The 'One Thing That Doesn't Suck About Cancer'
- Comedian Kathy Griffin, 60, says there’s one thing that “doesn’t suck” about cancer: Having the perfect response if someone “sasses” her.
- Griffin says she has never smoked. Smoking is the top risk factor for lung cancer, but twenty percent of people who die from lung cancer in the U.S. each year have never smoked or have never used any other form of tobacco.
- Griffin is doing a great job of remaining positive during her cancer journey, something Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, says is extremely important.
"One thing that sucks about cancer, it's hard to focus on anything else when one is experiencing shortness of breath, deep coughing, pain, extreme fatigue & in my case, vocal chord issues," she wrote in an update posted to her social media accounts. "One thing that doesn't suck about cancer … how shameless I am when clapping back at people who dare to sass Ms Kathy about anything with 'Really, (expletive) ??? Try CANCER!' I cannot get enough of it. 😈🤣"
Read MoreView this post on InstagramThe world learned of Griffin's cancer diagnosis via social media on Aug. 2; shortly after announcing the news, she underwent surgery to have half of her left lung removed as the cancer seemed to be contained there.
In the post shared on Twitter and Instagram last month, she wrote, "I've got to tell you guys something. I have cancer. I'm about to go into surgery to have half of my left lung removed. Yes, I have lung cancer even though I've never smoked! The doctors are very optimistic as it is stage one and contained to my left lung. Hopefully. No chemo or radiation after this and I should have normal function with my breathing."
"I should be up and running around as usual in a month or less. It's been a helluva 4 years, trying to get back to work, making you guys laugh and entertaining you, but I'm gonna be just fine. Of course I am fully vaccinated for Covid. The consequences for being unvaccinated would have been even more serious. Please stay up to date on your medical check ups. It'll save your life. XXOO, KG."
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Understanding Lung Cancer
There are two main types of lung cancer. The type a person has will chart the course for their treatment plan, as well as the cancer's predicted progression. In Griffin's case, although she never smoked, she was diagnosed with stage 1 cancer and because it was confined to her left lung, she was able to have half of it removed and seems to be doing well post-op.
Griffin didn't share what type of lung cancer she has. The two main types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer, which is the most common and makes up about 85% of cases, and then there's small cell lung cancer, which is less common, but tends to grow faster than non-small cell, and it's treated very differently.
Lung cancer has been directly linked to cigarette smoking and it's the number one risk factor for developing this type of cancer, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the United States, the CDC says that cigarette smoking is linked to about 80% to 90% 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.
Lung Cancer in Smokers vs. Non-Smokers
But that doesn't mean you can't develop lung cancer if you don't smoke cigarettes, such as the case for Griffin. Twenty percent of people who die from lung cancer in the U.S. each year have never smoked or have never used any other form of tobacco. We say that anyone with lungs can get lung cancer, regardless of if you have smoked or not.
Staying Positive During Treatment
Griffin is doing a great job of remaining positive during her cancer journey. Just days after her surgery, she shared a nearly three-minute long video on Instagram telling her followers a funny story about her husband.
In the video posted Aug. 8, Griffin details how her husband, Randy Bick, cut his hand open while he was making lunch for the two of them, and a fire truck came as a result. Giggling throughout, the comedian appeared to be in great spirits post-op, and her fans and famous friends were loving it.
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Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, says maintaining a positive attitude is very important.
"My patients who thrive, even with stage 4 cancer … I kind of am pretty good at seeing who is going to be OK," he previously told SurvivorNet.
"Now (that) doesn't mean I'm good at saying that the cancer won't grow," he added. "But I'm pretty good at telling what kind of patient (is) going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest. … Those are patients who they have gratitude in life."
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