The first question my son's doctor asked is whether he smoked. I suppose they do that to be able to rule out one possible cause and concentrate on others. I sure hope that we can help someone eliminate this addiction, but it's probably more likely to be getting to our children with the right information and scary pics before they even start smoking. I've learned here that the point at which the smoker has the ability or desire to quit varies for everyone. Sometimes that point coincides with the point at which the cancer is deemed inoperable and there are no alternatives to treatment but palliative care. And at that point, it is too late, and it doesn't seem to make sense anymore to quit. I just hope that my other son (who smokes) is able to quit before these two points coincide.