People who smoke may feel more relaxed after lighting one up, but at what cost? At this point, the effects of smoking are well known. There are hundreds of studies surrounding the notion that smoking does indeed kill. Cancer is is growing in this nation, and smoking is just feeding its growth. Smokers even face an increased risk of some cancers such as throat cancer and stomach cancer years after they quit.
Italian researchers evaluated the data from 33 past studies and found that smokers were twice as likely as people who don’t smoke to suffer from throat cancer and stomach cancer. Some of the research suggests that the risk of stomach cancer remains increased even decades after someone quits. Although that may sound surprising, the effects of smoking can be so dangerous that it can cause genetic damage in minutes!
Most of the studies that the researchers followed consisted of a small group of people suffering with esophagus or gastric cardia tumors who would be compared to a cancer-free group. Three of the studies had a larger group of people who were followed over for a longer period of time while the researchers recorded any new instances of stomach cancer or throat cancer. Not surprisingly, the results showed that current smokers had more than doubled their risk of developing the two cancers compared to those who don’t smoke. Even when someone quit smoking, the effects of smoking casing the increased risk of developing the two cancers kept that increased risk up by 62% with throat cancer risk remaining high for up to 30 years.
Although stomach cancer and throat cancer are not incredibly common in western countries, rates have been rising in recent years in the United States and Europe. It is thought that while smoking is a well known risk factor in contracting stomach and throat cancer, obesity is playing a rather large role in their development. The American Cancer Society states that an average American has a 1 in 200 chance of developing esophageal cancer in some form and a 1 in 114 chance of developing stomach cancer in some form.
The researchers can’t say that smoking is the sole cause of the cancers, but they do know that it is definitely a contributing factor. Choosing not to smoke means saving your body from suffering. Not only will not smoking help lead to a longer, more healthy life, but it will also prevent health ills from developing in others around you. It is especially important to avoid smoke if you are a pregnant woman as the smoke can cause harm to your baby. Stopping is as easy as putting the cigarette down, and not starting is as easy as not picking a cigarette up.
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