Does Quitting Reduce My Risk of Lung Cancer?
• 85% of all lung cancer cases are related to smoking.¹ • The risk of death from all causes drops significantly after quitting. After 20 years, the risk level is similar to that of nonsmokers.² • In a study of referred lung cancer patients, researchers found that 77% of them had smoked at some point, but 66% of them had quit an average of 18 years ago.³ Seemingly, lung cancer rates among former smokers did not improve as much as other risks did.
Smoking can have some long-term ramifications.
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Chronic inflammation of the airways can lead to scarring that will remain long after quitting, especially in longtime smokers.
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Permanent damage to the air sacs of the lungs and blood vessels can make it harder to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide. This condition is known as emphysema.
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Even if most damage is reversed, the lungs tend to be more susceptible to future issues like pneumonia or bronchitis.4
Along with lung cancer, smoking is known to be a factor in 15 other kinds of cancer: • • • • • • • • •
Stomach Mouth, throat, nose and sinus Esophagus Bladder, ureter, and kidney Pancreas Liver Cervix and ovary Bowel Blood (acute myeloid leukemia)5
Risks decrease significantly after quitting. Even if one’s level of risk never returns to that of a nonsmoker, quitting is still the best way to reduce the likelihood of cancer and early death.
Knowing the risks, the long-term health benefits of quitting are profound. They include: • Reduced risk of death, many types of cancer, and various diseases (e.g. COPD, heart disease, stroke). • Improved physical ability and quality of life, as well as improvement of symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. • In women of childbearing age, quitting improves fertility and reduces the risk of low birth weight.6
• The FDA calls tobacco “the single largest preventable cause of disease and death in the United States,” regardless of type. • Cigars and Cigarillos: Depending on size, these can contain up to twice the tar, five times the carbon monoxide and 10 times the nicotine of a filtered cigarette.7 • Smokeless Tobacco (chew, snuff): Doesn't involve inhaling smoke, but poses the risk of oral cancer and other damage to the mouth and gums.8
• Chest X-rays and Computed Tomography (CT) scans are used to get an in-depth picture of the lungs. A radiologist then reviews these images to identify abnormalities and share findings with an oncologist. • Researchers estimate that lung cancer screenings could lower the national rate of lung cancer death by as much as 20%.9 • Individuals who started young and/or smoked heavily for many years should have an annual screening for at least 15 years.
Always consult your physician if you have any concerns about your health. Below are a few general guidelines to consider:
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If you're between 55 and 85 years of age and have smoked for at least 30 “pack years” (number of years smoked times number of packs per day).
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If you're experiencing new or worsening respiratory symptoms, especially if you're coughing up blood.
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If you aren't sure whether you need a screening, try the risk questionnaire at https://shouldiscreen.com/English/lungcancer-risk-calculator.
Crystal Run Healthcare is a New York provider of more than 50 types of specialty medical care. Throughout the Hudson Valley and lower Catskill regions, patients turn to our providers for everything from primary health care and chronic condition monitoring to cancer screenings and urgent treatment. Ready to find an oncologist or primary care physician in your area? Visit us online to easily book an appointment with many of our physicians’ or contact us if you need additional assistance.
1.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/articles-and-answers/wellbeing/former-smokers-whats-your-risk-for-lung-cancer
2.
https://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20080506/quit-smoking-death-risk-drops-fast#1
3.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/risk-of-lung-cancer-in-former-smokers-3971884
4.
http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1819144,00.html
5.
https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/blog/there-are-16-cancers-that-can-be-caused-by-smoking/
6.
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/quitting/index.htm
7.
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm392735.htm
8.
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/smokeless-tobacco.html
9.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3709936/