Smoking and Cancer Smoking and Cancer Countless studies have proved that smoking causes lung cancer, and we now know that it substantially increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the larynx, pharynx, oral cavity, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas.
Additional studies suggest a strong association between smoking and cancer of the cervix.
The risk of developing lung and other smoking-associated cancers is related to total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke, as measured by the number of cigarettes smoked each day, the age at which smoking began, and the number of years a person has smoked. Likewise, the risk of developing other smoking- related diseases, including chronic lung diseases and coronary heart disease, also increases with the amount of smoking a person has done. The good news is that a smoker's risk of developing lung and other cancers can be reduced by quitting. The risk begins to decrease immediately after quitting and continues to decline gradually each year. Another benefit is that the risk of developing other cancers and chronic diseases associated with smoking is also reduced.