Esther Rantzen has got lung cancer

Rosie51 and Louella12, no one can say what the cause of the lung cancer was if non smokers get it too. Highly unlikely to be radiotherapy; the risk is tiny. Not good news for those of us who've been through radiotherapy if so.

He started smoking when he was about 15, at a time when most people smoked and teenage boys were almost encouraged to do so. The dangers of smoking were not known to the general public at this time
Musicgirl my MIL was advised to smoke by her GP during the war because he said it would help her nerves after she lost FIL.
She lived to a good age, never got lung cancer but did suffer with COPD and other lung problems in later life.

I remember hearing an oncologist who specialised in lung cancer saying some lung cancers are caused by a virus. She’d never smoked. Her mother, who was in her 90’s was still smoking.
Yes research is important and most of us accept smoking is generally bad for health.
We need to avoid leaping to assumptions about lifestyle, pushing responsibility on to the patient, who is suffering enough.

Obviously smoking is responsible for most lung cancers but genes and/ or other factors must play some part in ones susceptibility to the disease?
Living in a polluted environment, stress for example?
I’m only thinking that may be the case, I have no medical knowledge.

When watching programmes such as ‘Endeavour’, set in the 60’s, you realise how much times have changed. Everyone lighting up in the office or interview room, is so different to now, but it seemed so normal back then.

I bought my future husband a cigarette lighter as a Christmas present in 1970, our first one together. I must have been mad, but it seemed so common to smoke then. I never did, and thankfully he gave up many years ago.

My dear Dad died of lung cancer which had spread everywhere at age 57. They didn’t even know until the autopsy that he had lung cancer - I was 19.

Another dear friend died of lung cancer, not caused by smoking. It wasn’t detected until it had spread to her brain and the effects of that were being investigated. She died on her daughter’s 8th birthday.

I think it’s great that they’re intending to test all ex smokers as lung cancer doesn’t usually cause symptoms until it’s metastasised.

I wish Esther well.

My DH died from lung cancer last year. He had smoked from the age of fifteen but gave it up when he was 42. He was always a very fit man until about a year before he was diagnosed at age 78 when his cancer was stage 4. I would not wish it on anyone. My father, a lifelong smoker, also died from it but we didn’t even know he had it - he died suddenly from a brain aneurism.
I wish Esther a good outcome.

My BIL died from lung cancer, he had never smoked in his life.

Ticking bird I'm afraid you wont get a test if you are over 74.
Why there is an age limit I don't know, unless it is to give parity with breast and bowel screening. You can however request screening in the established breast and bowel programmes.

westendgirl. Have they wheeled it out yet and how do you go about getting one? I used to smoke but stopped 14 years ago. I qualify age wise with some margin.

I haven't smoked for over 35 years, but did for a few years previously. When I attend routine health checks the nurses often put me down as a non-smoker (just as they claim I get light exercise when I don't, and that I have good dental health when they haven't seen inside my mouth or asked if I have regular check-ups).

I don't know why they do this, but I wouldn't like to think that it would exclude me from being invited for a check when they are rolled out.