LUNG CANCER AND INK

[AutumnMiller]

IS THERE ANY KNOWN CONNECTION BETWEEN LUNG CANCER AND INK? MY MOTHER HAS BEEN DELIEVERING LIKE 500 NEWSPAPERS A NIGHT FOR THE PAST LIKE 15 YEARS. SHE IS ALSO A SMOKER BUT OTHER THAN THATI'D SAY SHE WAS PRETTY HEALTHY ... IN MAY WE FIND OUT SHE HAS NON SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER .. THEY SAY AT LEAST STAGE 3 B AND SHE HAS A HUGE MASS BETWEEN HER TWO LUNGS AND SMALLER ONES IN EACH LUNG.. THEY FOUND IT BECAUSE HER FACE AND NECK WAS SWOLLEN AND WHEN SHE WOULD LAY DOWN HER FACE WOULD TURN PURPLE.. N SHE HAD SHORTNESS OF BREATH.. AND MEDS WERENT  MAKING HER BETTER. THEY DID AN EMERGENCY BIOOPSU AND FOUND THAT. SHE IS ONLY 46.. HOWEVER LKE I SAID SHE IS A SMOKER--- MY SISTER- HER YOUNGEST DAUGHTER PASSED AWAY IN NOV 06-- WHICH MADE ALL OF US LIKE CHAIN SMOKE BECAUSE OF THE STRESS WE ALL SMOKED AT THE SAME TIME.. THE SAME AMOUNT.. THEN MY BROTHER HAD SURGERY FOR HIS HEART CANCER.. WHICH JUST ADDED ONTO IT.. ALONG WITH HIS RADIATION ( SECOND TIME COMIN BACK)
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF INK MIGHT HAVE A FACTOR? I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT THE OTHER DAY.. AND SHE'S BEEN DOING IT FOR SO LONG WITH NO GLOVES AND THE INK JUST SEEPS INTO HER SKIN UNTIL SHE IS DONE .. LIKE TWO HRS IT TAKES HER EACH NIGHT.
THE DRS SAIOD THEY DO NOT DO SURGERY ON THIS TYPE OF CANCER.. SO  THEY ARE TRYING MORE CHEMO. ITS EVERY 3 WEEKS 10 MIN IV BAG.. ITS LIKE 2 DIFF KINDS SHE SAID.. I BELIEVE...

DOES ANYNE HAVE ANY INPUT?

THANK YOU

[AutumnMiller]

she has already done the radiation ....

[Kamal S Saini, MD, MRCP (UK), DM]

Radiotherapy is the same as radiation therapy.
Wearing gloves while handling ink is a good idea.

[AutumnMiller]

Yes- it is the superior vena cava syndrome.

radiotherapy? is that the same as radiation therapy or different? because she has alreadyu done that.

I don't know why.. id think about the ink. maybe because i hear that peopel that don't smoke get it too.. and people that do smoke get it. so i was wondering if it could be something else. I am also helping her wutg the papers.. shuld i be wearing gloves?

[Kamal S Saini, MD, MRCP (UK), DM]

Hi,
There are many known chemicals and other substances called carcinogens that can cause cancer. Smoking is known to be assiciated with lung cancer. Since your mother is a smoker, and has developed lung cancer, why would you suspect ink?
The clinical situation you described (where she had a swollen face, and became breathless and turned blue on lying down) is probably "superior vena cava syndrome".
She is on two-drug chemotherapy for lung cancer. I hope she responds to treatment.
Later, radiotherapy too may be considered.