A note from Dr. Ravikrishnan, M.D., a respected pulmonologist at Beaumont Hospital

If you are a current cigarette smoker, there is still time to quit. Lung cancer kills close to 200,000 people annually. Lung cancer is the number one killer cancer in women and men.

•You can seek professional help to use various advanced and innovative smoking cessation techniques.

•Pollutants--especially asbestos--increases your cancer risk many fold.

•Be aware of the risks of second hand smoke to your family members, your friends and colleagues.

•Ask your personal physician to obtain a chest X-ray as part of your annual physical examination if you continue to smoke.

Contact your personal physician if you have symptoms of persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, weight loss, or change in your voice (hoarseness of voice or coughing up of blood). These may be early symptoms of lung cancer, and may not always be due to bronchitis.