Thanks for all the reply's! I do agree that it is totally fruitless to think "what if" these foods and their additives could have been a cancer culprit. Speaking for Johnny, I know in addition to have been a 2-pack a day smoker for 30-some years, plus eating a lot of smoked foods - bacon, lunch meat, kielbasi..and drinking many cans of diet soda a day (always been his favorite drink of choice - ever since they came out with "Tab") certainly couldn't have helped. Plus he was over 300lbs. when first diagnosed...and we all know what they say about being overweight. But I suppose as you mentioned Brian, what it all comes down to is genetics. Good analogy using George Burns! He did LOVE those cigars....and look how long he lived! While I'm sure anyone will tell you diet is very crucial for overall health - and especially for people overcoming a major illness, I still can't help but wonder if having a BBQ this summer and inhlaing the smoke and eating the so-delicious food, if it could be doing something to rev up those cancer cells again, since a person who is recovering still has a weakened immune system. I bring this up, because even though Johnny is limited yet on what and how much he eats - he just had some kielbasi the other day and still drinks diet soda now again. He can tolerate ketchup and the fizz in the pop doesn't seem to bother him too much. Surprsingly...a sprinkle of black pepper on things are OK for him too - but not mustard! That still burns like a son-of-a-gun!