Comments on: John Updike: Lung Cancer’s Long Reach

By: Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:52:37 +0000

Updike, fortunately, did not die at young age. It appears that lung cancer is a wraith that can kill former smokers even after they quit (though at a greatly reduced rate). Apparently, tobacco carcinogens stay in the lung tissue for some time after the smoker quits causing pre-cancerous changes in the lung, which can advantage of declining immunity in old age. Recently, I read a report that women are dying in their 30's (one lung cancer victim was only 22 when she died, also reported on CNN). These reports are truly tragic, and a warning–especially for girls–who are tempted start.

By: Ilhana, Bosnia

Ilhana, Bosnia — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:52:30 +0000

I lost my grandfather, whom I never met, due to throat and lung cancer in the early 80's. I used to hide my uncle's cigarettes before he luckily quit smoking. Even though people don't get this disease exclusively because of smoking, I still urge everyone who does it to quit as soon as possible. R.I.P. John Updike.

By: peter crapsody

peter crapsody — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:36:01 +0000

he lived to be 76. that's pretty old. he would have died of something or other. sooner, rather than later.

By: Jana Baldwin

Jana Baldwin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:17:12 +0000

If there were words for the outrage I feel towards the Tobacco Companies I would state them on this blog. . . there is not a four letter word that describes my pure hatred, despise and disgust for the Tobacco Companies. Yes. . . I am "one of those" that first blames the Tobacco companies and then the person. Nicotine is more addictive than heroine and crack (according to research done by the CDC). What can I say? I am $100,000 in debt working on my masters in public health to try and prevent people from smoking and help smokers to quit. Too many lives are taken and the US spends somewhere in the ballpark of $250 BILLION dollars a year in Tobacco related healthcare costs.
Aside from all these statistics when I think about the people the LIVES, the lungs, the pocket books, the mothers, the babies, the fathers, the grandma's, grandpa's that smoking affects, I can't help but GET ANGRY and make a scene when I see someone smoking. I have "Quit" materials on hand. . one would say I am "ruthless" because I care. EVERYONE needs to be RUTHLESS in the fight against tobacco. . . God Bless the Updike family and ALL OF THOSE lost to TOBACCO.

By: Megan Dresslar - Shoreline, WA

Megan Dresslar - Shoreline, WA — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:25:31 +0000

I remember that time my grandmother and my dad had lung cancer, it was so bad disease to beat...... my dad died in 1996 before my grandmother pass away by lung cancer one year. my grandmother never smoke at all, but my dad smoke addict too much. his doctor found that tumor his lung during surgery before he died. I think that smoking is not good health..... that is so dangerous thing, and not safe for smoking people have cancer. my hearts goes out to John Updike's family and friends.

By: pat griffith

pat griffith — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:19:52 +0000

perhaps Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency was a factor it's more common than you think people just don't get tested for it until late. it's an inherited disorder and there is treatment for it although no cure often misdiagnosed as allergy asthma in adults. it makes one susceptible to lung or liver cancer.

By: Noelle Francis

Noelle Francis — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:31:59 +0000

My father too passed away from lung cancer. He started smoking when he was 16 which would have been 1937 – when it was cool to smoke. He struggled to quit and probably never appreciated me decorating his not so secret smoking place (the downstairs bathroom) in anti smoking paraphernalia that I got from the Doctors office I worked at. He had stopped smoking 8 years before he was diagnosed. He showed no symptoms of lung cancer and it wasn't until it had spread to his bones that we found out he had the dreaded curse. Who knows how long it crept through his system.

By: Tammy, Berwick, LA

Tammy, Berwick, LA — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:19:52 +0000

I understand. My godfather died of lung cancer in 2007. He was a heavy smoker at one point in his life, but quit over twenty years ago with my dad (his younger brother) when their dad developed heart problems and emphysema from years of smoking. I remember watching my grandfather cough up pink and black pieces of lung in the hospital (enough to make me never want to smoke). I mostly remember my godfather's last week when the cancer had spread to his brain and he had no clue who I even was. I was his only niece and godchild. People don't think lung cancer or other diseases can happen to them until it's too late. There were so many times within these last years I'd have given anything to have my godfather and grandpa back. Smoking took them both. Knowing that, the nicotine fix just isn't worth my life or the grief of those left behind. I feel sad for the Updike family and all the fans he left behind.