radiotheraphy and smoking?

Question

my sisters been having radiotheraphy now for 4 weeks,shes still smoking though,im really angry with her,shes not well at all,shes cut down loads but im so mad at her i dont know if the smoking will interfere with the radiotheraphy shes got throat cancer,and it was only a small bit of cancer,which i think she could beat it,but i cant get her to stop smoking,i feel im nagging,our brother died 2 years ago of throat cancer he was only young and he was non smoker/drinker my sister drinks also but not much at the moment any advice please?

Answer 1

If somebody continues to smoke after being diagnosed with throat cancer, you must know by now that you can't MAKE anyone give up an addiction. I could only quit (after many years) when I was staring the grim reaper in his bony face. It was very hard to quit, but I wish I could convey my delight at having another chance to enjoy this wonderful planet Earth.

Answer 2

There is a new medication called "Chantix", which blocks nicotine receptors in the brain, doing away with cravings and nicotine addiction.
I took it for a month (recommended is 3 months) and quit after the third dose. The only cravings I had were mild and fleeting. Her ENT can prescribe it. A month's course costs about the same as a month's worth of cigarettes.
You may want to tell her that heavy smokers who are heavy drinkers have a 75% greater likelihood of developing a lethal oral or throat cancer than a non-smoker, non-drinker.
I hope radiation will fix it and she won't have disfigurement or difficulties with voice, swallowing or chewing.

Answer 3

Let her be. She's not gonna quit smoking right now, especially with everyone nagging her about it. Constant reminders about her habbit will really just make it worse and her want to smoke more.

Smoking during radiation can be problematic, but I am sure she is well aware of the risks.

You say she has cut back a lot on her smoking. Perhaps she is trying to quit and just knows better than to do it cold turkey. Another thing to think about is smoking is highly addictive. For some people it is worse than cocain. Do you really think now is the time for her to put herself through that torment? Keeping things calm is best for her right now.

My suggestion to you is not remain angry but instead give her loving support. If you notice she has went longer than normal without a cig, say something like, wow, youre doin really good at cutting back! and leave it at that. Offer her gum or mints if she likes them. Sometimes those things can take the mind off smoking. If she mentions to you that she wants to quit or is trying to quit be even more supportive. Dont lecture her if she cheats. Instead say something like, well, you can do better next time, keep trying.

Answer 4

There is no such thing as a "little bit of throat cancer" since even a small amount can often be deadly. Can your mother not chew nicotine gum during her cancer treatments? Your mother is a perfect example of the addictive power of tobacco. I feel very sorry for you as you probably feel powerless to stop her self destruction.

If she continues to smoke she greatly raises her chances of therapuetic failure (treatment that does not work or only works for a brief period) and also increased serious complications like treatment related pneumonitis. Here is one applicable study from the medical literature.

Radiother Oncol. 1998 Oct;49(1):41-7. Links
Comment in:
Radiother Oncol. 1999 Jun;51(3):291-2.
Effects of ongoing smoking on the development of radiation-induced pneumonitis in breast cancer and oesophagus cancer patients.Johansson S, Bjermer L, Franzen L, Henriksson R.
Department of Oncology, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden.

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of smoking on the development of radiation-induced pneumonitis in patients treated for breast and oesophagus cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study on 405 females diagnosed with primary unilateral breast cancer stages 1 and 2 and 201 oesophagus carcinoma patients. The possibilities in Sweden to obtain detailed information from different medical records were used to collect data on smoking habits, radiation treatment and spontaneously reported pneumonitis. Radiation-induced pneumonitis was defined as a combination of roentgenographic infiltrate in the lung field involving an irradiated area on the chest X-ray and clinical symptoms such as non-productive cough and dyspnoea. RESULTS: Six breast cancer patients had spontaneously reported pneumonitis. Five of them were non-smokers (P = 0.182) and the other was a former smoker. Eight of the oesophagus cancer patients had spontaneously reported radiation-induced clinical pneumonitis and they were all non-smokers (P = 0.022), except one, who was a pipe smoker. None of the patients who were cigarette smokers were recorded as developing clinical pneumonitis after irradiation. CONCLUSION: These data could support the previous clinical observations and experimental studies that smoking depresses the frequency of radiation-induced pneumonitis. The present study as well as earlier observations could justify further studies concerning the possibility of an interaction of smoking with cancer treatment, both from the view of therapeutic failures and reduced adverse effects. PMID: 9886696

You should know that most likely your mother's Dr will not bend over backwards to treat someone with a death wish. By this I mean she will receive standard acceptable treatment but will not be offered risky or expensive treatments that have a potential to really help but are only used in treatment compliant patients who are actively trying to get better.

You are in a very difficult spot. I'm sorry your mother is so addicted. good luck for you both anyways

Answer 5

oh my god I am so sorry!
If you need someone to talk to don't hesitate to email me...this must be very difficult for you.
You have got to get her to quit smoking. It is killing her. You need to take away all her cigarettes and do something radical to get her to stop.