An English Father and Former Longtime Smoker, 51, Is Urging Others to Quit after a Harrowing Mouth Cancer Journey

“I was drinking water and some of it came out of my nose,” he said. “I knew something wasn't right, so I went to get help.”

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He was then referred to a specialist at a dental hospital who gave him some very serious news: he had cancer. After an urgent MRI scan and biopsy, he was diagnosed with stage four mouth cancer and given a devastating proposal.

“The doctor told me I had a choice to decide to have the operation within a month or die,” Sledden-Houston said. “He said I could have six months to live and maybe see Christmas. I had to quit smoking immediately.”

The tumor was in his cheekbone and it was likely developing for four years, according to his surgeon.

“I'll never forget the surgeon telling me how serious it was,” he said. “It was the size of a tennis ball and had to be removed.” It was a massive operation, and it took me months to recover.”

The surgery lasted more than 15 hours, and it involved doctors slicing into his face to remove  his cheek bone, eye and palate. Then, a part of his hip bone was removed to move into his face for reconstruction leaving a then 48 year old Sledden-Houston unable to smile. He also couldn’t talk or eat properly for six months after the operation.

“The medical team managed to remove the entire tumor, so I didn't have to have chemotherapy or radiotherapy,” he said. “One of the biggest challenges was learning to eat and talk just using my left-hand side of my face, as I have no teeth on the other side.”

Now, he’s slightly disfigured since the nerves in his face were damaged during the operation, but he’s since had a face lift that’s helped him feel more confident.

“It looks like I've had a tiny stroke, but I have been incredibly lucky as not everyone makes it through,” he said. “I've now been in remission for just over three years, and I have never felt better.”

And a part of the reason he’s feeling better is because he’s quit smoking.

RELATED: A Woman Who Started Smoking at Age 11 Went on to Fight Three Throat Cancer Battles; Understanding Smoking and its Affect on Cancer Risk

“My taste improved and I also started to save money, all of these were incentives to stop smoking but being diagnosed with cancer was definitely my wake-up call as I would have continued smoking,” he said adding that he’s also been having more energy and sleeping better. “I needed the shock of being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer to stop, and I urge everyone to give quitting a go before you end up like me.”

Smoking and Cancer Risk

The American Cancer Society estimates that smoking causes about 20 percent of all cancers and about 30 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States.

"We know that there is a causal relationship between smoking and both incidents of cancer and the chance of dying from cancer," Dr. Andrea Tufano-Sugarman of NYU Langone Health previously told SurvivorNet. "And there are very few things in science that have a cause and effect relationship, but this is one of them, which is very powerful."

The National Cancer Institute reports that tobacco use causes many cancers including cancer of the lung, larynx (voice box), mouth, esophagus, throat, bladder, kidney, liver, stomach, pancreas, colon and rectum and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia. People who use smokeless tobacco (snuff or chewing tobacco) have increased risks of cancers of the mouth, esophagus and pancreas.

Lung cancer, the second most common type of cancer, is the leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the United States. Non-smokers still get lung cancer, but cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for the disease. This is because tobacco smoke contains a mixture of more than 7,000 different chemicals, and at least 70 of which are known to cause cancer.

Lung Cancer in Smokers vs. Non-Smokers

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention states that cigarette smoking is linked to about 80 to 90 percent of lung cancer deaths, and people who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who don't smoke. Additionally, second-hand smoke can cause lung cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 7,000 adults die of lung cancer annually from breathing secondhand smoke.

That being said, we have seen a concerning development in smoking rates in recent years. In fact, a recent report revealed that annual cigarette sales went up for the first time in 20 years in 2020. This is an issue because, as we've said before, smoking is linked to multiple kinds of cancers, like throat cancer, but it can also effect cancer survival.

How to Quit

Dr. Tufano-Sugarman often counsels cancer patients who are trying to quit smoking, which, she says, is similar to counseling other smokers.

RELATED: Quitting Smoking Early Pays Off: New Research Finds that Smokers Who Quit By 45 Reduce Their Excess Lung Cancer Risk by 87%; Tips For Quitting

When Dr. Tufano-Sugarman works with people with cancer, counseling is often paired with nicotine replacement therapy. She typically prescribes a daily nicotine patch to manage withdrawal symptoms, as well as a fast-acting option to curb cravings like a nicotine gum, inhaler, or spray.

Quitting Smoking Can Help the Success of Your Lung Cancer Surgery

Her main message for people trying to quit smoking is that the process is not always linear.

"There's going to be slip-ups and relapses," she said. "But above all, it's never too late to stop."

Strategies for Managing Tobacco Cravings:

1. Nicotine replacement therapy. As Dr. Tufano-Sugarman discussed, nicotine replacement therapy is one of the main tools that smokers have at their disposal. Long-acting therapies like nicotine patches can be paired with short acting therapies (including nicotine gum, lozenges, nasal spray, and inhalers) to cope with intense cravings. More research will be needed to gauge the effectiveness of other smoking substitutes like e-cigarettes and vapes.
2. Steer clear of triggers. Cravings can be provoked by situations that you are used to having tobacco in. It can help to familiarize yourself with these environments and make plans for how you can manage them without tobacco or how you can avoid them completely.
3. Wait. If you feel yourself on the brink of giving in to a tobacco craving, delay smoking for 10 minutes and do something else to distract yourself. Move to a no-smoking area to make it less convenient for you to smoke. Cravings can often subside if given time.
4. Chew something. Whether it's gum, candy, or vegetables, chew something that will occupy your mouth as you resist your cravings.
5. Don't give in to the "just one more" mentality. Smoking once just leads to smoking again. Be careful not to convince yourself that you can satisfy a tobacco craving and then quit after that.
6. Exercise more. Boosting your physical activity can distract you from tobacco cravings and also make them less intense. Exercise can mean a lot of different thingseven short periods of physical activity can help tobacco cravings go away.
7. Try relaxation techniques. Finding new ways of dealing with stress can be an important part of quitting smoking. Techniques like deep-breathing, yoga, visualization, muscle relaxation, and massage can open new doors for the way you relate to stress and smoking.
8. Reach out for support. Establishing strong support systems is essential both for people battling cancer and people battling tobacco addiction. Calling a friend or family member to talk on the phone or go for a walk can help remind you that you're not in this alone.
9. Research other resources. The Mayo Clinic recommends a free telephone line800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669)for support and counseling. Additionally, there are online support groups for smokers trying to quit, and blogs where people write about how they manage the same challenges you are facing.
10. Remind yourself why you want to quit. Whether your goal is to feel better, get healthier, save money, or prepare for cancer treatment, it can help to write down or speak aloud the reason you decided to quit in the first place.

Contributing: Joe Kerwin

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