How Prevalent Is Smoking-Related Cancer?
Cancer caused by smoking is one of the largest health issues in the United States. Nearly 200,000 people in the United States each year are diagnosed with lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, 87 percent of the lung cancer deaths in the United States are caused by smoking.
Lung cancer is not the only cancer that is caused by long-term smoking. Over 150,000 people die in the United States each year from cancers that are directly caused by smoking. Even light smoking of only 1 to 4 cigarettes a day can put you at a much greater risk for developing smoking-related cancers, heart disease and a host of other ailments.
Why Does Smoking Cause Cancer?
Smoking causes cancer because of the chemicals and additives in the smoke and tar. Tar, not nicotine, is the cancer-causing agent in cigarette smoke. Tar is made up of over 4,000 chemicals, 60 of which are known to cause cancer.
Some of the chemicals found in cigarette smoke may amaze you. Chemicals such as cyanide, benzene, ammonia and formaldehyde are in the tar of cigarettes and are let loose in your body by the smoking of cigarettes.
Smoking pipes and cigars are not safe alternatives to cigarettes, as they also contain many of the same cancer-causing chemicals. Also, smoking low-tar or light cigarettes does not lower your risk of getting cancer from smoking. Many of those who smoke light cigarettes either smoke more cigarettes per day, or smoke the cigarettes down closer to the butt.
What Types of Cancer Are Linked to Smoking?
Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer associated with smoking. However, cancer of the larynx, mouth, throat, bladder and esophagus are all very common forms of cancer that are directly caused by cigarette smoke. Also, cancers of the kidney, stomach, pancreas and even a form of leukemia are linked with, though not directly caused by, smoking.
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