someone stops smoking, the body begins to | | | | to the Texas Interagency Obesity Council. |
| repair the damage done by | | | | While the financial burden may be unsustainable, |
| tobacco-smoke-related chemicals. Researchers at | | | | imagine the impact on quality of life for coming |
| the University of Birmingham in England reviewed | | | | generations of children. This epidemic may mean |
| the results of ten studies that evaluated how | | | | that life expectancy of the current generation will |
| smoking cessation after a diagnosis of lung cancer | | | | be shorter than their parents' life expectancy due |
| affected prognosis. The review included patients | | | | to the many risk factors for chronic disease that |
| with both non-small-cell, and small-cell forms of | | | | are fueled by obesity. This epidemic is fueled by |
| lung cancer. | | | | the prevalence of unhealthy food, and the lack of |
| The five-year survival rate for those who quit | | | | exercise - two things we can all change for |
| smoking was 64 to 70 percent compared to only | | | | ourselves, and our children. |