Carcinoma
This is the scientific word for cancer, specifically for cancers that originate from cells of the skin or the outside coverings of organs, such as the lungs and pancreas.  This type of cancer is invasive and spreads to other organs in the body as time goes by.  Once a cancer has spread it is difficult to remove surgically and doctors must resort to chemotherapy and radiotherapy to try and kill the cancerous cells, unfortunately these treatments also kill other healthy dividing cells in the body, making the patient feel awful and become very weak.  Cancer is not always treatable and can result in many undesirable consequences from loss of a lung, amputation of a limb, disfigurement or death!  Smoking increases the risk of developing most cancers because with each breath a smoker breathes in toxic carcinogenic chemicals.  One third of all cancers can be attributed to smoking!  The most common cancer that smokers suffer is carcinoma of the lung, 80% of all lung cancers occur in smokers!

Good Lung

Bad Lung

The lung below has Emphysema - caused from smoking

This lung has cancer - caused from smoking

Photo Credit: ``The ABC´s of Smoking" by Michael F. Russo, Published by W.R. Spence, MD, Div of WRS Group, Waco, Tx 76702-1207

Tobacco COSTS:

	Cigarettes are the most heavily advertised products in the US
	Tobacco companies spend over 4 billion dollars each year on advertising and promotion of their deadly products.
	Smoking costs the nation over $100 billion per year in health care costs and lost productivity.  c. $398 per American per year. How much does it cost you? $3.00 per pack x 7 packs per week = $1,092 per year $1092 x 20 years = $21,840 Is this your Car? Down payment on your House? The Average Hospital Stay for Smoking Related Diseases is from $20,000 to $100,000! Does this make sense?  Especially when the Government says it can't help kids go to college any more?

 

See also:
Ingredients    Smoking Risks