Smoking and Its Relationship with Cancer

Abstract

Tobacco smoking is a popular pastime all over the world. It is the leading preventable cause of cancer. Tobacco smoke is loaded with carcinogens that harm literally every tissue in the human body. It is the main cause of cancers of the lung, esophagus, and urinary bladder. Besides its deleterious effect on the primary smokers, exhaled smoke and side-stream smoke from their cigarettes also increase the risk of cancer in non-smokers from passive inhalation. Almost one-half of the cancer sufferers continue to smoke after its diagnosis, and this interferes with treatment, increases the risk of recurrence, is associated with a poor quality of life, and markedly hikes mortality. Tobacco smoking is implicated in about a third of all cancer deaths. It also increases the risk of developing a second primary cancer. Smoking cessation not only reduces the risk of developing new cancer but also favorably alters the course of established cancer. It can also bestow an extra 20 years of life. This manuscript briefly reviews the noxious relationship between tobacco smoke and cancer.