Smoking and drinking are risk factors for a number of cancers. In some tobacco associated malignancies, including lung cancer and cancers in the neck and throat, continued smoking is known to reduce the chances of survival. But now, studies in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (a cancer not closely associated with smoking or alcohol consumption) show that smoke and drink may actually reduce survival.
A study from Italy examined the chances of survival in NHL patients according to smoking and drinking habits. They found that those who smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day, increased their chances of dying by about 70%. Those who had more than 4 drinks a day also had a similar higher chance of succumbing to lymphoma.
So, in case you haven't done it already, it's time to put a check on those cigarettes and martinis!
Smoking will reduce your survival rate no matter what ailment you suffer from.
I am three time survivor of “large B Cell non Hodgins cancer. My last remision was 9/7.08. I had a kidney transplant in 1999, cardiac arrest in 2000, plus Lymphoma in 2001, 2005, 2007. I drank 2-3 glasses of Merlot red wine every evening before dinner since 2005. My doctors advise me to continue, reason, my blood work continues to improve, especially creatinine(1.0 mg)kidney function and RBC, WBC and hemogloblin.