Smoking May Hasten Spread of Cancer: Study NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - At diagnosis, cancer patients who are smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to have cancer that has spread beyond the original tumor, research suggests. This seems to be true for a broad range of cancers, including prostate cancer. The findings do not prove that smoking causes cancer to spread but they do provide another incentive to kick the habit, according to a team led by Dr. Nathan L. Kobrinsky at the MeritCare Children's Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota. Kobrinsky and his colleagues note that there are stacks of scientific evidence that "unequivocally" show that smoking is the major cause of a number of cancers, including cancers of the head and neck, lung and bladder. It is also a major contributing factor to cancers of the esophagus, pancreas and kidneys, according to the researchers. However, even though smokers who are newly diagnosed with any type of cancer are advised to quit, this recommendation is "often given and received with ambivalence" since it is uncertain whether cigarette smoking promotes cancer growth once cancer has already formed, the authors write in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Thanks to [04/21/2003; Reuters Health] Cancer, 10/03 STOP SMOKING Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.