He smoking It is an addiction that is currently considered a chronic disease.
It is the main cause of illness and premature death in developed countries. In Spain, it causes more than 60,000 deaths each year, mainly from cancer, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, which in turn generates many other diseases and disabilities.
There is scientific evidence that shows that tobacco is responsible for 30% of all cases of cancer. And not only lungs, as the Dr. Ruth Verahead of the Medical Oncology Service at the Hospital de Navarra and member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Excellence and Quality in Oncology (ECO).
In other words, it explains ‘Health Guides’ he Prof. José Mª Martín MorenoProfessor of Medicine at the University of Valencia and Policy Adviser of the European Observatory of Health Systems and Policies, “if we eliminate smoking, a third of the incidence of cancer would suddenly disappear.”
And passive smoking also has negative health consequences. “It is a significant cause of illness and premature death, mainly due to cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, but also as a risk factor for malignant tumors,” he specifies.
And long-term exposure to radon could be related to this, as stated in the European Code Against Cancer.
In the case of lung cancer, an increased risk of suffering from it of at least 20% has been documented among non-smokers regularly exposed to tobacco smoke. In this way, a proportion of non-smoking patients with lung cancer could be related to exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
Relationship between tobacco and cancer
Although when we think of tobacco, the Lung cancer is not the only tumor that is closely related to this toxic habit. Smoking causes many types of cancer, such as:
-
Laryngeal cancer
-
from mouth
-
Esophagus
-
Throat
-
Kidney
-
Liver
-
Stomach
-
Pancreas
-
Colon and rectum
-
Cervix
-
Cervix
Lung cancer: it is no longer a man’s thing
Lung cancer was a disease almost exclusive to men. However, as a consequence of the gradual incorporation of women into tobacco consumption, it is becoming more common among women.
In fact, among cases of lung cancer in people affected at younger ages, there are hardly any differences based on sex. If he tobacco consumption continues to rise, Dr. Vera predicts that “other types of tumors such as those that affect the oral cavity will increase in women.” For his part, Professor Martín Moreno remembers that:
This situation was experienced years ago in the United States and in northern European countries, where women began to smoke earlier than in Spain. “In the case of the United States, already in the 1980s, lung cancer surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death among women.”
Does quitting smoking reduce the risk of cancer?
Give up smoking It is probably the best decision that smokers can make, to improve both the hope and the quality of life in the remaining years. “The benefit is always important in both sexes and at all ages, although naturally the sooner you stop smoking, the benefit obtained is greater.”
-
“The most immediate benefit is related to the reduction in the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, mainly myocardial infarction, so that one year after quitting smoking, the risk is reduced by half. The risk of suffering from cancer is also reduced, but much more slowly.”
The professor emphasizes that “it is reliably known that, if you stop smoking, the risk of dying from cancer decreases. Although it may seem surprising, many cancer patients still smoke. Therefore, it is necessary to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of smoking among cancer patients, in accordance with the scientific evidence”.
Even if you have had this habit for many years, it is always beneficial to stop smoking. “The greater the intensity of consumption, the greater the risk of getting sick and dying prematurely as a consequence of tobacco consumption, although there is no safety threshold, and there is always an increased risk when smoking.”
What can administrations do to stop smoking?
The professor from the University of Valencia emphasizes that “we must work to improve the health of all Spaniards, regardless of their year of birth, increasing the taxation applied to tobacco and alternative products, guaranteeing smoke-free spaces, facilitating cessation programs and promoting information and training for the defense and promotion of health.
Dr. Vera is also committed to educating about the harmful effects of tobacco and increasing its cost to prevent young people from taking up this toxic habit.