What in cigarettes causes lung cancer?
According to the 1989 Surgeon General’s report, 43 human and/or animal carcinogens have been found in tobacco smoke. A number of others are co carcinogens — that is, they produce cancer when combined with other chemicals present in smoke. Some are tumor promoters; once a cancer starts, they cause it to grow faster. These effects have been identified in the standard “bioassays” used by the government and by the cigarette industry — painting tar on the shaved backs of mice, or exposing animals to smoke gases. Anything that causes skin tumors — even non cancerous tumors — on mice is assumed to be hazardous for smokers; the inside of the lungs is made up of tissues very much like those of skin. And mouse skin is similar to human skin. 14. What are the chances of being cured of lung cancer? Very low; the five-year survival rate is less than 15%. Most forms of the disease start insidiously and produce no symptoms until far advanced; consequently, it is often difficult to detect early eno
