Researchers at the University of Newcastle are speaking up about the danger of smoking after being diagnosed with cancer.
With around fifty per cent of cancer patients recorded as continuing to smoke, researchers are now warning of the impact it can have on the effectiveness of treatment and overall survival.
"Smoking actually interferes with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and it also slows wound healing from surgery," says University of Newcastle Researcher, Kristen McCarter, "but cancer patients continuing to smoke also experience all of the harm that anyone without cancer would experience."
A free cancer research event was held today at the Hunter Medical Research Institute to keep patients informed on treatment decisions, where questions were opened to the public.
"Everyone sort of knows that smoking causes lung cancer and that continuing to smoke is harmful in that area, although some lung cancer patients might think the damage is already done and that there isn't a point in quitting but there certainly is," says Ms McCarter.
Anyone interested in being an advisor in the Hunter Cancer Research Alliance Consumer Advisor Panel is advised to visit the HCRA website here: www.hcra.com.au.
