Cigarettes and NF

Tumors and the Immune System

Also See:

Tumor Growth

Neurofibromatosis (NF); (NF Type 1, NF Type 2, and NF Type 3, also known as Schwannomatosis), are conditions not officially considered Cancer conditions because while all result in the growth of tumors only a percentage of people with NF might have tumors that turn Malignant tumors but n one of the tumors would Metastasize. Typical NF situations are that the tumors simply grow in different parts of the body, focal points of tumor masses based on exact NF mutation. Cigarettes may help the growth.

If you have NF while reading concerns about what smoking Cigarettes might do, it is important to know Meningioma tumors, tumors common in NF2, have been found susceptible to the same reasons for growth as tumors grown as the result of Cancers, which therefore could mean the same for all other NF tumors, or is at least something to think about and discuss with your doctor. ^{[Epidemiology and etiology of meningioma, 2010]}

The issue for individuals with NF and cigarette smoke may be more complicated than potential tumor growth. An issue many with the NF2 condition face is a Poor Immune System and many have been lost not from tumor growth, but Pneumonia following treatments because of immune system compromise.

The addition of smoking could result in an increased risk for this as "...smoking impairs immune function and can causes heart disease, stroke, aortic aneurysm (a balloon-like bulge in an artery in the chest), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (chronic bronchitis and emphysema), diabetes, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, age-related macular degeneration, and cataracts, and worsens asthma symptoms in adults. Smokers are at higher risk of developing pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other airway infections. In addition, smoking causes inflammation." ^{[National Cancer Institute]}

Additional Risks ^{[National Cancer Institute]}

1. "Tobacco smoke contains many chemicals that are harmful to both smokers and nonsmokers (Secondhand Smoke, Environmental Tobacco Smoke)."

2. "Smoking is a leading cause of cancer and death from cancer."
3. "Cigarette smoking has a profound adverse impact on health outcomes in cancer patients. For patients with some cancers, quitting smoking at the time of diagnosis may reduce the risk of dying by 30 percent to 40 percent. For those having surgery, chemotherapy, or other treatments, quitting smoking helps improve the body's ability to heal and respond to therapy."
4. "Smokers who quit before age 40 reduced their chance of dying prematurely from smoking-related diseases by about 90 percent, and those who quit by age 45-54 reduced their chance of dying prematurely by about two-thirds."

Definitions

1. Malignant: very virulent or infectious. incurable, impossible to stop completely control with any treatment, including; surgical removal or radiosurgery.
2. Metastasize: spread to other sites in the body by metastasis.

Sources:

1. Wiemels, J., Wrensch, M., & Claus, E. B. (2010). Epidemiology and etiology of meningioma. Journal of neuro-oncology, 99(3), 307-314. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11060-010-0386-3#page-1


2. National Cancer Institute. Harms of Cigarette Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting. (December 3, 2014) https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/cessation-fact-sheet