Smoking Linked to Colorectal Cancer

In a large prospective study of cigarette smoking and colorectal cancer involving around 800,000 people, researchers from the U.S. American Cancer Society report finding strong evidence for linking cancers of the colon and rectum to smoking. An analysis of the study concludes that long-term cigarette smoking is associated with an elevated risk of dying of these cancers and estimates that about 12% (6,800) of the 1997 deaths from colorectal cancer may be directly attributable to cigarette smoking.

Male smokers in the study had a 32% higher death rate than nonsmokers, while female smokers had a 41% higher death rate. The higher death rates increased with duration of the habit and the number of cigarettes smoked daily. Death rates were higher for smokers who began smoking at a younger age than those who smoked longer and more cigarettes per day.

"Clear benefits were observed among those people who had quit smoking; the longer ago, the higher the benefit,” noted Ann Chao, Ph.D., one of the authors of the study. The study was published in the December 6 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.



Related Links:
National Cancer Institute