Smoking Tobacco – a Risk Factor for Breast Cancer

Abstract

Abstract Introduction In 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) stated that there was “limited evidence of a cause and effect relationship between an increased risk of breast cancer and smoking”. Environmental tobacco smoke is known to cause cancer by exerting both carcinogenic and genotoxic effects. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between smoking (active and passive) and breast cancer risk. Material and methods The case/control study was conducted from 2015– –2019 in the Lodz region. The case group included 384 women with breast cancer; the control group included 298 healthy women. The research tool was an anonymous questionnaire. Results In the group of 682 respondents, 63% have ever smoked cigarettes (65.4%/60.1% in the case/control group respectively), 22.1% were current smokers, 67% were exposed to passive smoking. In the majority of cases, women were exposed to smoking by the husband (86%), the father (55.5%) or both (43.2%). Breast cancer risk is 253–271% higher for smokers (current – past) in comparison to the group of non-smokers, never exposed to passive smoking. The risk for passive smokers is 139% higher than for those not exposed. Conclusions Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke increases the risk of breast cancer. Public awareness of the negative consequences of passive smoking should be raised.