Cancers caused by smoking reach all time high
Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
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The number of cancer cases caused by smoking in the UK has reached an all-time high of 160 cases every day, new analysis from Cancer Research UK shows.
The number of cases has increased by 17% since 2003, meaning over 20 additional people a day are being diagnosed with cancer caused by smoking compared to 20 years ago.
Although smoking rates in the UK are going down, a growing population means there are still around 6.4 million people who still smoke in the UK and around 57,600 diagnoses of cancers caused by smoking each year.
In Cancer Research UK’s plan for longer, better lives, they called on the next UK Government to act to end cancers caused by smoking.
The newly elected UK Government must re-introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in the first King’s Speech on 17 July and help create the first smokefree generation.
“Right now, six people are diagnosed every hour in the UK with cancer that was caused by smoking,” said Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of policy.
“Raising the age of sale of tobacco products will be one of the biggest public health interventions in living memory, establishing the UK as a world-leader. It’s vital that this Bill is re-introduced at the King’s Speech, passed and implemented in full so the impact of smoking is consigned to the history books.”
A uniquely harmful product
Tobacco is a uniquely harmful product. When used as advised by the manufacturer, it will kill up to two thirds of users.
Cigarette smoke contains over 5,000 chemicals, at least 70 of which cause cancer. These chemicals damage the DNA in our cells and make it harder for our cells to repair DNA damage, which can lead to cancer.
Lung cancer still has the strongest link to smoking, causing around 33,100 cases each year. However, the analysis showed the biggest increases in UK cancer cases caused by smoking are seen in liver, throat and kidney, where they have doubled over the last 20 years.
This is also the first time Cancer Research UK has included breast cancer as a cancer type caused by smoking in this kind of analysis.
The scientific research for this link has been growing for years and the charity is now confident in the evidence showing that smoking causes around 2,200 cases of breast cancer every year in the UK.
This means that tobacco causes 16 different types of cancer.
The biggest cause of cancer in the UK
One person is admitted to hospital every minute in England because of smoking, and it’s estimated by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) that the treatment of smoking-related illness costs the NHS approximately £1.9 billion every year in England alone.
“Smoking remains the biggest cause of cancer in the UK and is responsible for 16 types of the disease, including some of the most common cancer types, like lung, breast and bowel,” said Karis Betts, cancer epidemiologist at Cancer Research UK.
“It’s vital that the UK Government continues to sustainably fund smoking cessation services to give those who want to quit the support they need to succeed.
“Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do for your health, but it’s not always easy, and it can take a few attempts to find the method that works for you. But keep trying and get support from your free local stop smoking service, doctor or pharmacist.”
Ending cancers caused by smoking has been a key call of Cancer Research UK’s campaign to ensure that this general election is a turning point for people affected by cancer.
There’s still time to join the Turning Point for Cancer campaign
So many people that I know seem to be giving up smoking so this does surprise me a bit. I suppose the damage is already done. Do we have any information on vaping and the health risks? My husband gave up smoking 10 years ago and has only just stopped vaping.
Senior Clinical Data Manager - FSP - Astrazeneca - Oncology - Data Management
1wThe way smoking has no place in the near future is to ban it completely and replace it with only products that can help current users cope with the transition to quit. Incentives to help people should be backed by the UK government, raising awareness of all the risks not just lung cancer, easy access to Low cost NRT via GPs and smoking stop medications as well as additional support to those transitioning off or wanting to stop being it with CBT/ talking therapy or other therapies to hit the root cause for smoking. My grandfather died because of smoking at a time when information on its harmful impacts on human health had been unknown, once this information had been known he stopped however it was unfortunately too late. It's surprising to me given all the data we have with these types of products they are it's still being sold. Asbestos was fully banned in the UK in November 1999. The ban made it illegal to buy, sell, import or export any asbestos containing materials. Why can't the same be applied here?
Laboratory assistant at CRUK Manchester Institute| Cancer research enthusiast| Aspiring bioinformatician
2wIncreasing the general public awareness on this situation will go a long way to curbing this canker. Good read!
(MetabolicChemistry -> (Epi)Genetics -> ProteinBiochemistry) Circularized and Summarised in MSNGSMS
2wSociety permits Cigarettes - Alcohol - A certain profile of food ... ... .... and cancer results. The body needs serious abuse to go awol. We appear to accommodate.
Sounds logical and useful. The higher the incidence of disease and risk for younger population, the worse it is for any country. But, just to be sure, I guess the subjects - all the 160 per day cases - in this analysis were all smokers, because air pollution is also a risk factor. Of course, those with dual exposure could be at a much higher risk, and probably deserve a similar investigation.