Did you know that smoking is one of the biggest causes of cancer that can easily be prevented, even though it is responsible for causing almost a fifth of all the cases of cancer?
While smoking causes many different types of cancers, the most common one is lung cancer. No matter what type of cigarette you prefer smoking, your chances of getting affected with lung cancer will always remain very high as compared to those who do not smoke.
Your Chances Of Lung Cancer From Smoking
Whether you smoke regular cigarettes or the low-tar ones, your chances of getting lung cancer are almost the same. It is known that the risk of getting lung cancer is higher based on how much you smoke and how often you smoke. Also, the number of years you have been smoking also has a direct bearing on your risk of getting lung cancer.
How Smoking Causes Lung Cancer
According to a research paper, smoking tobacco is the main reason for about 30 to 40 percent of deaths that result from lung cancer.
When you smoke cigarettes, it damages your DNA, along with a lot of those genes that otherwise help you fight cancer. Cigarettes contain various chemicals such as polonium-210, nitrosamines, benzene and benzo(a)pyrene, that can cause significant damage to the DNA. The chemicals present in cigarettes get absorbed in the human system, after which they are metabolized and cause significant damaging changes to the genes and DNA.
These chemicals not only increase your chances of lung cancer, they also cause significant disruption in regular functioning and prevent the DNA from damage repair. As a result, the cells that get damaged have a higher chance of becoming cancerous.
Forms Of Smoking That Can Cause Lung Cancer
Here are some of the forms of smoking that can cause lung cancer:
- Cigarettes
- Chewing tobacco
- Cigars
- Pipe
- Snuff tobacco
- Cannabis
Will Quitting Now Make A Difference?
Yes. If you have smoked till now and want to quit, it will definitely reduce your chances of lung cancer, as compared to continuing to smoke. Even though you will still be at a higher risk of getting lung cancer as compared to those who do not smoke, your chances will be lower than those who have not quit.
Can Second Hand Or Passive Smoking Cause Cancer?
Passive or second-hand smoking is the type of smoking exposure you get when you do not smoke yourself, but are around those who do. If you do not smoke but are often around smokers, it can significantly increase your risk of lung cancer. It can either be a sidestream smoke, in which you inhale the smoke that is produced by the burning product, or mainstream smoke, in which you inhale the smoke that is directly exhaled by the smoker.
Once you are aware of the risks of smoking and lung cancer, you can definitely try to reduce and quit down on smoking. Read our article on effective ways to quit smoking, and start your journey towards health now.
