Cancer Care Settings and Smoking Cessation

Smoking Causes Cancer

Patient getting counseling from a doctor.

One out of every three cancer deaths in the U.S. is related to cigarette smoking. Smoking causes 12 types of cancer, including cancers of the lung, larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, stomach, liver, colon and rectum, kidney and renal pelvis, cervix, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Additionally, secondhand smoke exposure causes lung cancer.

Research shows that, in both patients with cancer and cancer survivors, smoking:

Increases the risk of death, including death from cancer.
Increases the risk for development of additional primary cancers which are smoking-related.
May increase risk of cancer recurrence.
May result in poorer treatment response and increased treatment-related toxicity.

Smoking cessation protects against cancer and benefits both patients with cancer and cancer survivors. Healthcare professionals, particularly those in oncology care, should treat patients’ tobacco use and dependence.

Smoking and Cancer - What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know

[PDF - 270 KB]

Smoking Causes Cancer

Research shows that, in both patients with cancer and cancer survivors, smoking:

Increases the risk of death, including death from cancer.
Increases the risk for development of additional primary cancers which are smoking-related.
May increase risk of cancer recurrence.
May result in poorer treatment response and increased treatment-related toxicity.

Smoking and Cancer - What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know

[PDF]

Smoking Cessation Protects Against Cancer

Smoking cessation is one of the most important actions people who smoke can take to improve their health and reduce their risk for cancer.This is true for all people who smoke, regardless of age or smoking duration and intensity. For patients with cancer, studies suggest that quitting smoking can significantly reduce mortality and improve their prognosis.

The cancer-related benefits of smoking cessation include:

Reduces the risk of 12 different types of cancer, including lung, larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, stomach, colon and rectum, liver, cervix, kidney, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
After cessation, the risk of developing cancer (compared to continued smoking) drops over time:
- 5 to 10 years after quitting: added risk* of cancers of the larynx, oral cavity, and pharynx drops by half.
- 10 years after quitting: risk of cancers of the bladder, esophagus, and kidney decreases.
- 10 to 15 years after quitting: added risk* of lung cancer drops by half.
- 20 years after quitting: risk of cancers of the larynx, oral cavity, pharynx, and pancreas drops to close to that of someone who does not smoke.
- 20 years after quitting: added risk* of cervical cancer drops by about half.

*The added risk of cancer above that of the general population which is linked to smoking.

Smoking cessation also benefits patients with cancer: