Lungs

A Denver man who says he ate two bags of microwaved popcorn every day for about 10 years has won a $7.2-million verdict after he developed an ailment often referred to as "popcorn lung. " It's an illness that can be traced back to the chemicals used to give popcorn a buttery flavoring without all the calories. The chemical -- an artificial flavoring called diacetyl, is no longer used in artificial flavoring and some experts see a possible link between diacetyl and Alzheimer's, according to ABC News.

Billy Graham has been admitted to a North Carolina hospital for a lung infection, his evangelistic association said in a statement on Sunday. “Upon admission, he was alert and in good spirits,” the statement said . “The pulmonologist treating Mr. Graham, David Pucci, DO, said that he is resting comfortably, that appropriate antibiotics are being administered and that his condition is stable.” Graham, 93, is a widely popular evangelist...

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control  had some good news for the health of the American public this week: Its graphic commercials showing the ravages of smoking-related illness are having a dramatic effect on people's desire to quit, according to a story published this week by USA Today. It's hard to ignore a real-life throat-cancer patient who speaks in a barely comprehensible rasp as she dons her wig, her false teeth and an artificial larynx for the day. This and similar ad spots have led to a sharp increase in calls and visits to the government's smoking-cessation hotline and tips website . But before we celebrate too joyously, it's worth noting another CDC report that came out last week.

Studies of a 15-year-old Incan girl who was sacrificed on an Argentine mountaintop 500 years ago show that she had a lung infection when she died, most likely tuberculosis, researchers reported this week. Two younger children who died with her did not have an infection, they said. The mummy, known as the Maiden, was discovered in 1999 about 25 yards from the summit of Llullaiaco, a high-elevation volcano in the province of Salta, Argentina, by archaeologists led by Johan Reinhard and Constanza Ceruti of the Mountain Institute in Franklin, W.Va.

The world's most prestigious cancer research group on Tuesday classified diesel engine exhaust as carcinogenic to humans and concluded that exposure is associated with increased risk of lung cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer - part of the World Health Organization - made the announcement at a meeting in France, finding, in part, “that diesel exhaust is a cause of lung cancer, and also noted a positive association with an increased risk of bladder cancer.

Less than three weeks after nosy neighbor Mrs. McCluskey succumbed to lung cancer on the series finale of "Desperate Housewives," Kathryn Joosten - the actress who won two Emmy Awards for portraying the television character - has died of the same disease at 72. Joosten, who was also known for playing the president's secretary in the TV series "The West Wing," died Saturday at her Westlake Village home, said her daughter-in-law, Jeremy Joosten....

Full disclosure alert! I practically worshiped Jack LaLanne, who invented the modern fitness industry. He died last year at the age of 96. So, imagine how excited I was to get to speak with the woman who helped make Jack even more Jack. His widow, Elaine LaLanne, played a big role in Jack's fitness empire, and it was truly a delight to speak with this vibrant and entertaining woman. How did you and Jack start off together? He was a junk food junkie as a kid, and when we met so was I. We formed a relationship because of his show.

Disco legend Donna Summer, 63, died Wednesday night, reportedly of lung cancer. As of press time, her family hadn't released details about her illness, so it was unknown what type of lung cancer she had, and how long she may have been ailing. According to the American Cancer Society , lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both women and men, killing more than 150,000 people per year -- more than colon, breast, ovarian and prostate cancers combined. In 2012, the group estimates, there will be about 226,000 new cases of lung cancer in the U.S. Survival rates of people with lung cancer are low. Only about half of people diagnosed with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (the more common type)

Meow, the fat cat whose 39-pound girth helped raise awareness about obesity in pets, has died of lung failure. The orange-and-white tabby was turned in to the Santa Fe, N.M., animal shelter last month and quickly made international headlines. At first, his story was played for laughs: The 2-year-old cat apparently favored hot dogs, and was so fat that he got stuck inside things. He barely fit into his animal carrier, and was likened to Puss in Boots from the "Shrek" movies. But Meow's weight underscored a growing problem: Pets in America are getting fatter -- just like their owners -- and all that extra weight can hasten death.