Page 36 - Layout 1

RV1121.qxp_Layout 1 11/1/21 7:49 PM Page 34

For Your Health

Myth #3: “Only smokers get lung cancer.” wide team of specialists. Marvelous medical advancements
are being made and are proving to be very effective, helping
About 20% of all lung cancer occurs in people who have
never smoked and who have no risk factors. In fact, there are patients to live longer than ever. Alternative therapies have
not shown these benefits.
about as many people dying from lung cancer as there are
dying from liver cancer. Lung cancer in non-smokers appears Myth #9: “Smoking marijuana is safe
to be increasing. Non-smokers can and do get lung cancer.
because it is natural.”
Myth #4” “Air spreads cancer.” Smoking is dangerous. Period. Whether it’s tobacco or
marijuana, the products of smoking are the products of
Cancer does not spread when it meets the air, although this
old wives’ tale persists today. This false belief has caused burning. This combustion produces a vast number of
much useless worry, especially in the Black community, where chemicals that can cause cancer. The deeply inhaled and
more than 60% of the population believes this false narrative. retained smoke from marijuana is no different. Studies have
These wrong ideas can cause delays in diagnosis and linked marijuana smoking with many serious health problems,
treatment, and ultimately lead to lower survival rates. including cancer and mental health problems. Smoking
anything is bad.
Myth #5: “More women than men die from
lung cancer.” Myth #10: “It’s too late to quit smoking now.”
It is never too late to quit smoking. The beneficial effects of
Actually, more men are diagnosed with and die from lung
quitting start soon after the last puff. Lungs begin to clear,
cancer compared to women. In fact, women with lung cancer
breathing improves and many risks begins to decline. A
have better survival rates compared to men.
lifetime of smoking will not reverse immediately, but the
Myth # 6: “Women are more likely to die from benefits of quitting are very much worth the effort. RV
breast cancer than lung cancer.”
WRONG! Women are more than twice as likely to die from
lung cancer than breast cancer. The idea that breast cancer is
a bigger killer than lung cancer has led women to focus on
mammogram screenings and ignore lung cancer screenings,
even though lung cancer screenings are highly effective.

Myth #7: “There is no way to find lung
cancer early.”

Lung cancer screenings are extremely effective at finding
early cancers. The screening test is a quick, 4-second CAT
scan of the lungs. No contrast is used, so there are no
needles, no pain and very low X-ray exposure. In addition,
these screenings are covered by virtually all insurances.

Myth #8: “Alternative medicine works just as
well as real medicine.”
Dennis J. Tishko, MD, FACS
This is another very dangerous, and sadly, common belief. A
recent study showed that 40% of Americans believe than ABOUT THE AUTHOR
some form of “alternative” medicine like vitamins, oxygen, Dr. Dennis Tishko is a member of the Broward Health Physician
supplements, enemas or crystals can cure any cancer, and Group specializing in Lung Cancer Screening and Surgery and
48% of millennials hold this belief. The truth is that lung Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery. He is a graduate of
cancer treatment is very complex. It requires the sophisticated University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and has been
efforts of surgeons, oncologists, radiation oncologists and a practicing medicine since 1984.

34 rio vista civic association • www.riovistaonline.com