Healthy Lifestyle

Dana Reeve, a non-smoker and the widow of late actor Christopher Reeve, has lung cancer.

While most lung cancers occur among smokers, last week, non-smoker, Dana Reeve, the widow of Superman star Christopher Reeve, disclosed that she was being treated for the disease. Her announcement came days after ABC news anchor Peter Jennings, a smoker, died of lung cancer at age 67.

They share the most common cancer in the world, but that’s where the similarity ends. Both have different smoking histories, and, while lung cancer is the most prominent form of cancer among males in the world, it is not so for women, especially nonsmokers.

But while the phenomenon of women non-smokers developing lung cancer may be rare in the West, it is not so unusual in Asia, said Dr Toh Chee Keong, an associate consultant with the National Cancer Centre
Singapore (NCCS). In countries such as Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, said Dr Toh, there are more reports of women non-smokers developing lung cancer (nonsmall cell type) than in the West.

But the reason behind this continues to baffle the medical community. In Singapore, lung cancer affected about 5,000 people between 1998 and 2002, according to statistics from the Singapore Cancer Registry. Statistics from the Singapore General Hospital and the NCCS revealed that, out of every 400 to 500 patients that seek treatment for lung cancer (non-small cell type), 30 per cent are non-smokers. Out of this percentage of non-smokers, 70 per cent are women.

Doctors still do not know why non-smokers develop lung cancer, since smoking is usually the primary cause of the
cancer. But Dr Toh said that some possible explanations, other than passive smoking, could be prolonged exposure to other environmental carcinogens (cancer-causing substances), or simply a case of genes.

However, non-smokers do have one silver lining: In advanced cases of lung cancer, they tend to respond better to
treatment than smokers. “This is probably because mutations found in the tumours of non-smokers tend to make it more sensitive towards the drugs than smokers,” said Dr Toh.

People who get lung cancer early in life also have it slightly easier as they are better able to tolerate their cancer treatment. However, this does not mean that their chances of recovery are any higher as lung cancer recovery is dependent on when it is detected.

Hong Kong Canto-pop star Anita Mui, above, died from complications of cervical cancer in December 2003. Hundreds attended her funeral, including fellow Hong Kong singer and friend Nicholas Tse (left) who helped to carry her portrait after she was cremated in January last year.

Annually, 100 Singaporean women die from this disease and about 200 women here are diagnosed with
cervical cancer, making it the fifth most common cancer among women from the period 1998 to 2002.

Hong Kong celebrity Anita Mui succumbed to it.

Annually, 100 Singaporean women die from this disease.

Every year, about 200 women in Singapore are diagnosed with cervical cancer.

It is the fifth most common cancer among Singaporean women from the period 1998 to 2002.

Yet, unlike other cancers, cervical cancer can be prevented with early detection.

What causes it
Nobody knows the cause of cervical cancer, but there are factors that are associated with it, such as
multiple sex partners, smoking and sexually transmitted infections like genital herpes and warts.

Cervical cancer occurs when normal cells in the cervix change into cancer cells.

The cervix is the entrance to the womb.

Popular myths, misconceptions
Some women believe that they do not need a pap smear test since they are healthy, said Dr Chew Ling, the programme manger of CervicalScreen Singapore. But this is untrue because changes in the cervix occur without symptoms.

“These changes need to be detected and treated before they develop into cancer,” said Dr Chew. Another misconception is that women who have gone through menopause do not need a pap smear.

But the reality is that the risk of developing the cancer increases with age, and even women who have never had any sexual intercourse should go for a screening irrespective of her age.

Symptoms
If you experience an unusual or foul smelling discharge from the vagina, bleeding or pain during sex or blood spots or light bleeding when you are not having your periods or after menopause, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Since cervical cancer develops from a pre-cancerous stage when the cervical cells undergo abnormal changes, these changes can be detected through regular pap smear screening.

Treating it then can prevent it from developing into cancer.

Treatment
A common treatment involves using a diathermy loop (a fine wire loop that uses electrical energy) or laser to remove the small affected area on the cervix.

Regular follow-up sessions after the treatment is crucial as there is always the possibility of recurrence.

Surgery, radiation treatment and/or chemotherapy may be offered depending on how advanced the disease is.

You should, however, avoid having a pap smear if you are pregnant.

“You should have a pap smear done after the delivery of your baby.

This is usually done at the sixth week during the post-natal checkup,” said Dr Chew.

You should also avoid the pap smear test if you are having your period near to or on the test date.

“The blood cells that are shed during your period may affect the accuracy of your pap smear result.”

Instead, schedule an appointment for the test two weeks after the start of your period.