By Speakin’ Out News Staff
Smoking remains one of the most dangerous and preventable threats to public health, and new research is reinforcing just how deadly the habit can be. A study published today in JAMA Network Open finds that nearly half of U.S. deaths from certain cancers—including lung, colon and pancreatic cancers—are linked to tobacco use.
Researchers analyzed data from almost 400,000 patients diagnosed with tobacco-related cancers and found smoking to be a major contributor to cancer deaths nationwide. The study examined a wide range of tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco such as chewing tobacco and snuff. Vaping products were not included in the analysis.
According to the findings, most patients diagnosed with tobacco-related cancers were over age 60, non-Hispanic white and male. Lung and bladder cancers were the most common cancers associated with tobacco use, while high proportions of tobacco-attributed deaths were also found in cancers of the larynx, esophagus, oral cavity and bladder.
The study also found that men had higher rates of tobacco-related cancers than women, particularly in liver, stomach and kidney cancers, as well as acute myeloid leukemia.
Health experts often refer to a “dirty dozen” list of cancers linked to smoking. In addition to lung cancer, tobacco use has been tied to cancers of the mouth and throat, bladder, kidney, liver, stomach, pancreas and colon, along with cervical and ovarian cancers in women. Smoking is also associated with blood cancers such as acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.
Medical professionals stress that quitting smoking can significantly reduce cancer risk, even for long-term smokers. Support programs, counseling and medical treatments are widely available to help people quit.
As cancer rates continue to impact families and communities nationwide, experts say prevention remains the most powerful tool—and stopping tobacco use is a critical first step.