Smoking in Breast Cancer
Smoking is a major risk factor for many types of cancer, including breast cancer. Studies have shown that smoking increases breast cancer risk by at least 30%, even among women who only smoke occasionally. Women who smoke are more likely to develop breast cancer and their cancer is more likely to be advanced and spread to other organs. Quitting smoking decreases the risk of developing breast cancer. Smoking is associated with an increased risk of recurrence of breast cancer after initial treatment, and is associated with worse outcomes for those with breast cancer. In addition to increasing the risk of developing breast cancer, smoking has been found to reduce the effectiveness of treatments for breast cancer, which could lead to a decreased chance of survival. Smoking is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for breast cancer and quitting smoking can significantly reduce an individual’s risk. Therefore, it is important that people are aware of the dangers of smoking, and encouraged to quit where possible.
← Journal of Breast Cancer Survival