Smoker's saliva a 'cocktail of chemicals'

Yahoo ^ | 06/02/04 | Reuters

[Colosis]

LONDON (Reuters) - Smoking destroys protective molecules in saliva and transforms it into a dangerous cocktail of chemicals that increases the risk of mouth cancer, scientists say.

"Cigarette smoke is not only damaging on its own, it can turn the body against itself," said Dr Rafi Nagler, of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.

Saliva contains antioxidants, molecules that normally protect the body against cancer, but Nagler and his colleagues have discovered that cigarette smoke destroys the molecules and turns saliva into a dangerous compound.

"Our study shows that once exposed to cigarette smoke, our normally healthy saliva not only loses its beneficial qualities but it turns traitor and actually aids in destroying the cells of the mouth and oral cavity," he added.

In research reported in the British Journal of Cancer on Wednesday, Nagler and his team studied the impact of cigarette smoke on cancerous cells in the laboratory.

Half of the cells were exposed to saliva exposed to cigarette smoke and the other half just to the smoke. Cells exposed to the saliva mixture had more damage and it increased along with the time of exposure.

"Most people will find it very shocking that the mixture of saliva and smoke is actually more lethal to cells in the mouth than cigarette smoke alone," Nagler added in a statement.

Smoking and drinking are the leading causes of head and neck or oral cancers, which includes cancer of the lip, mouth, tongue, gums, larynx and pharynx. Nearly 400,000 new cases of the illness are diagnosed worldwide each year with the majority in developing countries. The five-year survival rates are less than 50 percent.

Nagler and his colleagues believe the research could open up new avenues to develop better treatments to prevent oral cancer.

"This insight into how mouth cancer can develop offers more reasons for smokers to try and quit," said Jean King, of Cancer Research UK, which publishes the journal. "People know the link with lung cancer and this research adds compelling evidence about the damage smoking can do to the mouth."

[Madame Dufarge]

Please link.

[Eaker]

I read that article and had to go out and smoke and Benson & Hedges Light.

I tore the filter off of a cig and smoked it.

Killed all of the cancer cells.

[Eaker]

At least they should ban kissing a smoker..

I would kill you if you tried, so I guess yer safe.

[SheLion]

I imagine that at some point it will become clear that second hand smoke is bad for people whether you choose to believe the present "junk science" proof or not.

Oh wow!  Then those of us in here that are between 40-70 years old are not really HERE???????!!!!!!! We should be dead, right? Funny how SHS never hurt any of my family or friends!  And I used to hang out in nightclubs that didn't have big smoke eaters at that time.  All of us that went are still here.  How do you explain that?

In any case, this all started with some posters here claiming that smoking isn't bad for you. I haven't read all of the thread but I'm curious if you've told them that they're wrong.

Now, you show me ONE poster that EVER said smoking isn't bad for you. Stop putting that garbage out to the lurkers, will you? NO one ever claimed that smoking wasn't harmful!  Smoking, like obesity IS bad for some people But I tell you what:  I would much rather smoke then be obese!  And I bet one thing:  I will live longer then any obese person you can name!

I imagine that at some point it will become clear that second hand smoke is bad for people whether you choose to believe the present "junk science" proof or not.

Oh wow!  Then those of us in here that are between 40-70 years old are not really HERE???????!!!!!!! We should be dead, right? Funny how SHS never hurt any of my family or friends!  And I used to hang out in nightclubs that didn't have big smoke eaters at that time.  All of us that went are still here.  How do you explain that?

In any case, this all started with some posters here claiming that smoking isn't bad for you. I haven't read all of the thread but I'm curious if you've told them that they're wrong.

Now, you show me ONE poster that EVER said smoking isn't bad for you. Stop putting that garbage out to the lurkers, will you? NO one ever claimed that smoking wasn't harmful!  Smoking, like obesity IS bad for some people But I tell you what:  I would much rather smoke then be obese!  And I bet one thing:  I will live longer then any obese person you can name!

[SheLion]

Then the reason smokers are 8x more likely to get lung cancer is because smokers have worse genes and poorer diets?

PS:  I started smoking at the age of 16.  I had my yearly physical two weeks ago.  Doctor knows I smoke. But my lungs are clear as a bell.  How do you explain THAT?

[SheLion]

Oh,give it up! Your answers are becoming ridiculous.

Someone should check his MEDS!

[SheLion]

What percentage of kids today are fat compared with smoking?

A LOT!

[SheLion]

$3.50 / 4 * 365 * 60 = $19,162.50. With interest, enough to buy that new car!

Heheh!  By rolling my own........a carton for under $8 dollars for the past three years, I have saved enough to BUY a new car AND I can still smoke. LOL (one bag of loose tobacco cost $5.85 - filtered tubes - $1.99 for two hundred)

Gotcha!

[Eaker]

I just love it when the NAZI's show up and in the future when they don't understand why we don't care when it is their bull's turn.

[Jorge]

"..normally healthy saliva not only loses its beneficial qualities but it turns traitor and actually aids in destroying the cells of the mouth and oral cavity,"

I quite smoking 5 years ago. No more saliva vs mouth cells going on in my "oral cavity". It's a total love fest.

[Mears]

You know what,She,I have never looked down my nose at obese people and I never will, as I'm sure you don't.Smokers are a more tolerant bunch,IMHO.

The obese are the next folks to be scorned and demonised and I'll never let myself be caught up in the behaviour that I've seen in the smoking threads.

I'm one 71 year old lady who is STILL here(oh,the shock of it all) and planning on attending my 50th college reunion on June 12.I'm meeting my old friend at the front door so we can have a cigarette before we go in.

Imagine that,a couple of smokin'grammies.

[SheLion]

I agree, but on that list, smoking is the worst. Do you agree?

Not according to the Surgeon General:

Health & Science: Surgeon general warns obesity may overtake tobacco as leading preventable killer

News Release

OBESITY LINKED TO HIGHER RATES OF CHRONIC ILLNESS AND WORSE PHYSICAL
QUALITY OF LIFE THAN SMOKING, DRINKING OR POVERTY
THREE OF FIVE ADULT AMERICANS ARE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE

The study is likely to reinforce the growing concern that obesity has become epidemic. It also underscores the top priority the Surgeon General is giving this year to developing a national action plan to reduce obesity's prevalence.

Couch potato lifestyle is worse for your health than smoking

Poor diet and lack of exercise cause more illness than smoking, new figures show.

[SheLion]

God wants us 24/7, not just in Church. When our hearts and minds can only think about the next cigarette, we are not open to God's will for us.

You should practice what you preach!  I don't think the Lord would like how you bash humans because the choose to use a legal commodity that comes from God's on earth!

And just where do you get off basing us?  I am a Christian woman with very strong beliefs.  I doubt very much if the Lord cares one twit what I consume.  And when He calls me home, it won't matter ONE iota if I smoked or not.

A Minister told me once that God only cares what comes OUT of our mouths and not what goes in!

[SheLion]

I just love it when the NAZI's show up and in the future when they don't understand why we don't care when it is their bull's turn.

They just love pulling their pants down in here and making an ass of themselves! Never fails.

[SheLion]

You know what,She,I have never looked down my nose at obese people and I never will, as I'm sure you don't.Smokers are a more tolerant bunch,IMHO.

I'll tell you what, Mears.........I would NEVER ridicule anyone that was fat. Not ever. But when these idiots come in here and tell us that smoking is killing us, I HAVE to pull out my links about obesity.

It's proven that obese people do not live as long as someone who smokes. But you sure can't tell the RATS that come in here!

They are so full of hate for us, they probably don't even know a WAR is on. heh!

[sakic]

Then those of us in here that are between 40-70 years old are not really HERE???????!!!!!!! We should be dead, right?

What a strange and illogical conclusion to arrive at.

Funny how SHS never hurt any of my family or friends!

And you know this how?

And I used to hang out in nightclubs that didn't have big smoke eaters at that time. All of us that went are still here. How do you explain that?

It's hard to explain something to someone who thinks like you do.

Now, you show me ONE poster that EVER said smoking isn't bad for you.

Read the early posts in this thread that I responded to. There is more than ONE.

And I bet one thing: I will live longer then any obese person you can name!

Marlon Brando?

[SheLion]

For those in here that are interested. cinFLA posted the following on another thread.

The Admin Mods know about this, yet nothing is done.

Pity!

To: Cultural Jihad

She pulls that all the time. A few days ago she threatened to hit the abuse button on me! But now she knows better. TPAINE has informed her that I am one of the "FR chosen", immune to any penalties because I am a cop with photos of the moderators in compromising positions with sheep.

289 posted on 04/29/2004 3:38:06 PM EDT by cinFLA

[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 284 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

She pulls that all the time. A few days ago she threatened to hit the abuse button on me! But now she knows better. TPAINE has informed her that I am one of the "FR chosen", immune to any penalties because I am a cop with photos of the moderators in compromising positions with sheep.

[sakic]

If you're going to use a source you should be careful that the source doesn't say things in direct conflict with your stated opinions:

Otherwise you look foolish

[SheLion]

cinFLA also posted the following on another thread. He is so against smokers, yet he is looking for a cute "Freeper Dope Head!" Yea,,,,,,,,,,,go figure...........

559 posted on 07/16/2003 1:43 PM PDT by cinFLA

Posted by cinFLA to xrp On News/Activism 10/31/2003 7:39 PM PST #48 of 50

Any cute, single FReeperdopehead women out there?

CinFLA posts about his preference in women.

[SheLion]

What's wrong with the Rand report?