Many people continue smoking even after a cancer diagnosis.

As hard as it is to believe the addiction to nicotine is stronger than than the will to live.

Some people just give up and some are fatalistic but the urge to smoke is overwhelming.

Researchers looked at 2,456 lung cancer patients and 3,063 colorectal patients and discovered that at time of diagnosis, 38 percent of the lung cancer patients and 15 percent of the colorectal patients were smokers.

Lung cancer patient Toni Manes continued to smoke after her diagnosis.
Five months later, despite a cancer diagnosis, 14 percent of the lung cancer patients were still lighting up (ditto for 9 percent of the colorectal patients).