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Quitting Smoking & Cancer Risks

Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of death in the United States. Cigarette smoking is the most common form of tobacco use. Although the risk for cancers is still higher for people who have quit smoking than for those who have never smoked, kicking the habit can reduce future risks for a number of cancers significantly.

  1. Lung Cancer

    • Stopping cigarette smoking is an effective way to cut lung cancer risk. A study by the Asia-Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that quitting smoking can reduce the risk of death from lung cancer by up to 70 percent, according to Science Daily. National Institute of Health (NIH) studies report that lung cancer risks for male smokers can be nearly 2,000 percent higher than for non-smokers. NIH studies list lung cancer risks for female smokers as 1,200 percent higher than for female non-smokers.

    Breast Cancer

    • Quitting smoking can reduce breast cancer risk. Science Daily cites a study published in the Journal of Cancer Epidemiology indicating that women who have smoked one pack of cigarettes per day for at least nine years are 59 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.

    Cancer of the Esophagus

    • Cigarette smoking is also linked to cancer of the esophagus. The increase in risk is cumulative. As more cigarettes are smoked, the risk of cancer of the esophagus increases. People who smoke for many years also have a higher risk than people who have smoked for a short period of time.

    Cancer of the Larynx

    • Smoking is the single biggest contributor to cases of cancer of the larynx. Quitting smoking will not completely remove the risk of cancer of the larynx. However, according to the journal Ear Nose & Throat, out of 64 larynx cancer patients studied, four patients had quit smoking more than 25 years before the condition developed, 10 other patients had quit smoking in recent years, and 50 patients were still smokers.

    Cervical Cancer

    • According to the University of Minnesota, women who smoke are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer, dysplasia or human papillomavirus (HPV). Quitting smoking can reduce this risk dramatically. Second- hand smoke also creates similar risks.

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