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Gold Award Winner for Best Dentist in Oakville! w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER Th ur sd ay , Se pt em be r 1 6, 2 01 0 2 2 HealthOakville Beaver By Melanie Cummings SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Three years from now, Dr.John Goffin expects to seethe mortality rate of lung cancer start to drop. The current prognosis is poor, which is why the McMaster University researcher asked more than 50 supporters and organizers of the local Terry Fox Run to do their part by helping someone quit smoking, now. Its never too late, said Goffin who was the guest speaker at the Terry Fox Cancer Research Foundation fundraiser last Thursday. Within weeks theres improve- ment and in 10 to 15 years a former smokers chance of developing lung cancer is the same as the rest of the population, Goffin added. For men and women, lung can- cer is a killer. In 2009, a total of 23,400 people were diagnosed with lung cancer in Canada and of those 20,500 died. That puts the mortality rate at 87 per cent. It is so high, because typically, lung cancer is diagnosed too late, said Goffin. If its detected in stage one of the diseases progression, the cure rate may be 70 per cent, or better. With $6.5 million in research funding from the Terry Fox Foundation, work is underway by Goffin and a team of oncologists across Canada to develop blood tests that would enable physicians to pinpoint lung cancer at the out- set. The early detection of lung can- cer study is currently recruiting 2,500 volunteers between 50 and 70 years old to commit to the two- year probe. Participants will do a breathing test, CT scan, and bronchosopy, which is an instrument inserted in the airways to examine any abnor- malities, a comprehensive family history and follow-up appoint- ments. The challenge right now is to know what we should be looking at in examining a biomarker, like whether some proteins in the blood are higher among people with lung cancer than those free of it, Goffin asked. In three years, he said, researchers should have a result that says do X-Y-Z if cancer is found in the lungs. Its good news especially for this part of the country, where one in every five residents smokes ciga- rettes. Thats higher than the national average of 18 per cent in 2008. While thats a big drop from the 24 per cent average in 2000, theres been no budging of the number of 15 to 19 year olds who are smokers. Eliminating cigarettes would save billions of dollars and a whole lot of misery, said Goffin. To participate in the early detec- tion of lung cancer study call 1- 866-966-LUNG (5864). This year marks the 30th anniversary of Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research the largest sin- gle day cancer fundraiser. Local participants are invited to Coronation Park on Lakeshore Road Sept. 19 to run, walk, inline skate or wheelchair along the route that travels from the park west along Lakeshore Road to Bronte and back. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with the event running from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information contact local Oakville Terry Fox Committee organizer Ralph Robinson at 905- 827-7659 or rrobinson@oakville.ca Its never too late to quit smoking NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER STAGGERING STATISTICS: Dr. John Goffin of McMaster Universitys Juravinksi Cancer Centre speaks to a packed room at the Hampton Restaurant about the research that is funded by the Terry Fox Foundation last week.