The Facts - Tobacco, Lung Cancer and Secondhand Smoke

Tobacco Facts

• Smoking is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in Canada.
• Smoking kills more than 37,000 Canadians each year – six times more than vehicle collisions, suicides, murders and AIDS combined.
• Tobacco use is also linked to cancer of the bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx, stomach, colon, rectum and breast.
• More than 5 million Canadians are smokers.
• Cigarette smoking causes about 30% of cancers in Canada and more than 85% of lung cancers.
• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men and women in Canada.
• About 15% of Canadian children are exposed to secondhand smoke at home.

What You Are Inhaling

Cigarettes contain more than 4,000 chemicals, 69 of which can cause cancer. With every cigarette, a person inhales:

• Tar
• Mercury
• Lead
• Carbon monoxide
• Ddt (an insecticide)
• Acetone (nail polish remover)
• Arsenic (white ant poison)
• Hydrogen cyanide (poisonous gas)

Lung Cancer

Canadawide Statistics

• Lung cancer, the most preventable of all cancers, remains the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.
• In 2005, an estimated 19,000 Canadians will die of lung cancer and 22,200 Canadians will be diagnosed with the disease.
• One in 11 men is expected to develop lung cancer during their lifetime and 1 in 12 will die of it.
• One in 17 women is expected to develop lung cancer during their lifetime and 1 in 20 is expected to die of it.

Ontario Statistics

• The most frequently diagnosed cancers overall (men and women) in Ontario are both lung cancer and colorectal cancer.
• An estimated 7,500 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in Ontario in 2005 (3,900 men and 3,600 women).
• In Ontario, in 2005, an estimated 3,000 women and 3,500 men will die of lung cancer.

Risk Factors

The main cause of lung cancer is smoking. Most people who develop lung cancer are long-term, heavy smokers – the more someone smokes and the longer they smoke, the higher their risk. People who live with or work closely with a smoker are also at increased risk from exposure to secondhand smoke. But no amount of tobacco is safe.

Other factors that appear to increase the risk of lung cancer are:

• Working with materials, such as asbestos, arsenic, nickel and petroleum, especially if a smoker
• Exposure to radon gas

Other workplace exposures and air pollutants are being studied. Some people develop lung cancer without any of these risk factors.

Signs and Symptoms

Having the following signs and symptoms does not necessarily mean someone has lung cancer. Most smokers experience these symptoms from time to time, so it’s important to see a doctor to be sure.

Some signs and symptoms include:

• Cough or a change in your existing cough
• Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
• Constant tiredness
• General discomfort
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Pain in the chest
• Shortness of breath
• Hoarseness
• Trouble swallowing
• Pneumonia

Secondhand Smoke

What is Secondhand Smoke?

Secondhand smoke is even more dangerous than directly inhaled smoke. Cigarettes burn for approximately 12 minutes, but smokers usually only inhale for 30 seconds. As a result, smokers and non-smokers alike are breathing in:

• Mainstream smoke – the smoke first inhaled by the smoker and then exhaled.
• Sidestream smoke – the smoke that goes into the air from the end of a burning cigarette. It contains twice the nicotine and tar than mainstream smoke and 5 times the carbon monoxide.

Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke

A non-smoker exposed to secondhand smoke has a 25% increased chance of developing lung cancer. Health Canada estimates that more than 300 non-smokers die from lung cancer each year because of such exposure.

Health risks of secondhand smoke include:

• Cancer (of the lungs, sinuses, brain, breast, uterus, cervix, thyroid, as well as leukemia and lymphoma)
• Heart disease and stroke
• The aggravation of asthma, allergies and angina
• Reduced ability to take in and use oxygen
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Eye irritation, headache, nasal discomfort, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, nausea and dizziness

Secondhand Smoke and Children

Children are mainly exposed to secondhand smoke at home and in the car. Infants and children breathe in more secondhand smoke than adults because they have higher respiratory rates.

Secondhand smoke among children can lead to:

• An increased risk of developing cancer and heart disease as an adult
• Impaired lung function
• Middle ear infections
• Food allergies
• An increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Chronic respiratory illness, such as asthma
• A possible negative impact on behaviour, attention and cognition

Health Risks on Unborn Children

• Nicotine speeds up the heartbeat of the fetus and can slow down the growth of the baby’s lungs and breathing passages.
• Carbon monoxide can reduce the oxygen supply to the fetus by 25%, which can lead to lower birth weights.

Smoking and Other Cancers

In addition to lung cancer, smoking is a contributing factor for the development of cancer of the throat, mouth, larynx, esophagus, stomach, bladder, kidney, cervix and pancreas.

Smoking and Colorectal Cancer

Some studies have found that the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco smoke may cause tumours in the colon and rectum. The heavier and longer a person smokes, the greater the risk.

Smoking and Breast Cancer

Researchers are still studying the possible connection between breast cancer and smoking.

Recent studies provide evidence suggesting a link between breast cancer risk and both active and passive (secondhand) smoking, particularly for pre-menopausal breast cancer.

Source: Canadian Cancer Society