Prevention > Smoking

CANCER PREVENTION AND SMOKING
Tobacco use, particularly smoking, is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Cigarette smoking alone is directly responsible for at least one-third of all cancer deaths annually in the United States. Cancer prevention starts with not starting the bad habit of smoking, or quitting smoking.

Cigarette smoking is the most significant cause of lung cancer and the leading cause of lung cancer death in both men and women. Smoking is also responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity, and esophagus. In addition, it is highly associated with the development of, and deaths from bladder, kidney, pancreatic and cervical cancers.

The health risks of cigarette smoking are not limited to smokers-exposure to "secondhand smoke" significantly increases a non-smoker's risk for developing lung cancer. In addition, smokeless tobacco such as snuff or chewing tobacco is associated with increased risk for developing cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), and esophagus.

Pipe and cigar smokers experience substantially elevated risks for cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus, which equal and often exceed the risks observed in regular cigarette smokers. Pipe and cigar smokers experience a slightly increased risk for lung cancer; however, among pipe and cigar smokers who inhale, the risk of lung cancer is on the same order of magnitude found in cigarette smokers.

Nearly one-third of all cancer deaths expected to occur each year in the United States, are directly linked to cigarette smoking. Additional deaths can be attributed to smokeless tobacco, pipe and cigar smoking. In short, all forms of tobacco use are hazardous, but the hazards are magnified when smoke from the tobacco is inhaled. Furthermore, the nicotine in tobacco is addictive, which makes it extremely difficult for most users to stop the behavior once it has been adopted as part of their lifestyle.

The best cancer prevention is clearly to never start smoking. Word of Mouth, an innovative school-based tobacco prevention program, aims to help children remain tobacco-free for life. The program targets children in grades 4-8, a time when children are most at risk for initiating tobacco use. For more information on this program, visit the Word of Mouth web site.

The Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking
Quitting smoking greatly reduces the risks for cancer and is the first step of cancer prevention. For example, within a year of quitting, a former smoker's risk of heart disease is reduced by nearly 50 percent compared to someone who continues to smoke. Unfortunately, the risks for lung cancer do not decrease as rapidly, but the sooner one quits smoking, the quicker one begins to benefit. Usually, after 10 to 15 years off cigarettes, most former smokers' health status is not significantly different from that of a lifelong nonsmoker. Any residual risk following cessation is strongly dependent on total previous exposure to cigarette smoke, length of time off cigarettes, and the health status of the individual at the time of cessation.

For more on stopping smoking, visit The Cleveland Clinic Department of Psychiatry and Psychology's Smoking Cessation Program.