Women Who Smoke Notice Higher Risks For Breast Cancer

Smoking has been shown to increase breast cancer risks for women

Researchers found that women who are regular smokers, specifically prior to menopause, notice much higher risks of breast cancer when compared to women who do not smoke. The research also discovered no evidence between an increased risk and women who smoke less frequently.

While breast cancer is the most common among women, new research has also discovered that certain chemicals found in tobacco smoke may increase the chances of developing breast cancer as well.

Data for these findings were gathered from a the Nurses Health Study. That study evaluated health information of more than 111,000 female smokers and more than 36,000 passive smokers, or women who have been exposed to secondhand smoke. Information was compiled over the course of 30 years.

When following up, researchers noticed nearly 9,000 cases of breast cancer, causing alarm and proving a link does exist between smoking and breast cancer.

Additional findings include increased risks of cancer diagnosis for women who started smoking at a younger age, those who smoked for a longer overall time period, and those who smoked more heavily.