Posted on 06/02/2004 4:43:14 AM PDT by 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."
Yawn.
As expected, there was a strong, positive dose-response relation between active cigarette smoking and deaths from coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during 1960-98 (table 1010). These relative risks were consistent with those for the full CPS I cohort until 1972.15 17 As it is generally considered that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is roughly equivalent to smoking one cigarette per day,4 we extrapolated the relative risk due to exposure to environmental tobacco smoke from the relative risks for smoking 1-9 cigarettes per day. These extrapolated relative risks were about 1.03 for coronary heart disease and about 1.20 for lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Based on these findings, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke could not plausibly cause a 30% increase in risk of coronary heart disease in this cohort, although a 20% increase in risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could not be ruled out.
And if you smoked, it would clearly be three packs a day. You simply have no self-control.
Interesting. Previous studies found a 30 percent increase. Your study says it is at least 20 percent. Not that big a difference. It still says lots of people died from SHS.
It's clear you can't give me up.
You must never never ever pick up a cigarette. You'll kill yourself.
If you read the actual words of the author you see that they do NOT rule out a link between SHS and death.
"The results of the California CPS I cohort do not support a causal relation between exposure to environental tobacco smoke and tobacco related mortality, although they do not rule out a small effect."
Please, don't buy those cigarettes, I implore you!
Stop before you start! Don't take that first drag!
What the study studied: ONLY DEATHS
What the study actually says:"The results ... do not rule out a small effect (deaths from SHS)"
Huh? Most smokers start as kids under peer pressure before they realize what a deadly habit they are taking up. Most (70 percent) wish they could quit.
Thank you for directing me to the study that shows theer is a link (at least a 20% greater risk) between SHS and coronary deaths.
From your study (paid for by big tobacco), confirmation of SHS deaths:
"Based on these findings, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke could not plausibly cause a 30% increase in risk of coronary heart disease in this cohort, although a 20% increase in risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could not be ruled out."
Admit it. You're an addict. You can't leave me alone, you have to have your fix, even if you don't like it. Okay, here it is. Now try to stop. Really. Try. You can do it.
After all, posting to me can't possibly be addictive, can it?
All you have to do is put down the mouse, close this page, and walk away from the keyboard.
I mean, three to one post ratio, classic Pavlovian intermittent reward conditioning, surely that doesn't apply to smoking fascists, does it? Prove to me it doesn't.
What is clear to me now is that SHS causes people to die. I hadn't decided on that till you directed us to your study that showed their is at least a 20% greater risk for coronary death due to SHS.
All you have to do is admit that you were wrong when you said the study found no SHS effects when in fact the study examined only deaths and it said it could not rule out a greater than 20% increased risk for SHS coronory deaths.
Nope, it said no such thing. You are a liar. Want more clarifying remarks on your character and reading comprehension? Keep posting to me. It is your choice.
Nope, it said no such thing. You are a liar. Want more clarifying remarks on your character and reading comprehension? Keep posting to me. It is your choice.
Here are the exact words in the study:
"Based on these findings, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke could not plausibly cause a 30% increase in risk of coronary heart disease in this cohort, although a 20% increase in risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could not be ruled out."
You are long on personal attacks. Frustrating to have your study show SHS deaths?
Gotta go. My old professor is coming on CNBC.
1 Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
Don't twist my words. You show my entire post.
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