my dad was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer end of feb 08. symptoms started begining of february. he was paraplegic and ex smoker gave up 4 years ago. he also had heart attack end of august 07. some say that cancer is dormant before it forms a tumor and my question is do you think cancer was there before the heart attack or did heart attack change something for the cancer to start.

*Smoking
*Toxic chemicals
*Environmental pollution
*Family history (gives you a slight risk)

Lung cancer depends upon the person.

Lung cancer can be both slow growing and fast growing. He can ask the pathologist since most tumors have a specific growth range. Many people have no indication of lung cancer until it actually impairs their breathing, which is often quite advanced. that is why treatment isn't always that successful. So sorry that he is sick! My Dad is currently quite ill as well. It's tough because he just can't do what he wants to do.

You can have lung cancer for years and years and not know as by the time the symptoms start its malignant. it wouldn't have been dormant but it could have been benign and then become more agressive as it grew. the heart attack wouldn't have encouraged the cancer. As its just when the coronary artery becomces obstructed and the heart gets starved of oxygen causeing it to become damaged or parts of it to die.
I don't know weather this could also starve the body of oxygen also, but if it did, that could have slowed the cancers growth. if the cancer is in the lungs close to the heart, it could be that the cancerous growth was pressing on the heart causing an obstruction of sorts.

'this isn't fact' this is based on my knowlage.

here is a research group with a message board someone there might know boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/

feb of 07 i had spots on my lung,i also had breast cancer,in dec on my next ct scan the spots had grown in to a tumour,i had no symptons and the tumour is not connected to the breast cancer,i think it was there before the heartattack hun

wen you keep farting and sharting.