As a hospital pathologist, I am in the unique position of seeing the damages of smoking at the microscopic level. It has been disheartening to see the diagnosis of lung cancer in my career switch from a male disease to an equal opportunity coed disease directly due the increase in female smokers. The photos illustrate two images of female lung cancer in my world.

The first image is of Adria, who is a 52 year old phlebotomist who works in the Bay Area Hospital laboratory. She started smoking at age 12 to fit in with her friends.

suspicious mass which led to surgical removal of an entire lobe a few days later. I am Adria's pathologist. My examination of the lung tissue revealed a hard quarter sized mass. Under the microscope, the normal lung cells had been replaced by large abnormal cells diagnostic of lung cancer.

The other photograph seen here is an image of malignant lung cancer cells seen under the microscope. As these monstrous tumor cells multiply they destroy normal lung tissue and can invade other parts of the body. Adria was lucky - my examination showed that the tumor was completely removed and that the lymph nodes were negative for tumor spread.

The statistics are grim - 73,000 women die of lung cancer annually and the incidence of female lung cancer death surpassed breast cancer death rates a few years back. Female smokers are twice as likely to develop lung carcinoma compared to men of the same age and smoking history. Equal work and social opportunities for women lead to a significant increase in female smoking rates which peaked at 46% in 1966. There is about a30 year lag time before the development of lung cancer which explains why we have been seeing the large peak in the incident of female lung cancer over the last decade. Stopping smoking lowers, but does not eliminate, the risk of cancer development. Adria's mom stopped smoking 10 years ago but was diagnosed with lung cancer in December. Unfortunately the cancer had spread and she died of her disease in early April.

I applaud all efforts to promote cigarette smoking cessation in our community including the development of "smoke free" campuses. Bay Area Hospital has announced that it will go "smoke free" in May.

Adria has recovered from her surgery and is currently cancer free. She is proud that she recently influenced a young female colleague to stop smoking by telling her story and showing her surgical scar. What would she tell other smokers? "Take a look at my scar where the doctor had to cut my ribs and muscles so that he could reach in to pull the lung out of my side. Tell the ladies not to smoke or to stop smoking."

The only successful method to avoid the vast majority of lung cancers is to prevent smoking. Don't just "give up" if you or a loved one is a smoker. The earlier you stop, the more you can reduce the risk. Need help? There are Stop Smoking Clinics in Coquille, Bandon and Coos Bay/North Bend - call (541)267-0851and/or call the Oregon Tobacco Quit Lineate (800)QUIT-NOW

Go ahead and put me out of business.

Stop smoking.
Dr. Deborah Groom
Laboratory Medical Director & Staff
Pathologist, Bay Area Hospital
Member of the Coos County
Women's Health Coalition